16 But ye turned H7725 and polluted H2490 my name, H8034 and caused every man H376 his servant, H5650 and every man H376 his handmaid, H8198 whom ye had set H7971 at liberty H2670 at their pleasure, H5315 to return, H7725 and brought them into subjection, H3533 to be unto you for servants H5650 and for handmaids. H8198
As I live, H2416 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 surely in the place H4725 where the king H4428 dwelleth that made him king, H4427 whose oath H423 he despised, H959 and whose covenant H1285 he brake, H6565 even with him in the midst H8432 of Babylon H894 he shall die. H4191 Neither shall Pharaoh H6547 with his mighty H1419 army H2428 and great H7227 company H6951 make H6213 for him in the war, H4421 by casting up H8210 mounts, H5550 and building H1129 forts, H1785 to cut off H3772 many H7227 persons: H5315 Seeing he despised H959 the oath H423 by breaking H6565 the covenant, H1285 when, lo, he had given H5414 his hand, H3027 and hath done H6213 all these things, he shall not escape. H4422 Therefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 As I live, H2416 surely mine oath H423 that he hath despised, H959 and my covenant H1285 that he hath broken, H6331 even it will I recompense H5414 upon his own head. H7218
Therefore, thou son H1121 of man, H120 say H559 unto the children H1121 of thy people, H5971 The righteousness H6666 of the righteous H6662 shall not deliver H5337 him in the day H3117 of his transgression: H6588 as for the wickedness H7564 of the wicked, H7563 he shall not fall H3782 thereby in the day H3117 that he turneth H7725 from his wickedness; H7562 neither shall the righteous H6662 be able H3201 to live H2421 for his righteousness in the day H3117 that he sinneth. H2398 When I shall say H559 to the righteous, H6662 that he shall surely H2421 live; H2421 if he trust H982 to his own righteousness, H6666 and commit H6213 iniquity, H5766 all his righteousnesses H6666 shall not be remembered; H2142 but for his iniquity H5766 that he hath committed, H6213 he shall die H4191 for it.
But G1161 the same G1565 servant G1401 went out, G1831 and found G2147 one G1520 of his G846 fellowservants, G4889 which G3739 owed G3784 him G846 an hundred G1540 pence: G1220 and G2532 he laid hands G2902 on him, G846 and took him by the throat, G4155 saying, G3004 Pay G591 me G3427 that G3748 thou owest. G3784 And G3767 his G846 fellowservant G4889 fell down G4098 at G1519 his G846 feet, G4228 and besought G3870 him, G846 saying, G3004 Have patience G3114 with G1909 me, G1698 and G2532 I will pay G591 thee G4671 all. G3956 And G1161 he would G2309 not: G3756 but G235 went G565 and cast G906 him G846 into G1519 prison, G5438 till G2193 G3757 he should pay G591 the debt. G3784 So G1161 when his G846 fellowservants G4889 saw G1492 what was done, G1096 they were very G4970 sorry, G3076 and G2532 came G2064 and told G1285 unto their G846 lord G2962 all G3956 that was done. G1096 Then G5119 his G846 lord, G2962 after that he had called G4341 him, G846 said G3004 unto him, G846 O thou wicked G4190 servant, G1401 I forgave G863 thee G4671 all G3956 that G1565 debt, G3782 because G1893 thou desiredst G3870 me: G3165 Shouldest G1163 not G3756 thou G4571 also G2532 have had compassion G1653 on thy G4675 fellowservant, G4889 even G2532 as G5613 I G1473 had pity G1653 on thee? G4571 And G2532 his G846 lord G2962 was wroth, G3710 and delivered G3860 him G846 to the tormentors, G930 till G2193 G3757 he should pay G591 all G3956 that was due G3784 unto him. G846
G1161 They on G1909 the rock G4073 are they, which, G3739 when G3752 they hear, G191 receive G1209 the word G3056 with G3326 joy; G5479 and G2532 these G3778 have G2192 no G3756 root, G4491 which G3739 for G4314 a while G2540 believe, G4100 and G2532 in G1722 time G2540 of temptation G3986 fall away. G868 And G1161 that which fell G4098 among G1519 thorns G173 are G1526 they, G3778 which, when they have heard, G191 go forth, G4198 and G2532 are choked G4846 with G5259 cares G3308 and G2532 riches G4149 and G2532 pleasures G2237 of this life, G979 and G2532 bring G5052 no G3756 fruit to perfection. G5052 But G1161 that on G1722 the good G2570 ground G1093 are G1526 they, G3778 which G3748 in G1722 an honest G2570 and G2532 good G18 heart, G2588 having heard G191 the word, G3056 keep G2722 it, and G2532 bring forth fruit G2592 with G1722 patience. G5281
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.