Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the LORD your God and said, ‘Pray to the LORD our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.’ New Living Translation For you were not being honest when you sent me to pray to the LORD your God for you. You said, ‘Just tell us what the LORD our God says, and we will do it!’ English Standard Version that you have gone astray at the cost of your lives. For you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God, and whatever the LORD our God says, declare to us and we will do it.’ Berean Standard Bible For you have deceived yourselves by sending me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us and we will do it.’ Berean Literal Bible that you⁺ have gone astray in your⁺ souls, when you⁺ sent me to YHWH your⁺ God, saying, ‘Pray on our behalf to YHWH our God, and according to all that YHWH our God says, so declare it to us, and we will do it! King James Bible For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it. New King James Version For you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God, and according to all that the LORD your God says, so declare to us and we will do it.’ New American Standard Bible For you have only deceived yourselves; for it is you who sent me to the LORD your God, saying, “Pray for us to the LORD our God; and whatever the LORD our God says, tell us so, and we will do it.” NASB 1995 For you have only deceived yourselves; for it is you who sent me to the LORD your God, saying, “Pray for us to the LORD our God; and whatever the LORD our God says, tell us so, and we will do it.” NASB 1977 For you have only deceived yourselves; for it is you who sent me to the LORD your God, saying, “Pray for us to the LORD our God; and whatever the LORD our God says, tell us so, and we will do it.” Legacy Standard Bible For you have only led yourselves astray; for it is you who sent me to Yahweh your God, saying, “Pray for us to Yahweh our God; and according to all that Yahweh our God says, tell us so, and we will do it.” Amplified Bible that you have deceived yourselves; for you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, “Pray for us to the LORD our God; and whatever the LORD our God says, declare it to us and we will do it.” Berean Annotated Bible For you⁺ have deceived yourselves by sending me to the LORD your⁺ God {YHWH Eloheikem}, saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us and we will do it.’ Christian Standard Bible You have gone astray at the cost of your lives because you are the ones who sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us, and we’ll act accordingly.’ Holman Christian Standard Bible You have led your own selves astray because you are the ones who sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us, and we’ll act accordingly.’ American Standard Version For ye have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; for ye sent me unto Jehovah your God, saying, Pray for us unto Jehovah our God; and according unto all that Jehovah our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it. Contemporary English Version You asked me to pray and find out what the LORD our God wants you to do, and you promised to obey him. But that was a terrible mistake, English Revised Version For ye have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; for ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it: GOD'S WORD® Translation You only deceived yourselves when you sent me to the LORD your God and said, 'Pray to the LORD our God for us, and tell us everything that the LORD our God says, and we'll do it.' Good News Translation that you are making a fatal mistake. You asked me to pray to the LORD our God for you, and you promised that you would do everything that he commands. International Standard Version that you have deceived yourselves. Indeed, you yourselves sent me to the LORD your God, saying, 'Pray to the LORD your God for us, and whatever the LORD our God tells us we will do.' NET Bible You are making a fatal mistake. For you sent me to the LORD your God and asked me, 'Pray to the LORD our God for us. Tell us what the LORD our God says and we will do it.' New Heart English Bible For you have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; for you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, 'Pray for us to the LORD our God; and according to all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare to us, and we will do it': Webster's Bible Translation For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me to the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us to the LORD our God; and according to all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare to us, and we will do it. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleFor you have deceived yourselves by sending me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us and we will do it.’ World English Bible For you have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; for you sent me to Yahweh your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to Yahweh our God; and according to all that Yahweh our God says, so declare to us, and we will do it.’ Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionfor you have showed yourselves perverse in your souls, for you sent me to your God YHWH, saying, Pray for us to our God YHWH, and according to all that our God YHWH says, so declare to us, and we have done [it]; Berean Literal Bible that you⁺ have gone astray in your⁺ souls, when you⁺ sent me to YHWH your⁺ God, saying, ‘Pray on our behalf to YHWH our God, and according to all that YHWH our God says, so declare it to us, and we will do it! Young's Literal Translation for ye have shewed yourselves perverse in your souls, for ye sent me unto Jehovah your God, saying, Pray for us unto Jehovah our God, and according to all that Jehovah our God saith, so declare to us, and we have done it; Smith's Literal Translation For ye erred in your souls when ye sent me to Jehovah your God, saying, Pray for us to Jehovah our God; and according to all Jehovah will say, so announce to us, and we will do. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleFor you have deceived your own souls: for you sent me to the Lord our God, saying: Pray for us to the Lord our God, and according to all that the Lord our God shall say to thee, so declare unto us, and we will do it. Catholic Public Domain Version For you have deceived your own souls. For you have sent me to the Lord our God, saying: ‘Pray on our behalf to the Lord our God. And in accord with anything whatsoever that the Lord our God will tell you, announce this to us, and we will do it.’ New American Bible At the cost of your lives you have been deceitful, for you yourselves sent me to the LORD, your God, saying, “Pray for us to the LORD, our God; whatever the LORD, our God, shall say, tell us and we will do it.” New Revised Standard Version that you have made a fatal mistake. For you yourselves sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God, and whatever the LORD our God says, tell us and we will do it.’ Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor you have deceived yourselves when you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us before the LORD our God, and whatever the LORD our God shall say to you declare to us and we will do it. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated For you have deceived your souls and you sent me to LORD JEHOVAH your God, and you said, ‘Pray for us in front of LORD JEHOVAH our God, and everything that LORD JEHOVAH our God says to you, show us, and we shall do it’ OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917For ye have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; for ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying: Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it; Brenton Septuagint Translation that ye have wrought wickedness in your hearts, when ye sent me, saying, Pray thou for us to the Lord; and according to all that the Lord shall speak to thee we will do. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Warning Against Going to Egypt…19The LORD has told you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Know for sure that I have warned you today! 20For you have deceived yourselves by sending me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us and we will do it.’ 21For I have told you today, but you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God in all He has sent me to tell you.… Cross References For you have deceived yourselves James 1:22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. Galatians 6:3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 1 Corinthians 3:18 Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise. by sending me to the LORD your God, Jeremiah 21:2 “Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is waging war against us. Perhaps the LORD will perform for us something like all His past wonders, so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us.” 2 Kings 22:13 “Go and inquire of the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah concerning the words in this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book by doing all that is written about us.” 2 Kings 3:11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, 1 Samuel 12:19 They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king.” Numbers 21:7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so He will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses interceded for the people. Exodus 8:8 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people. Then I will let your people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.” and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us Deuteronomy 5:27 Go near and listen to all that the LORD our God says. Then you can tell us everything the LORD our God tells you; we will listen and obey.” Exodus 20:19 “Speak to us yourself and we will listen,” they said to Moses. “But do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” and we will do it.’ Exodus 19:8 And all the people answered together, “We will do everything that the LORD has spoken.” So Moses brought their words back to the LORD. Exodus 24:3 When Moses came and told the people all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all responded with one voice: “All the words that the LORD has spoken, we will do.” Joshua 24:24 So the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God and obey His voice.” Jeremiah 43:2-4 Azariah son of Hoshaiah, Johanan son of Kareah, and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to reside there.’ / Rather, Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us to deliver us into the hands of the Chaldeans, so that they may put us to death or exile us to Babylon!” / So Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces disobeyed the command of the LORD to stay in the land of Judah. Jeremiah 44:16-17 “As for the word you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you! / Instead, we will do everything we vowed to do: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and offer drink offerings to her, just as we, our fathers, our kings, and our officials did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and good things, and we saw no disaster. Treasury of Scripture For you dissembled in your hearts, when you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us to the LORD our God; and according to all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare to us, and we will do it. Jeremiah 3:10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD. Jeremiah 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Psalm 18:44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me. Numbers 16:38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel. James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Pray Jeremiah 42:2 And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:) Jump to Previous Astray Cost Dealt Deceitfully Deceived Declare Dissembled Hearts Souls Whatever YourselvesJump to Next Astray Cost Dealt Deceitfully Deceived Declare Dissembled Hearts Souls Whatever YourselvesJeremiah 42 1. Johanan desires Jeremiah to enquire of God, promising obedience to his will.7. Jeremiah assures him of safety in Judea; 13. and destruction in Egypt. 19. He reproves their hypocrisy. For you have deceived yourselves This phrase highlights the self-deception of the people of Judah. In the broader context of Jeremiah 42, the remnant of Judah seeks guidance from God through the prophet Jeremiah. However, their hearts are not truly aligned with God's will. This self-deception is a common theme in Scripture, where individuals or groups claim to seek God's guidance but are unwilling to follow it when it contradicts their desires (James 1:22-24). by sending me to the LORD your God saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us and we will do it Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah. Known for his perseverance in delivering God's word despite opposition. 2. The Remnant of Judah The group of Israelites left in Judah after the Babylonian conquest. They sought guidance from God through Jeremiah. 3. Johanan A leader among the remnant who sought Jeremiah's counsel, representing the people's desire for divine direction. 4. Egypt The place where the remnant considered fleeing to escape Babylonian rule, against God's directive. 5. Babylonian Conquest The historical backdrop of this passage, where Judah was conquered, and many were exiled. Teaching Points Sincerity in Seeking God's WillWhen seeking God's guidance, ensure that your heart is genuinely open to His direction, even if it contradicts personal desires. The Danger of Self-Deception Be aware of the human tendency to deceive oneself, especially when it comes to spiritual matters. True obedience requires honesty with oneself and God. Consequences of Disobedience Understand that ignoring God's instructions can lead to negative consequences, as seen in the remnant's eventual downfall. Trust in God's Plan Trust that God's plan, even when it seems difficult or counterintuitive, is ultimately for our good and His glory. Commitment to Action Commit to acting on God's word, not just hearing it. True faith is demonstrated through obedience. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 42:20?2. What does Jeremiah 42:20 reveal about the importance of obeying God's guidance? 3. How can we avoid the mistake of insincerity in seeking God's will today? 4. In what ways does Jeremiah 42:20 connect with Proverbs 3:5-6 about trust? 5. How can we ensure our prayers align with genuine intentions, as warned in Jeremiah? 6. What steps can we take to truly "obey the voice of the LORD"? 7. What does Jeremiah 42:20 reveal about the consequences of disobedience to God? 8. How does Jeremiah 42:20 challenge our understanding of divine guidance and human free will? 9. Why did the people disregard God's warning in Jeremiah 42:20? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 42? 11. Do the promises in Jer 42 about the safety of the remnant conflict with the calamities in Jer 43? 12. In Jeremiah 20:7, how could an all-honest God 'deceive' Jeremiah if He is truly without falsehood? 13. How can Jeremiah 20:7 be reconciled with James 1:13, which states that God never tempts or deceives anyone? 14. What is the nature of God's existence and essence? What Does Jeremiah 42:20 Mean For you have deceived yourselves– Jeremiah confronts the remnant’s self-inflicted blindness. • They wanted God’s stamp on a plan already settled in their hearts (Jeremiah 42:14). • Scripture warns that the heart “is deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9) and that hearers who do not act “deceive themselves” (James 1:22). • Genuine seeking starts with willingness to surrender whatever God says (Psalm 139:23-24). by sending me to the LORD your God – They used the prophet as a go-between, yet disowned personal responsibility. • Outsourcing obedience allows a veneer of spirituality while keeping distance (1 Samuel 15:30). • Though Jeremiah faithfully interceded (Jeremiah 42:4), the people’s motive was flawed; God sees through such pretense (Isaiah 29:13). saying, “Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf,” – Their request sounded humble, but it masked manipulation. • Intercession is powerful (Exodus 32:11-14), yet only effective when petitioners truly align with God’s will (1 John 5:14). • They spoke of “our God,” implying covenant loyalty; yet their actions soon denied that claim (Jeremiah 43:2-7). and as for all that the LORD our God says, – They verbally pledged unconditional submission. • Promising full obedience echoes Israel at Sinai (“All that the LORD has spoken we will do,” Exodus 19:8) and Peter’s vow in Luke 22:33, both later broken. • God delights in hearts that tremble at His word (Isaiah 66:2), not in empty assurances. tell it to us and we will do it. – The final declaration exposes the depth of their duplicity once their preferred answer is denied. • When God commanded them to stay in Judah (Jeremiah 42:10), they rejected the word, branding Jeremiah a liar (Jeremiah 43:2). • This reveals the danger of conditional obedience—obeying only when God agrees with pre-set desires (Luke 6:46). summary Jeremiah 42:20 exposes a façade of devotion: the remnant asked for divine guidance while already determined to flee to Egypt. Their self-deception lay in seeking confirmation, not transformation. True faith approaches God with a yielded heart, ready to act on His word whatever it costs. (20) For ye dissembled in your hearts . . .--Looks and whispers betrayed, we may believe, the feelings of the prophet's hearers. He saw by such outward signs, or he read, as by the intuition of inspiration, the secret counsels of their hearts (1Corinthians 14:24-25), that they had made a false profession of their readiness to obey, and really meant all along to act as they liked, with the prophet's approval, if they could get it; if not, without. Hypocrisy such as this could not fail to draw down a righteous punishment.Verse 20. - For ye dissembled in your hearts; rather, for ye have gone astray (from the right path) at the risk of your lives; or, another possible rendering, for ye hate led yourselves astray. Hypocrisy is certainly not the accusation which Jeremiah brings against the people. |
    |