42:7 過了十天，耶和華的話臨到耶利米。
42:8 他就將加利亞的兒子約哈難和同著他的眾軍長，並眾百姓，從最小的到至大的都叫了來，
42:9 對他們說：「耶和華─以色列的上帝，就是你們請我在他面前為你們祈求的主，如此說：
42:10 『你們若仍住在這地，我就建立你們，必不拆毀，栽植你們，並不拔出，因我為降與你們的災禍後悔了。
42:11 不要怕你們所怕的巴比倫王』」。耶和華說：「不要怕他！因為我與你們同在，要拯救你們脫離他的手。
42:12 我也要使他發憐憫，好憐憫你們，叫你們歸回本地。
42:13 倘若你們說：『我們不住在這地』，以致不聽從耶和華─你們上帝的話，
42:14 說：『我們不住這地，卻要進入埃及地，在那裡看不見爭戰，聽不見角聲，也不致無食飢餓。我們必住在那裡。』
42:15 你們所剩下的猶大人哪，現在要聽耶和華的話。萬軍之耶和華─以色列的上帝如此說：『你們若定意要進入埃及，在那裡寄居，
42:16 你們所懼怕的刀劍在埃及地必追上你們！你們所懼怕的饑荒在埃及要緊緊地跟隨你們！你們必死在那裡！
42:17 凡定意要進入埃及在那裡寄居的必遭刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫而死，無一人存留，逃脫我所降與他們的災禍。』
42:18 「萬軍之耶和華─以色列的上帝如此說：『我怎樣將我的怒氣和忿怒傾在耶路撒冷的居民身上，你們進入埃及的時候，我也必照樣將我的忿怒傾在你們身上，以致你們令人辱罵、驚駭、咒詛、羞辱，你們不得再見這地方。』
42:19 所剩下的猶大人哪，耶和華論到你們說：『不要進入埃及去。』你們要確實地知道我今日警教你們了。
42:20 你們行詭詐自害；因為你們請我到耶和華─你們的上帝那裡，說：『求你為我們禱告耶和華─我們上帝，照耶和華─我們的上帝一切所說的告訴我們，我們就必遵行。』
42:21 我今日將這話告訴你們，耶和華─你們的上帝為你們的事差遣我到你們那裡說的，你們卻一樣沒有聽從。
42:22 現在你們要確實地知道，你們在所要去寄居之地必遭刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫而死。」
7 Ten days later the word of the Lord came
to Jeremiah. 8 So he called together Johanan son of Kareah and all the army
officers who were with him and all the people from the least to the greatest. 9
He said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me
to present your petition, says: 10 ‘If you stay in this land, I will build you
up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have
relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you. 11 Do not be afraid
of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares
the Lord, for I am with you and will save you and deliver you from his hands.
12 I will show you compassion so that he will have compassion on you and restore
you to your land.’
13 “However, if you say, ‘We will not stay
in this land,’ and so disobey the Lord your God, 14 and if you say, ‘No, we
will go and live in Egypt, where we will not see war or hear the trumpet or be
hungry for bread,’ 15 then hear the word of the Lord, you remnant of Judah.
This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined
to go to Egypt and you do go to settle there, 16 then the sword you fear will
overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and
there you will die. 17 Indeed, all who are determined to go to Egypt to settle
there will die by the sword, famine and plague; not one of them will survive or
escape the disaster I will bring on them.’ 18 This is what the Lord Almighty,
the God of Israel, says: ‘As my anger and wrath have been poured out on those
who lived in Jerusalem, so will my wrath be poured out on you when you go to
Egypt. You will be a curse[b] and an object of horror, a curse[c] and an object
of reproach; you will never see this place again.’
19 “Remnant of Judah, the Lord has told
you, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Be sure of this: I warn you today 20 that you made a
fatal mistake when you sent me to the Lord your God and said, ‘Pray to the Lord
our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.’ 21 I have told
you today, but you still have not obeyed the Lord your God in all he sent me to
tell you. 22 So now, be sure of this: You will die by the sword, famine and
plague in the place where you want to go to settle.”
*************
上帝在這裡藉由先知耶利米宣告，要他們不要進入埃及地，因為上帝不喜悅它們再入埃及，這是上帝在以色列人設立君王之前就講過的，現在知道這一群人必定會逃往埃及，再一次在這裡禁止他們。
其實上帝知道人的意念，尤其是人來到上帝面前禱告與祈求的時候，他就知道人要求的是什麼，人心的歸向是無法逃避上帝的眼睛的，我們心裡的意念，在上帝面前都是赤露敞開的！
也因此，若是將禱告定義為人對上帝說話，人向上帝求自己想要的是正常的。但是聖經中的禱告，不只是如此的，是有來有往，就像這一段文字的記載一般。既然是這樣，禱告更是需要人調整自己，遵行上帝所說的。正如這一群猶大的百姓，真的不可以再回埃及去！
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