The Meaning of Jeremiah 43:4 Explained

Jeremiah 43:4

KJV: So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah.

YLT: And Johanan son of Kareah, and all the heads of the forces, and all the people, have not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, to dwell in the land of Judah;

Darby: So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, hearkened not unto the voice of Jehovah to abide in the land of Judah;

ASV: So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of Jehovah, to dwell in the land of Judah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So Johanan  the son  of Kareah,  and all the captains  of the forces,  and all the people,  obeyed  not the voice  of the LORD,  to dwell  in the land  of Judah. 

What does Jeremiah 43:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Johanan, the guerrilla commanders, and all the refugees did not obey Yahweh"s instruction to stay in the land. "All the people" in view here, must refer to all the people in this group of Judahites near Bethlehem, not all the people still in the land. Many Judeans remained in the land and did not go to Egypt. Here was a final moment of opportunity for the Judahites still in the land, but they continued to reject the Lord"s instructions.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 43

1  Johanan, discrediting Jeremiah's prophecy, carries him and the rest in Egypt
8  Jeremiah prophesies by a type the conquest of Egypt by the Babylonians

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 43:4 mean?

So not would obey Johanan son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces the people the voice of Yahweh to remain in the land of Judah
וְלֹֽא־ שָׁמַע֩ יוֹחָנָ֨ן בֶּן־ קָרֵ֜חַ וְכָל־ שָׂרֵ֧י הַחֲיָלִ֛ים הָעָ֖ם בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בְּאֶ֥רֶץ יְהוּדָֽה

וְלֹֽא־  So  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁמַע֩  would  obey 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
יוֹחָנָ֨ן  Johanan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוחָנָן  
Sense: a priest during the high priesthood of Joiakim who returned with Zerubbabel.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קָרֵ֜חַ  of  Kareah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: קָרֵחַ  
Sense: father of Johanan and Jonathan who supported Gedaliah’s authority and avenged his murder.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
שָׂרֵ֧י  the  captains 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
הַחֲיָלִ֛ים  of  the  forces 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
הָעָ֖ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
בְּק֣וֹל  the  voice 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לָשֶׁ֖בֶת  to  remain 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
בְּאֶ֥רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
יְהוּדָֽה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.