Jeremiah 42:9

Jeremiah told them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition:

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jeremiah addresses Johanan son of Kareah, the military commanders, and the entire remnant of Judah immediately after summoning them in the preceding verse. He delivers this statement as the formal introduction to God’s direct response regarding their petition.

The words — כֹּה (koh) translates literally to “thus,” signaling that the following declaration originates from divine authority rather than human deliberation. אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (elohe Yisrael) identifies Yahweh specifically as the covenant God of the nation making the request.

The thread — This formulaic prophetic introduction and covenant title appear alongside the same petition motif in Jeremiah 42:2 and recur in 2 Kings 19:4 and 2 Kings 19:6 when royal messengers bring crises before God. The pattern establishes a consistent biblical structure where human petition meets divine declaration.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to recognize that divine answers carry absolute authority over human requests and must be received without alteration. It demands immediate obedience to the stated word rather than reliance on human counsel or fear.

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

וַיֹּ֣אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם'a.lei./Hemto/ them כֹּֽה־koh-thus אָמַ֥ר'a.Marhe says יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.Hei[the] God of יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsrael אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhom שְׁלַחְתֶּ֤םshe.lach.Temyou sent אֹתִי֙'o.T/i<obj.>/ me אֵלָ֔יו'e.La/vto/ him לְהַפִּ֥ילle./ha.Pilto/ make fall תְּחִנַּתְכֶ֖םte.chi.nat./Khemsupplication/ your לְפָנָֽיו׃le./fa.Na/v<to>/ before/ him

King James Version

And said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;

Cross-references

2 Kings 19:4 Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to defy the living God, and He will rebuke him for the words that the LORD your God has heard. Therefore lift up a prayer for the remnant that still survives.”
2 Kings 19:6 who replied, “Tell your master that this is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid of the words you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me.
Jeremiah 42:2 Jeremiah the prophet and said, “May our petition come before you; pray to the LORD your God on behalf of this entire remnant. For few of us remain of the many, as you can see with your own eyes.
2 Kings 19:20 Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria.
2 Kings 22:15 And Huldah said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell the man who sent you