2 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Go H1980 and speak H559 to Zedekiah H6667 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and tell H559 him, Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Behold, I will give H5414 this city H5892 into the hand H3027 of the king H4428 of Babylon, H894 and he shall burn H8313 it with fire: H784
Zedekiah H6667 was one H259 and twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 when he began to reign, H4427 and reigned H4427 eleven H259 H6240 years H8141 in Jerusalem. H3389 And he did H6213 that which was evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD H3068 his God, H430 and humbled H3665 not himself before H6440 Jeremiah H3414 the prophet H5030 speaking from the mouth H6310 of the LORD. H3068
Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Go down H3381 to the house H1004 of the king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and speak H1696 there this word, H1697 And say, H559 Hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 O king H4428 of Judah, H3063 that sittest H3427 upon the throne H3678 of David, H1732 thou, and thy servants, H5650 and thy people H5971 that enter H935 in by these gates: H8179
And the Chaldeans H3778 shall come again, H7725 and fight H3898 against this city, H5892 and take H3920 it, and burn H8313 it with fire. H784 Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Deceive H5377 not yourselves, H5315 saying, H559 The Chaldeans H3778 shall surely H1980 depart H3212 from us: for they shall not depart. H3212 For though ye had smitten H5221 the whole army H2428 of the Chaldeans H3778 that fight H3898 against you, and there remained H7604 but wounded H1856 men H582 among them, yet should they rise up H6965 every man H376 in his tent, H168 and burn H8313 this city H5892 with fire. H784
Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Behold, I will give H5414 this city H5892 into the hand H3027 of the Chaldeans, H3778 and into the hand H3027 of Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon, H894 and he shall take H3920 it: And the Chaldeans, H3778 that fight H3898 against this city, H5892 shall come H935 and set H3341 fire H784 on this city, H5892 and burn H8313 it with the houses, H1004 upon whose roofs H1406 they have offered incense H6999 unto Baal, H1168 and poured out H5258 drink offerings H5262 unto other H312 gods, H430 to provoke me to anger. H3707
And king H4428 Zedekiah H6667 the son H1121 of Josiah H2977 reigned H4427 instead of Coniah H3659 the son H1121 of Jehoiakim, H3079 whom Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 made king H4427 in the land H776 of Judah. H3063 But neither he, nor his servants, H5650 nor the people H5971 of the land, H776 did hearken H8085 unto the words H1697 of the LORD, H3068 which he spake H1696 by H3027 the prophet H5030 Jeremiah. H3414 And Zedekiah H6667 the king H4428 sent H7971 Jehucal H3081 the son H1121 of Shelemiah H8018 and Zephaniah H6846 the son H1121 of Maaseiah H4641 the priest H3548 to the prophet H5030 Jeremiah, H3414 saying, H559 Pray H6419 now unto the LORD H3068 our God H430 for us. Now Jeremiah H3414 came in H935 and went out H3318 among H8432 the people: H5971 for they had not put H5414 him into prison. H1004 H3628
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.