6 Then Jeremiah H3414 the prophet H5030 spake H1696 all these words H1697 unto Zedekiah H6667 king H4428 of Judah H3063 in Jerusalem, H3389
And Samuel H8050 told H5046 him every whit, H1697 and hid H3582 nothing from him. And he said, H559 It is the LORD: H3068 let him do H6213 what seemeth H5869 him good. H2896
Then Samuel H8050 said H559 unto Saul, H7586 Stay, H7503 and I will tell H5046 thee what the LORD H3068 hath said H1696 to me this night. H3915 And he said H559 unto him, Say on. H1696 And Samuel H8050 said, H559 When thou wast little H6996 in thine own sight, H5869 wast thou not made the head H7218 of the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 and the LORD H3068 anointed H4886 thee king H4428 over Israel? H3478 And the LORD H3068 sent H7971 thee on a journey, H1870 and said, H559 Go H3212 and utterly destroy H2763 the sinners H2400 the Amalekites, H6002 and fight H3898 against them until they be consumed. H3615 Wherefore then didst thou not obey H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD, H3068 but didst fly H5860 upon the spoil, H7998 and didst H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD? H3068 And Saul H7586 said H559 unto Samuel, H8050 Yea, I have obeyed H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD, H3068 and have gone H3212 the way H1870 which the LORD H3068 sent H7971 me, and have brought H935 Agag H90 the king H4428 of Amalek, H6002 and have utterly destroyed H2763 the Amalekites. H6002 But the people H5971 took H3947 of the spoil, H7998 sheep H6629 and oxen, H1241 the chief H7225 of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, H2764 to sacrifice H2076 unto the LORD H3068 thy God H430 in Gilgal. H1537 And Samuel H8050 said, H559 Hath the LORD H3068 as great delight H2656 in burnt offerings H5930 and sacrifices, H2077 as in obeying H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD? H3068 Behold, to obey H8085 is better H2896 than sacrifice, H2077 and to hearken H7181 than the fat H2459 of rams. H352 For rebellion H4805 is as the sin H2403 of witchcraft, H7081 and stubbornness H6484 is as iniquity H205 and idolatry. H8655 Because thou hast rejected H3988 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 he hath also rejected H3988 thee from being king. H4428 And Saul H7586 said H559 unto Samuel, H8050 I have sinned: H2398 for I have transgressed H5674 the commandment H6310 of the LORD, H3068 and thy words: H1697 because I feared H3372 the people, H5971 and obeyed H8085 their voice. H6963
And Nathan H5416 said H559 to David, H1732 Thou art the man. H376 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 I anointed H4886 thee king H4428 over Israel, H3478 and I delivered H5337 thee out of the hand H3027 of Saul; H7586 And I gave H5414 thee thy master's H113 house, H1004 and thy master's H113 wives H802 into thy bosom, H2436 and gave H5414 thee the house H1004 of Israel H3478 and of Judah; H3063 and if that had been too little, H4592 I would moreover have given H3254 unto thee such H2007 and such things. H2007 Wherefore hast thou despised H959 the commandment H1697 of the LORD, H3068 to do H6213 evil H7451 in his sight? H5869 thou hast killed H5221 Uriah H223 the Hittite H2850 with the sword, H2719 and hast taken H3947 his wife H802 to be thy wife, H802 and hast slain H2026 him with the sword H2719 of the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983 Now therefore the sword H2719 shall never H5704 H5769 depart H5493 from thine house; H1004 because H6118 thou hast despised H959 me, and hast taken H3947 the wife H802 of Uriah H223 the Hittite H2850 to be thy wife. H802 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Behold, I will raise up H6965 evil H7451 against thee out of thine own house, H1004 and I will take H3947 thy wives H802 before thine eyes, H5869 and give H5414 them unto thy neighbour, H7453 and he shall lie H7901 with thy wives H802 in the sight H5869 of this sun. H8121 For thou didst H6213 it secretly: H5643 but I will do H6213 this thing H1697 before all Israel, H3478 and before the sun. H8121
And thou shalt speak H1696 unto him, saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Hast thou killed, H7523 and also taken possession? H3423 And thou shalt speak H1696 unto him, saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 In the place H4725 where dogs H3611 licked H3952 the blood H1818 of Naboth H5022 shall dogs H3611 lick H3952 thy blood, H1818 even thine.
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.