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.

JEREMIAH 42:10KJV
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Jeremiah 42:10 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 42:10 mean?

Jeremiah 42:10 promises that if the people remain in their land, God will restore and protect them instead of bringing further harm, expressing a willingness to reverse earlier judgments. God assures them that He regrets the disaster He allowed to happen and now offers stability and growth if they choose to stay.

In this verse, the prophet Jeremiah is relaying God’s message to the people of Judah after Jerusalem’s destruction. The people are fearful and considering fleeing to Egypt, but God, through Jeremiah, urges them to trust Him by staying in their homeland. The language of building and planting highlights God’s desire to help them recover and thrive, rather than to continue their suffering.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 42:10

  • "Abide" (יָשַׁב, yashav) means to settle or remain. God’s promise is specifically tied to the people choosing to stay put in their land, not seeking safety elsewhere.
  • "Build" (בָּנָה, banah) and "plant" (נָטַע, nata) both suggest positive, constructive action—God is not just sparing them, but actively working for their good if they trust Him.
  • "Repent" (נָחַם, nacham) here means to feel sorrow or regret. This shows God’s heart: He is not eager to punish, but is moved to compassion and ready to change the course of events if the people respond.

Why Jeremiah 42:10 matters

  • Jeremiah 42:10 clears up the idea that God’s judgment is final and unchangeable; it shows God’s willingness to forgive and restore if people turn back to Him.
  • The verse emphasizes that safety and blessing come from trusting God’s direction, not from human plans like fleeing to Egypt.
  • This verse connects to the larger story of Jeremiah, where the people often struggle to trust God’s promises, highlighting the ongoing tension between fear and faith.

Where else these words appear

“up” Hebrew H5428 · used in 19 verses

  • Deuteronomy 29:28 And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.
  • Jeremiah 12:15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
  • Jeremiah 31:40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.

“down” Hebrew H2040 · used in 42 verses

  • Exodus 15:7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
  • Psalms 28:5 Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.
  • Jeremiah 50:15 Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.

“plant” Hebrew H5193 · used in 55 verses

  • Genesis 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
  • Psalms 94:9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
  • Jeremiah 11:17 For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.

“repent” Hebrew H5162 · used in 100 verses

  • Genesis 5:29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.
  • Job 29:25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.
  • Jeremiah 18:8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.