Jeremiah 42:17
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The phrase "set their faces to go" highlights their determined rebellion, implying a conscious decision to reject God's counsel and pursue their own perceived safety. This wasn't a passive move; it was an active defiance that sealed their fate in Egypt.
All the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to live there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I will bring upon them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The people, desperate and afraid after the destruction of Jerusalem, have sought Jeremiah’s counsel about fleeing to Egypt. Jeremiah, after praying for ten days, delivers God's direct message: staying in the land, despite its devastation, is obedience, while fleeing to Egypt is rebellion. This verse is the stark pronouncement of judgment specifically for those who defy God's word and choose to seek safety in Egypt, assuring them that their perceived escape will lead only to destruction.
What does it mean to 'set your face' towards a decision? This phrase reveals a deep intention, a resolute commitment that goes beyond a casual thought.
The phrase "set their faces to go" in verse 17 speaks to a deliberate and determined choice. It wasn't just a passing idea; it was a conviction. These individuals weren't passively drifting; they actively chose to pursue Egypt as their refuge. This imagery highlights the gravity of their decision, signifying a firm resolve against God's revealed will. Their hearts were set, their direction fixed, regardless of the divine warning. This points to a critical truth: our determined choices, especially when they defy God's counsel, carry immense weight and consequence.
The list of destructive forces—sword, famine, pestilence—is chilling. But what does it reveal about God's justice and His relationship with His people?
Jeremiah 42:17 doesn't mince words about the outcome for those who defied God's command: they would face death by sword, famine, and pestilence. These were not random occurrences but 'the LORD's sore judgments,' as noted by commentators. This severe pronouncement reflects God's holiness and His unwavering commitment to justice. He had warned them repeatedly against relying on Egypt (Deuteronomy 17:16, Isaiah 30:2) and had promised protection if they remained obedient. By choosing Egypt, they rejected His protection and invited His judgment. The finality of 'none of them shall remain or escape' emphasizes that when God brings judgment for persistent disobedience, there is no hiding from His hand.
Ask a follow-up
These people fled to Egypt hoping to escape war and hardship. Instead, they found a worse fate. What does this teach us about seeking safety in disobedience?
The core mistake of the remnant of Judah was their misplaced trust and their flawed logic. They believed fleeing to Egypt would deliver them from the war and famine they feared in their homeland. However, their chosen path was sin. As commentators observe, they were 'vainly hoping' for peace in Egypt and, by extension, implicitly charging God with falsehood for His warnings. Jeremiah 42:17 reveals the harsh reality: seeking refuge in disobedience doesn't grant escape from God's judgment; it brings it. The very evils they sought to avoid—sword, famine, and pestilence—found them in Egypt precisely because they had turned away from the One who alone could provide true safety. This highlights a profound spiritual principle: we cannot outrun God's justice by sinning; rather, our sin becomes the instrument of the very judgment we try to escape.
This prophecy unfolds in the devastating aftermath of Jerusalem's destruction and exile, a time when any hope for survival seemed to lie in escaping to Egypt. Jeremiah's message reveals that seeking safety through disobedience to God leads only to greater calamity.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieges Jerusalem and deports a significant portion of the population, including members of the royal family and skilled individuals, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's subjugation.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans to Babylon, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin. This further weakens the kingdom of Judah.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
After a prolonged siege, Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining populace (except for the poorest) to Babylon. This event signifies the end of the Davidic kingdom.
c. 582 BC— this verse
Flight to Egypt
Following the assassination of Gedaliah, the governor appointed by Babylon, a group of Jewish leaders forces the prophet Jeremiah to seek God's guidance regarding their intention to flee to Egypt. This flight is seen by some as a desperate attempt to escape Babylonian retribution.
c. 582 BC
Jeremiah's Warning of Disaster in Egypt
In response to the group's inquiry, Jeremiah delivers God's message: those who flee to Egypt will face death by sword, famine, and plague, with no survivors. This stark warning is a condemnation of their disobedience and misplaced trust.
c. 568 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Campaign in Egypt
Historical accounts suggest Nebuchadnezzar may have later campaigned in Egypt, potentially bringing further destruction and confirming Jeremiah's prophecy of disaster for the Judean refugees there.
This passage directly echoes Jeremiah's warning by prohibiting the Israelites from returning to Egypt or increasing their livestock there, highlighting a long-standing divine caution against relying on Egypt that the people in Jeremiah's time were disregarding.
Isaiah 31:1This prophecy condemns those who rely on Egypt for help, comparing it to seeking strength from horses and chariots, which parallels the people's misplaced hope in Egypt for safety and sustenance instead of trusting God.
Ezekiel 6:11This verse lists the same devastating combination of sword, famine, and plague as instruments of God's judgment, underscoring that these were familiar consequences of disobedience and rebellion against God's commands.
Jeremiah 24:10This passage also foretells that Judah would be consumed by the sword, famine, and pestilence, reinforcing the severe and consistent divine judgment against those who turn away from God's word.
calvinJeremiah 42:13-17: "But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,"
Nunc propterea audite sermonem Jehovae, residuum Jehudah, quia sic dicit Jehova exercituum, Deus Israel, Si vos ponendo posueritis facies vestras ad ingrediendum Aegyptum (ut ingrediamini in Aegyptum,) et ingressi fueritis illic ad peregrinandum;
Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine, whereo…
pooleJeremiah 42:17: "So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them."
Those words, that set their faces to go, may reasonably be interpreted as a limitation of the universal particle all ; for as eventually we can hardly conceive that every individual person that went into Egypt did thus perish, so it can hardly…
The phrase "set their faces to go" highlights their determined rebellion, implying a conscious decision to reject God's counsel and pursue their own perceived safety. This wasn't a passive move; it was an active defiance that sealed their fate in Egypt.
The people, desperate and afraid after the destruction of Jerusalem, have sought Jeremiah’s counsel about fleeing to Egypt. Jeremiah, after praying for ten days, delivers God's direct message: staying in the land, despite its devastation, is obedience, while fleeing to Egypt is rebellion. This verse is the stark pronouncement of judgment specifically for those who defy God's word and choose to seek safety in Egypt, assuring them that their perceived escape will lead only to destruction.
The people, desperate and afraid after the destruction of Jerusalem, have sought Jeremiah’s counsel about fleeing to Egypt. Jeremiah, after praying for ten days, delivers God's direct message: staying in the land, despite its devastation, is obedience, while fleeing to Egypt is rebellion. This verse is the stark pronouncement of judgment specifically for those who defy God's word and choose to seek safety in Egypt, assuring them that their perceived escape will lead only to destruction.
"All the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to live there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I will bring upon them." — The phrase "set their faces to go" highlights their determined rebellion, implying a conscious decision to reject God's counsel and pursue their own perceived safety. This wasn't a passive move; it w…
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Last reviewed October 2026
