Jeremiah 42:10

‘If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I will relent of the disaster I have brought upon you.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God speaks through Jeremiah to the Judean remnant who have just submitted their petition for guidance (Jeremiah 42:9). This declaration addresses their immediate decision about whether to remain in Judah or flee to Egypt.

The words — The conditional phrase אִם־ שׁוֹב (’im-shov) literally renders “if indeed you stay/return,” paired with וּבָנִיתִי (u-vānîṯî) “and I will build up.” These terms frame the verse’s conditional promise of construction and planting.

The thread — The paired verbs of building versus tearing down and planting versus uprooting recur in Jeremiah 24:6 and Jeremiah 31:28 to describe God’s deliberate shift from judgment to restoration. Ezekiel 36:36 applies the same agricultural metaphor to demonstrate divine rebuilding to the surrounding nations.

Why it lands — The text explicitly conditions God’s promise to rebuild and spare them upon their decision to remain in the land. It requires the reader to weigh the stated consequence of staying against the explicit command not to fear Babylon (Jeremiah 42:11).

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אִם־'im-<if>שׁ֤וֹבShovcertainly [if] <to return>תֵּֽשְׁבוּ֙te.she.Vuyou will remain בָּאָ֣רֶץba./'A.retzin the/ land הַזֹּ֔אתha./Zot<the>/ this וּבָנִ֤יתִיu./va.Ni.tiand/ I will build up אֶתְכֶם֙'et./Khem<obj.>/ you וְלֹ֣אve./Lo'and/ not אֶהֱרֹ֔ס'e.he.RosI will tear [you] down וְנָטַעְתִּ֥יve./na.ta'.Tiand/ I will plant אֶתְכֶ֖ם'et./Khem<obj.>/ you וְלֹ֣אve./Lo'and/ not אֶתּ֑וֹשׁ'e.To.oshI will pluck [you] up כִּ֤יkifor נִחַ֙מְתִּי֙ni.Cham.tiI am grieved אֶל־'el-concerning הָ֣רָעָ֔הha./ra.'Ahthe/ harm אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich עָשִׂ֖יתִי'a.Si.tiI have doneלָכֶֽם׃la./Khemto <the>/ you

King James Version

If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 31:28 Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, to demolish, destroy, and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the LORD.
Ezekiel 36:36 Then the nations around you that remain will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt what was destroyed, and I have replanted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it.
Jeremiah 24:6 I will keep My eyes on them for good and will return them to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.
Joel 2:13 So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.
Jeremiah 33:7 I will restore Judah and Israel from captivity and will rebuild them as in former times.
Amos 7:6 So the LORD relented from this plan. “It will not happen either,” said the Lord GOD.
Genesis 26:2 The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Settle in the land where I tell you.
Exodus 32:14 So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.
Jeremiah 18:7 At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed.
Hosea 11:8 How could I give you up, O Ephraim? How could I surrender you, O Israel? How could I make you like Admah? How could I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within Me; My compassion is stirred!