In Jeremiah 41 & 42, the governor assigned over the remnant of the land of Jerusalem is murdered and the new leader wants to take them all to Egypt. They ask Jeremiah to pray for God's will and direction and claim they will do whatever God says. God says to stay away from Egypt and promises to protect them and keep them safe if they do. They didn't truly want God's direction though. They wanted God's stamp of approval on their own choices for their lives. Their motives for the prayer were impure. If they would have submitted to God's will, they would have been spared. Judgment was about to fall on Egypt and God was trying to keep them safe. Instead of trusting God's will, they go their own way and will have to face the consequences of that choice.
