Jeremiah 34:1-11

Jeremiah's Word to King Zedekiah

1 [This is] the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, all his army, all the earthly kingdoms under his control, and all other nations were fighting against Jerusalem and all its surrounding cities:

2 "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Go, speak to Zedekiah, king of Judah, and tell him: This is what the Lord says: I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon,^[a] and he will burn it down.

3 As for you, you will not escape from his hand but are certain to be captured and handed over to him. You will meet the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak face to face;^[b]^[c]you will go to Babylon.

4 "Yet hear the Lord's word, Zedekiah, king of Judah. This is what the Lord says concerning you: You will not die by the sword;

5 you will die peacefully. There will be a burning ceremony for you just like the burning ceremonies for your fathers, the former kings who preceded you.^[d] Alas, lord! will be the lament for you, for I have spoken [this] word." [This is] the Lord's declaration.

6 So Jeremiah the prophet related all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem

7 while the king of Babylon's army was attacking Jerusalem and all of Judah's remaining cities-against Lachish^[e] and Azekah,^[f] for only they were left among Judah's fortified cities.

The People and Their Slaves

8 [This is] the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah made a covenant with all the people who were in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom^[g] to them,

9 so each man would free his male and female Hebrew slaves and no one enslave his Judean brother.

10 All the officials and people who entered into covenant to free their male and female slaves-in order not to enslave them any longer-obeyed and freed them.

11 Afterwards, however, they changed their minds and took back their male and female slaves they had freed and forced them to become slaves [again].

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Jeremiah 34:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 34

In this chapter is a prophecy of the taking and burning of Jerusalem; of the captivity of Zedekiah king of Judah; and of the destruction of the whole land, because of their breach of covenant to let servants go free. The time of this prophecy is observed, Jer 34:1,6,7; the taking and burning of the city, Jer 34:2; the carrying captive the king, who yet should not die a violent death, but in peace, and should have an honourable funeral, Jer 34:3-5; the covenant the king, princes, and people entered into, to let their servants go free, according to the law of God, which was at first observed, and afterwards retracted, Jer 34:8-11; which conduct is taken notice of and resented, Jer 34:13-16; and they are threatened with the sore judgments of God, sword, famine, pestilence, and captivity, the king, princes, priests, and people; and with the destruction, not on of Jerusalem, but of the rest of the cities of Judah, Jer 34:17-22.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Footnotes 7

[a]. Jr 32:3,28
[b]. Lit and his mouth will speak to your mouth
[c]. Jr 32:4
[d]. 2 Ch 16:14; 21:19
[e]. Jos 10:3-35
[f]. Jos 10:10-11
[g]. Lv 25:10; Isa 61:1; Ezk 46:17