Jeremiah 34:4-14

4 Zedekiah, listen to what I say about you. You will not be killed in battle.

5 You will die in peace, and as people burned incense when they buried your ancestors, who were kings before you, in the same way they will burn incense for you. They will mourn over you and say, "Our king is dead!' I, the Lord, have spoken."

6 Then I gave this message to King Zedekiah in Jerusalem

7 while the army of the king of Babylonia was attacking the city. The army was also attacking Lachish and Azekah, the only other fortified cities left in Judah.

8 King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem had made an agreement to set free

9 their Hebrew slaves, both male and female, so that no one would have an Israelite as a slave.

10 All the people and their leaders agreed to free their slaves and never to enslave them again. They did set them free,

11 but later they changed their minds, took them back, and forced them to become slaves again.

12 Then the Lord,

13 the God of Israel, told me to say to the people: "I made a covenant with your ancestors when I rescued them from Egypt and set them free from slavery. I told them that

14 every seven years they were to set free any Hebrew slave who had served them for six years. But your ancestors would not pay any attention to me or listen to what I said. ¹

Read Chapter Compare

Jeremiah 34:4-14 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

Cross References 1

1. 34.14Exodus 21.2;Deuteronomy 15.12.

Jeremiah 34:4-14

Share

Settings

Jeremiah 34:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 34

Cross References 1