Jeremiah 34:16-22

16 But now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.

17 “Therefore this is what the LORD says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you, declares the LORD—‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth.

18 Those who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces.

19 The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf,

20 I will deliver into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.

21 “I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them, to the army of the king of Babylon, which has withdrawn from you.

22 I am going to give the order, declares the LORD, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, take it and burn it down. And I will lay waste the towns of Judah so no one can live there.”

Jeremiah 34:16-22 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. Ezekiel 3:20; Ezekiel 18:24
• 2. Exodus 20:7; S Leviticus 19:12
• 3. S Matthew 7:2; Galatians 6:7
• 4. Jeremiah 21:7
• 5. S Jeremiah 14:12
• 6. Deuteronomy 28:25,64; Jeremiah 15:4; S Jeremiah 24:9; S Jeremiah 29:18
• 7. S Jeremiah 11:10
• 8. S Genesis 15:10
• 9. S Jeremiah 26:10; Zephaniah 3:3-4
• 10. Jeremiah 21:7; Ezekiel 16:27; Ezekiel 23:28
• 11. S Jeremiah 11:21
• 12. S Deuteronomy 28:26; Jeremiah 7:33; Jeremiah 19:7
• 13. S Jeremiah 32:4
• 14. 2 Kings 25:21; Jeremiah 39:6; Jeremiah 52:24-27
• 15. S Jeremiah 21:7
• 16. S 2 Chronicles 36:10
• 17. Jeremiah 37:5
• 18. Jeremiah 39:1-2
• 19. S Nehemiah 2:17; Jeremiah 38:18; Jeremiah 39:8; Ezekiel 23:47
• 20. S Leviticus 26:32; S Isaiah 1:7