11 But afterward H310 they turned, H7725 and caused the servants H5650 and the handmaids, H8198 whom they had let go H7971 free, H2670 to return, H7725 and brought them into subjection H3533 H3533 for servants H5650 and for handmaids. H8198
As for such as turn aside H5186 unto their crooked ways, H6128 the LORD H3068 shall lead them forth H3212 with the workers H6466 of iniquity: H205 but peace H7965 shall be upon Israel. H3478
For G1063 if G1487 after they have escaped G668 the pollutions G3393 of the world G2889 through G1722 the knowledge G1922 of the Lord G2962 and G2532 Saviour G4990 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 they are G1707 again G3825 entangled G1707 therein, G5125 and G1161 overcome, G1096 G2274 the latter end G2078 is worse G5501 with them G846 than the beginning. G4413 For G1063 it had been G2258 better G2909 for them G846 not G3361 to have known G1921 the way G3598 of righteousness, G1343 than, G2228 after they have known G1921 it, to turn G1994 from G1537 the holy G40 commandment G1785 delivered G3860 unto them. G846 But G1161 it is happened G4819 unto them G846 according to G3588 the true G227 proverb, G3942 The dog G2965 is turned G1994 to G1909 his own G2398 vomit G1829 again; G1994 and G2532 the sow G5300 that was washed G3068 to G1519 her wallowing G2946 in the mire. G1004
Or G2228 despisest thou G2706 the riches G4149 of his G846 goodness G5544 and G2532 forbearance G463 and G2532 longsuffering; G3115 not knowing G50 that G3754 the goodness G5543 of God G2316 leadeth G71 thee G4571 to G1519 repentance? G3341 But G1161 after G2596 thy G4675 hardness G4643 and G2532 impenitent G279 heart G2588 treasurest up G2343 unto thyself G4572 wrath G3709 against G1722 the day G2250 of wrath G3709 and G2532 revelation G602 of the righteous judgment G1341 of God; G2316
G1161 When G3752 the unclean G169 spirit G4151 is gone G1831 out of G575 a man, G444 he walketh G1330 through G1223 dry G504 places, G5117 seeking G2212 rest, G372 and G2532 findeth G2147 none. G3756 Then G5119 he saith, G3004 I will return G1994 into G1519 my G3450 house G3624 from whence G3606 I came out; G1831 and G2532 when he is come, G2064 he findeth G2147 it empty, G4980 swept, G4563 and G2532 garnished. G2885 Then G5119 goeth he, G4198 and G2532 taketh G3880 with G3326 himself G1438 seven G2033 other G2087 spirits G4151 more wicked G4191 than himself, G1438 and G2532 they enter in G1525 and dwell G2730 there: G1563 and G2532 the last G2078 state of that G1565 man G444 is G1096 worse than G5501 the first. G4413 Even so G3779 shall it be G2071 also G2532 unto this G5026 wicked G4190 generation. G1074
And them that are turned back H5472 from H310 the LORD; H3068 and those that have not sought H1245 the LORD, H3068 nor enquired H1875 for him.
O Ephraim, H669 what shall I do H6213 unto thee? O Judah, H3063 what shall I do H6213 unto thee? for your goodness H2617 is as a morning H1242 cloud, H6051 and as the early H7925 dew H2919 it goeth away. H1980
Then Pharaoh's H6547 army H2428 was come forth H3318 out of Egypt: H4714 and when the Chaldeans H3778 that besieged H6696 Jerusalem H3389 heard H8085 tidings H8088 of them, they departed H5927 from Jerusalem. H3389
And Zedekiah H6667 king H4428 of Judah H3063 and his princes H8269 will I give H5414 into the hand H3027 of their enemies, H341 and into the hand H3027 of them that seek H1245 their life, H5315 and into the hand H3027 of the king H4428 of Babylon's H894 army, H2428 which are gone up H5927 from you.
Because sentence H6599 against an evil H7451 work H4639 is not executed H6213 speedily, H4120 therefore the heart H3820 of the sons H1121 of men H120 is fully set H4390 in them to do H6213 evil. H7451
As a dog H3611 returneth H7725 to his vomit, H6892 so a fool H3684 returneth H8138 to his folly. H200
Then Pharaoh H6547 called H7121 for Moses H4872 and Aaron, H175 and said, H559 Intreat H6279 the LORD, H3068 that he may take away H5493 the frogs H6854 from me, and from my people; H5971 and I will let the people H5971 go, H7971 that they may do sacrifice H2076 unto the LORD. H3068
When he slew H2026 them, then they sought H1875 him: and they returned H7725 and enquired early H7836 after God. H410 And they remembered H2142 that God H430 was their rock, H6697 and the high H5945 God H410 their redeemer. H1350 Nevertheless they did flatter H6601 him with their mouth, H6310 and they lied H3576 unto him with their tongues. H3956
The words H1697 of his mouth H6310 are iniquity H205 and deceit: H4820 he hath left off H2308 to be wise, H7919 and to do good. H3190
Then said H559 Saul, H7586 I have sinned: H2398 return, H7725 my son H1121 David: H1732 for I will no more do thee harm, H7489 because my soul H5315 was precious H3365 in thine eyes H5869 this day: H3117 behold, I have played the fool, H5528 and have erred H7686 exceedingly. H7235 H3966
For if a man H376 find H4672 his enemy, H341 will he let him go H7971 well H2896 away? H1870 wherefore the LORD H3068 reward H7999 thee good H2896 for that thou hast done H6213 unto me this day. H3117
And Saul H7586 hearkened H8085 unto the voice H6963 of Jonathan: H3083 and Saul H7586 sware, H7650 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 he shall not H518 be slain. H4191 And Jonathan H3083 called H7121 David, H1732 and Jonathan H3083 shewed H5046 him all those things. H1697 And Jonathan H3083 brought H935 David H1732 to Saul, H7586 and he was in his presence, H6440 as in times past. H865 H8032 And there was war H4421 again: H3254 and David H1732 went out, H3318 and fought H3898 with the Philistines, H6430 and slew H5221 them with a great H1419 slaughter; H4347 and they fled H5127 from H6440 him. And the evil H7451 spirit H7307 from the LORD H3068 was upon Saul, H7586 as he sat H3427 in his house H1004 with his javelin H2595 in his hand: H3027 and David H1732 played H5059 with his hand. H3027 And Saul H7586 sought H1245 to smite H5221 David H1732 even to the wall H7023 with the javelin; H2595 but he slipped away H6362 out of Saul's H7586 presence, H6440 and he smote H5221 the javelin H2595 into the wall: H7023 and David H1732 fled, H5127 and escaped H4422 that night. H3915 Saul H7586 also sent H7971 messengers H4397 unto David's H1732 house, H1004 to watch H8104 him, and to slay H4191 him in the morning: H1242 and Michal H4324 David's H1732 wife H802 told H5046 him, saying, H559 If thou save H4422 not thy life H5315 to night, H3915 to morrow H4279 thou shalt be slain. H4191
For Pharaoh H6547 will say H559 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 They are entangled H943 in the land, H776 the wilderness H4057 hath shut them in. H5462 And I will harden H2388 Pharaoh's H6547 heart, H3820 that he shall follow H7291 after H310 them; and I will be honoured H3513 upon Pharaoh, H6547 and upon all his host; H2428 that the Egyptians H4714 may know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068 And they did H6213 so. And it was told H5046 the king H4428 of Egypt H4714 that the people H5971 fled: H1272 and the heart H3824 of Pharaoh H6547 and of his servants H5650 was turned H2015 against the people, H5971 and they said, H559 Why have we done H6213 this, that we have let Israel H3478 go H7971 from serving H5647 us? And he made ready H631 his chariot, H7393 and took H3947 his people H5971 with him: And he took H3947 six H8337 hundred H3967 chosen H977 chariots, H7393 and all the chariots H7393 of Egypt, H4714 and captains H7991 over every one of them. And the LORD H3068 hardened H2388 the heart H3820 of Pharaoh H6547 king H4428 of Egypt, H4714 and he pursued H7291 after H310 the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 went out H3318 with an high H7311 hand. H3027 But the Egyptians H4714 pursued H7291 after H310 them, all the horses H5483 and chariots H7393 of Pharaoh, H6547 and his horsemen, H6571 and his army, H2428 and overtook H5381 them encamping H2583 by the sea, H3220 beside Pihahiroth, H6367 before H6440 Baalzephon. H1189
Now therefore forgive, H5375 I pray thee, my sin H2403 only this once, H6471 and intreat H6279 the LORD H3068 your God, H430 that he may take away H5493 from me this death H4194 only. And he went out H3318 from Pharaoh, H6547 and intreated H6279 the LORD. H3068 And the LORD H3068 turned H2015 a mighty H3966 strong H2389 west H3220 wind, H7307 which took away H5375 the locusts, H697 and cast H8628 them into the Red H5488 sea; H3220 there remained H7604 not one H259 locust H697 in all the coasts H1366 of Egypt. H4714 But the LORD H3068 hardened H2388 Pharaoh's H6547 heart, H3820 so that he would not let the children H1121 of Israel H3478 go. H7971
And when Pharaoh H6547 saw H7200 that the rain H4306 and the hail H1259 and the thunders H6963 were ceased, H2308 he sinned H2398 yet more, H3254 and hardened H3513 his heart, H3820 he and his servants. H5650 And the heart H3820 of Pharaoh H6547 was hardened, H2388 neither would he let the children H1121 of Israel H3478 go; H7971 as the LORD H3068 had spoken H1696 by H3027 Moses. H4872
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 34
Commentary on Jeremiah 34 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 34
Jer 34:1-22. Captivity of Zedekiah and the People Foretold for Their Disobedience and Perfidy.
The prophecy (Jer 34:1-7) as to Zedekiah is an amplification of that in Jer 32:1-5, in consequence of which Jeremiah was then shut up in the court of the prison. The prophecy (Jer 34:8-22) refers to the Jews, who, afraid of the capture of the city, had, in obedience to the law, granted freedom to their servants at the end of seven years, but on the intermission of the siege forced them back into bondage.
1. Jerusalem and … all the cities thereof—(see on Jer 19:15). It was amazing blindness in the king, that, in such a desperate position, he should reject admonition.
3. (Jer 32:4).
4, 5. Mitigation of Zedekiah's punishment.
5. the burnings of thy fathers—Thy funeral shall be honored with the same burning of aromatic spices as there was at the funerals of thy fathers (2Ch 16:14; 21:19). The honors here mentioned were denied to Jehoiakim (Jer 22:18).
Ah, lord!—The Hebrews in their chronology (Seder Olam) mention the wailing used over him, "Alas! King Zedekiah is dead, drinking the dregs (that is, paying the penalty for the sins) of former ages."
7. these … retained—alone (compare 2Ch 11:5, 9).
8. By the law a Hebrew, after having been a bond-servant for six years, on the seventh was to be let go free (Ex 21:22; De 15:12).
Zedekiah made a covenant—with solemn ceremonial in the temple (Jer 34:15, 18, 19).
them—bond-servants (Jer 34:9).
9. none … serve himself of a Jew—(Le 25:39-46).
11. During the interruption of the siege by Pharaoh-hophra (compare Jer 34:21, 22, with Jer 37:5-10), the Jews reduced their servants to bondage again.
13. The last year of Zedekiah was the sabbatical year. How just the retribution, that they who, against God's law and their own covenant, enslaved their brethren, should be doomed to bondage themselves: and that the bond-servants should enjoy the sabbatical freedom at the hands of the foe (Jer 52:16) which their own countrymen denied them!
14. At the end of seven years—that is, not on the eighth year, but within the limit of the seventh year, not later than the end of the seventh year (Ex 21:2; 23:10; De 15:12). So "at the end of three years" (De 14:28; 2Ki 18:10), and "after three days, I will rise again" (Mt 27:63), that is, on the third day (compare Mt 27:64).
15. in the house … called by my name—the usual place of making such covenants (2Ki 23:3; compare 1Ki 8:31; Ne 10:29).
16. polluted my name—by violating your oath (Ex 20:7).
17. not … proclaiming liberty—Though the Jews had ostensibly emancipated their bond-servants, they virtually did not do so by revoking the liberty which they had granted. God looks not to outward appearances, but to the sincere intention.
I proclaim a liberty—retribution answering to the offense (Mt 7:2; 18:32, 33; Ga 6:7; Jas 2:13). The Jews who would not give liberty to their brethren shall themselves receive "a liberty" calamitous to them. God will manumit them from His happy and safe service (Ps 121:3), which is real "liberty" (Ps 119:45; Joh 8:36; 2Co 3:17), only to pass under the terrible bondage of other taskmasters, the "sword," &c.
to be removed—The Hebrew expresses agitation (see on Jer 15:4). Compare De 28:25, 48, 64, 65, as to the restless agitation of the Jews in their ceaseless removals from place to place in their dispersion.
18. passed between the parts thereof—The contracting parties in the "covenant" (not here the law in general, but their covenant made before God in His house to emancipate their slaves, Jer 34:8, 9) passed through the parts of the animal cut in two, implying that they prayed so to be cut in sunder (Mt 24:51; Greek, "cut in two") if they should break the covenant (Ge 15:10, 17).
20. I will even give—resuming the sentence begun, but not completed (Jer 34:18), "I will give," &c.
seek their life—implacably: satisfied with nothing short of their blood; not content with booty.
dead bodies—The breakers of the covenant shall be cut in pieces, as the calf between whose parts they passed.
21. gone up—that is, raised the siege in order to meet Pharaoh-hophra (Jer 37:7-10). The departure of the Chaldeans was a kind of manumission of the Jews; but as their manumission of their bond-servants was recalled, so God revoked His manumission of them from the Chaldeans.
22. I will command—Nebuchadnezzar, impelled unconsciously by a divine instigation, returned on the withdrawal of the Egyptians.