Jeremiah 34:1-7

A Prophecy against Zedekiah

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when ¹Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army, with ²all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities, saying,

2 "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, '³Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him: "Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, ⁴I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and ⁵he will burn it with fire.

3 '⁶You will not escape from his hand, for you will surely be captured and delivered into his hand; and you will ⁷see the king of Babylon eye to eye, and he will speak with you face to face, and you will go to Babylon.' "'

4 "Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah! Thus says the LORD concerning you, 'You will not die by the sword.

5 'You will die in peace; and as spices were burned for your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so they will ⁸burn spices for you; and ⁹they will lament for you, "Alas, lord!"' For I have spoken the word," declares the LORD.

6 Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke ¹⁰all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem

7 when the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the remaining cities of Judah, that is, ¹¹Lachish and ¹²Azekah, for they alone remained as ¹³fortified cities among the cities of Judah.

Jeremiah 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.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 32:2; Jeremiah 39:1; Jeremiah 52:4
• 2. Jeremiah 1:15; Jeremiah 27:7; Daniel 2:37, 38
• 3. 2 Chronicles 36:11, 12; Jeremiah 22:1, 2; Jeremiah 37:1, 2
• 4. Jeremiah 21:10; Jeremiah 32:3; Jeremiah 34:22; Jeremiah 37:8-10
• 5. Jeremiah 32:29
• 6. 2 Kings 25:4, 5; Jeremiah 21:7; Jeremiah 32:4; Jeremiah 34:21
• 7. 2 Kings 25:6, 7; Jeremiah 39:6, 7
• 8. 2 Chronicles 16:14; 2 Chronicles 21:19
• 9. Jeremiah 22:18
• 10. 1 Samuel 3:18; 1 Samuel 15:16-24
• 11. Joshua 10:3, 5; 2 Kings 14:19; 2 Kings 18:14; Isaiah 36:2
• 12. Joshua 10:10; 2 Chronicles 11:9
• 13. 2 Chronicles 11:5-10

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "mouth to mouth"