Yirmeyah 34:1-7

1 4 The Davar which came unto Yirmeyah from Hashem, when Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel, and all his army, and all the mamlechot eretz (kingdoms of the earth) of his dominion, and all the peoples fought against Yerushalayim, and against all the towns thereof, saying,

2 Thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel; Go and speak to Tzidkiyah Melech Yehudah, and tell him, Thus saith Hashem: Hineni, I will give this city into the yad Melech Bavel, and he shall burn it with eish,

3 And thou shalt not escape out of his yad, but shalt surely be captured, and delivered into his yad; and thine eynayim shall behold the eynayim of Melech Bavel, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Bavel.

4 Yet hear the Devar Hashem, O Tzidkiyah Melech Yehudah; Thus saith Hashem of thee, Thou shalt not die by the cherev;

5 But thou shalt die in shalom; and with the [royal funeral spice] burnings of thy avot, the former melachim which were before thee, so shall they burn for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Hoy Adon! For I have pronounced the davar, saith Hashem.

6 Then Yirmeyah HaNavi spoke all these devarim unto Tzidkiyah Melech Yehudah in Yerushalayim,

7 When the army of Melech Bavel fought against Yerushalayim, and against all the towns of Yehudah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah; for these fortified cities remained of the cities of Yehudah.

Yirmeyah 34:1-7 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.