Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.

JEREMIAH 42:4KJV
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Jeremiah 42:4 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 42:4 mean?

Jeremiah 42:4 shows Jeremiah promising to pray to the LORD on behalf of the people and to honestly report back everything God tells him, holding nothing back. Jeremiah assures them that he will faithfully share God’s answer, no matter what it is.

In this verse, Jeremiah the prophet is speaking to a group of people who have come to him for guidance after a national crisis. They have asked him to seek God’s direction for them. Jeremiah’s response highlights his role as a messenger: he will pray (intercede) for them and then relay God’s answer fully and truthfully, without hiding or softening anything God says.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 42:4

  • "Pray" (פָּלַל, palal) means to intercede or plead on someone’s behalf. Jeremiah is not just asking for himself but is standing between the people and God, showing his role as a mediator.
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH) and "God" (אֱלֹהִים, Elohim) are both used, emphasizing that Jeremiah is addressing Israel’s covenant God, not just any deity.
  • "Declare" (נָגַד, nagad) means to make something known clearly and openly. Jeremiah stresses that he will not keep any part of God’s message hidden.
  • "Keep...back" (כָּחַד, kachad) means to withhold or conceal. Jeremiah promises full transparency, reassuring the people that he will not hide anything God reveals.

Why Jeremiah 42:4 matters

  • Jeremiah 42:4 clears up any idea that prophets could pick and choose what to share; Jeremiah commits to full honesty, even if the message is difficult.
  • The verse highlights the seriousness with which Jeremiah treats his prophetic responsibility—he is not just a mouthpiece but a faithful servant bound to God’s words.
  • This moment sets the stage for the rest of the chapter, where the people’s willingness to accept God’s answer will be tested, regardless of whether it matches their hopes.

Where else these words appear

“keep” Hebrew H4513 · used in 29 verses

  • Genesis 30:2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
  • Job 22:7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
  • Proverbs 30:7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

“pray” Hebrew H6419 · used in 82 verses

  • Genesis 20:7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
  • 1 Kings 13:6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
  • Job 42:8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

“Jeremiah” Hebrew H3414 · used in 133 verses

  • 2 Kings 23:31 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
  • Jeremiah 28:15 Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.
  • Jeremiah 38:7 Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;