Jeremiah 34 commentary

JEREMIAH 34 COMMENTARY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Warning to Zedekiah
1 While Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all
his army and all the kingdoms and peoples in the
empire he ruled were fighting against Jerusalem
and all its surrounding towns, this word came to
Jeremiah from the Lord:
BARNES, "People - Peoples, i. e., tribes, races, under the rule of one man.
CLARKE, "The word which came unto Jeremiah - This discourse was delivered
in the tenth year of the reign of Zedekiah. The chapter contains two discourses; one,
Jer_34:1-7, which concerns the taking of the city, and Zedekiah’s captivity and death;
the other, Jer_34:8-22, which is an invective against the inhabitants of Jerusalem for
having Hebrew male and female slaves. These, having been manumitted at the instance
of the prophet, were afterwards brought back by their old masters, and put in the same
thraldom; for which God threatens them with severe judgments.
Nebuchadnezzar - and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of
his dominion - That is, his army was composed of soldiers gathered out of Babylon,
and out of all his tributary dominions: one hundred and twenty provinces.
GILL, "The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord,.... This prophecy
came to Jeremiah, and was delivered by him, when he was at liberty, and before his
imprisonment, and was the occasion of it, as appears from Jer_32:2; compared with
Jer_34:2; the prophecies not standing in the proper order in which they were given out;
for the prophecy, in this first part of the chapter at least, was delivered out before that in
the thirty second chapter:
when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the
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kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against
Jerusalem; when this mighty monarch appeared before Jerusalem with a numerous
army, consisting of Chaldeans, the natives of his own kingdom, and with the auxiliary
troops of each the kingdoms he had subdued and made tributary to him, even people of
almost every nation under the heavens; and invested it, and laid siege to it, and lay
against it:
and against all the cities thereof; the rest of the cities of Judah, which were as
daughters of Jerusalem, the metropolis or mother city:
saying; as follows:
HENRY, "This prophecy concerning Zedekiah was delivered to Jeremiah, and by him
to the parties concerned, before he was shut up in the prison, for we find this prediction
here made the ground of his commitment, as appears by the recital of some passages out
of it, Jer_32:4. Observe,
I. The time when this message was sent to Zedekiah; it was when the king of Babylon,
with all his forces, some out of all the kingdoms of the earth that were within his
jurisdiction, fought against Jerusalem and the cities thereof (Jer_34:1), designing to
destroy them, having often plundered them. The cities that now remained, and yet held
out, are named (Jer_34:7), Lachish and Azekah. This intimates that things were now
brought to the last extremity, and yet Zedekiah obstinately stood it out, his heart being
hardened to his destruction.
JAMISON, "Jer_34:1-22. Captivity of Zedekiah and the people foretold for their
disobedience and perfidy.
The prophecy (Jer_34:1-7) as to Zedekiah is an amplification of that in Jer_32:1-5, in
consequence of which Jeremiah was then shut up in the court of the prison. The
prophecy (Jer_34:8-22) refers to the Jews, who, afraid of the capture of the city, had, in
obedience to the law, granted freedom to their servants at the end of seven years, but on
the intermission of the siege forced them back into bondage.
Jerusalem and ... all the cities thereof — (see on Jer_19:15). It was amazing
blindness in the king, that, in such a desperate position, he should reject admonition.
K&D, "The message to Zedekiah is regarded by Hitzig, Ewald, Graf, Nägelsbach, etc.
as a supplement to Jer_32:1., and as giving, in its complete form, the prophecy to which
Jer_32:3. was referred, as the reason of the confinement of Jeremiah in the court of the
prison. Certainly it is so far true that Jeremiah, in Jer_34:2-5, expresses himself more
fully regarding the fate of King Zedekiah at the fall of Jerusalem into the hands of the
Chaldeans than in Jer_32:3-5; Jer_21:3., and Jer_37:17; but we are not warranted in
drawing the inference that this message forms a historical appendix or supplement to
Jer_32:3., and was the occasion or reason of Jeremiah's imprisonment. See, on the
contrary, the remarks on Jer_32:3. It is not given here as an appendix to explain the
reason of the prophet's imprisonment, but as a prophecy from which we may see how
King Zedekiah was forewarned, from the very beginning of the siege, of what its issue
would be, that he might frame his conduct accordingly. Nor does it belong to the period
when Nebuchadnezzar, after beating off the Egyptians who had come to the relief of the
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beleaguered city, had returned to the siege of Jerusalem, but to the earliest period of the
siege, when Zedekiah might still cherish the hope of defeating and driving off the
Chaldeans through the help of the Egyptians. - According to Jer_34:1, the word of the
Lord came to Jeremiah when "Nebuchadnezzar and," i.e., with, "all his host, and all the
kingdoms of the land of the dominion of his hand, and all the nations, were fighting
against Jerusalem and all her towns." The words are multiplied to represent the strength
of the Chaldean army, so as to deepen the impression of overpowering might, against
which resistance is vain. The army consists of men drawn from all the kingdoms of the
territory he rules, and of all nations. ‫ץ‬ ֶ‫ר‬ ֶ‫א‬ ‫ת‬ ֶ‫ל‬ֶ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫מ‬ ֶ‫מ‬ means the same as ‫ץ‬ ֶ‫ר‬ ֶ‫א‬ ‫תּ‬ ְ‫ל‬ַ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫מ‬ ֶ‫,מ‬ Jer_
51:28, the territory over which his dominion, which includes many kingdoms, extends.
The lxx have omitted "all the nations" as superfluous. See a like conglomeration of words
in a similar description, Eze_26:7. "All her towns" are the towns of Judah which belong
to Jerusalem; see Jer_19:15. According to Jer_34:7, the strong towns not yet taken are
meant, especially those strongly fortified, Lachish and Azekah in the plain (Jos_15:39,
Jos_15:35), the former of which is shown still under the name Um Lakhis, while the
latter is to be sought for in the vicinity of Socho; see on Jos_10:3, Jos_10:10, and 2Ch_
11:9. - Jeremiah is to say to the king:
CALVIN, "It is no wonder, nor ought it to be deemed useless, that the Prophet so
often repeats the same things, for we know how great was the hardness of the people
with whom he had to do. Here, then, he tells us that he was sent to King Zedekiah
when the city was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar and his whole army. The Prophet
mentions the circumstances, by which we may understand how formidable that
siege was, for Nebuchadnezzar had not brought a small force, but had armed many
and various people. Hence the Prophet here expressly mentions the kingdoms of the
earth and the nations who were, under his dominion
Zedekiah was then the king at Jerusalem, and there remained two other cities safe,
as we shall hereafter see; but it is evident how unequal he must have been to
contend with an army so large and powerful. Nebuchadnezzar was a monarch; the
kingdom of Israel had been cut off, which far exceeded in number the kingdom of
Judah; and he had subdued all the neighboring nations. Such a siege then ought to
have immediately taken away from the Jews every hope of deliverance; and yet the
Prophet shews that the king was as yet resolute, and there was still a greater
obstinacy among the people. But Zedekiah was not overbearing; we find that he was
not so proud and so cruel as tyrants are wont to be: as then he was not of a ferocious
disposition, we hence see how great must have been the pride of the whole people,
and also their perverseness against God, when they made the king to be so angry
with the Prophet. Yet the state of things as described ought to have subdued his
passion; for as ungodly men are elevated by prosperity, so they ought to be humbled
when oppressed with adversity. The king himself, as well as the people, were
reduced to the greatest extremities, and yet they would not be admonished by God’s
Prophet; and hence it is expressly said in 2 Chronicles 36:16, that Zedekiah did not
regard the word of the Prophet, though he spoke from the mouth of the Lord, by
whom he had been sent.
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The sum of this prophecy is as follows: — He first says that the word was given him
by Jehovah; and secondly, he points out the time, for what reason we have already
stated. For if he had reproved Zedekiah when there was peace and quietness, and
when there was no fear of danger, the king might have been easily excited, as it is
usual, against the Prophet. But when he saw the city surrounded on every side by so
large and powerful an army, — when he saw collected so many from the kingdoms
of the earth, — so many nations, that he could hardly muster up the thousandth
part of the force of his enemies,wthat he could not and would not, notwithstanding
all this, submit to God and acknowledge his vengeance just, — this was an instance
of extreme blindness, and a proof that he was become as it were estranged in mind.
But God had thus blinded him, because his purpose was, as it is said elsewhere, to
bring an extreme punishment on the people. The blindness, then, and the madness
of the king, was an evidence of God’s wrath towards the whole people; for Zedekiah
might have appeased God if he had repented. It was then God’s will that he should
have been of an intractable disposition, in order that he might by such perverseness
and obstinacy bring on himself utter ruin.
He mentions Nebuchadnezzar and his whole army; he afterwards describes the
army more particularly, with all the kingdoms under his dominion, and all nations
When Jerusalem was in this condition, the Prophet was sent to the king. The
substance of the message follows, even that the city was doomed to destruction,
because God had resolved to deliver it into the hand of the enemy. This was a very
sad message to Zedekiah. Hypocrites, we know, seek flatteries in their calamities;
while God spares them they will not bear to be reproved, and they reject wise
counsels, and even become exasperated when God’s Prophets exhort them to repent.
But when God begins to smite them, they wish all to partake of their misfortunes;
and then also they accuse God’s servants of cruelty, as though they insulted their
misery by setting their sins before them.
This is what we are taught by daily experience. When any one of the common
people, at the time when God does not chasten them either by disease or poverty, or
any other adversity, is admonished, the petulant answer is, “What do you mean? in
what respect am I worthy of blame? I am conscious of no evil.” Thus hypocrites
boast as long as God bears with them, and though his kindness spares them. But
when any adversity happens to them, when any one is laid on his bed, when another
is bereaved of a son or a wife, or in any way visited with afltietion, — if then God’s
judgment is set before them, they think that a grievous wrong is done to them:
“What! have I not evils enough without any addition? I expected comfort from
God’s servants, but they exaggerate my calamities.” In short, hypocrites are never
in a fit condition to receive God’s reproofs.
There is then no doubt but that Jeremiah knew that his message would be
intolerable to King Zedekiah, and to his people. However, he boldly declared, as we
shall see, what God had committed to him. And we further perceive how stupid and
hardened Zedekiah must have been, for he hesitated not to cast God’s Prophet into
prison, even at the time when things were come into extremity. It was the same thing
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as though God with a stretched out arm and a drawn sword had shewn himself to be
his enemy; yet he ceased not to manifest his rage against God; and as he could do
nothing worse, he cast God’s servant into prison; and though he did this, not so
much through the impulse of his own mind as that of others, he yet could not have
been excused from blame.
TRAPP, " The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the
earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against all
the cities thereof, saying,
Ver. 1. The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord.] Still he voucheth his author
for more authority sake. And this is held to be his sixteenth sermon.
And all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion.] For never any monarch was
master of the whole earth.
ELLICOTT, "(1) When Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon . . .—The prophecy that
follows is probably a fuller statement of that in Jeremiah 32:3-4, and delivered
shortly before it, being referred to there as the cause of his imprisonment. In the
form of the name Nebuchadnezzar (n instead of r, as in Jeremiah 24:1; Jeremiah
25:1), we may probably trace the hand of a later transcriber. The same hand is,
perhaps, traceable in the accumulation of substantives after the manner of Daniel
3:7; Daniel 5:19.
COKE, ". The word, &c.— We do not know exactly at what time this happened; but
we know that it was in the 11th year of Zedekiah, and during the interval between
the raising of the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, and his return to that city,
after having repulsed the king of Egypt, who was coming to the succour of
Zedekiah: see chap. Jeremiah 37:5. Jeremiah was not at that time in prison. See the
4th, 14th, and 15th verses of that chapter, and chap. 32:
COFFMAN, "SLAVES EMANCIPATED AND ENSLAVED AGAIN
This chapter features two prophecies: (1) There is the announcement of a
conditional prophecy for Zedekiah (Jeremiah 34:1-8), offering that king certain
blessings on condition of his surrender to Babylon. (2) There is the prophecy of
doom for the population of Jerusalem as a just reward of their emancipation of
slaves according to God's Word in a mocking, hypocritical ceremony enacted in the
sacred temple itself, followed at once by their treacherous, perfidious and shameless
cancellation of the emancipation and their enslavement of their former slaves again.
There could have been no better justification of God's terrible punishment of the
Chosen People than the events recorded in this chapter. In every way, they
completely deserved all the sorrows that came upon them.
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Regarding the date of the chapter, it is accurately revealed by the historical
situation in which it is set. "Both of these prophecies belong to the first period of the
final siege of Jerusalem, probably the ninth year of Zedekiah the king."[1] "That
year was 589-588 B.C."[2]
Jeremiah 34:1-5
THE PROPHECY REGARDING ZEDEKIAH
"The word which came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, when Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his
dominion, and all the peoples were fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the
cities thereof, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Go, and speak to
Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give this
city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire: and thou
shalt not escape out of his hand, but shall surely be taken, and delivered into his
hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak
with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon. Yet hear the word of
Jehovah, O Zedekiah king of Judah: Thus saith Jehovah concerning thee, Thou
shalt not die by the sword; thou shalt die in peace; and with the burnings of thy
fathers, the former kings that were before thee, so shall they make a burning for
thee; and they shall lament thee, saying, Ah Lord! for I have spoken the word, saith
Jehovah."
"All the kingdoms of the earth ..." (Jeremiah 34:1) This is a reference to the
composite nature of Nebuchadnezzar's army, which was made up of numerous
detachments from the many nations that had submitted to Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar as the suzerain overlord of all those countries had the right to
demand troops of all of them to aid in his fight against enemies. He even had that
right over Zedekiah who had at this juncture of events rebelled against him.
"And against all the cities thereof ..." (Jeremiah 34:1). This refers to the
surrounding cities in Palestine which were fortified towns and would of necessity be
captured prior to the assault against Jerusalem the major stronghold. Lachish and
Azekah (Jeremiah 34:7) were the last two of these to hold out against the Chaldeans.
"Thou shalt not escape out of his hand ..." (Jeremiah 34:3). This meant that
Zedekiah would most certainly he required to give an account to Nebuchadnezzar
his overlord, with whom he had negotiated a covenant of obedience, in all
probability "cutting a covenant" after the pattern of that mentioned in Jeremiah
34:18, below, and entailing the most terrible consequences upon its violation by the
vassal.
"Yet ... thou shalt not die by the sword ... but in peace ..." (Jeremiah 34:4). The very
word "yet" in this passage seems to hold out a certain hope for Zedekiah, always
contingent, of course, (See Jeremiah 18:7-10) upon his obedience to God's command
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to deliver the city at once into the hands of his overlord. Whether or not this is
actually the true understanding of this place does not appear absolutely certain to
this writer; but Barnes, and many others, hold this view.
The city was doomed and Zedekiah's capture was assured, but he was still in a
position to procure good terms; and the prophet here laid before him the
alternative; but Zedekiah with all the obstinacy of a weak man chose to continue the
war, and lost: (1) the kingdom; (2) his eyesight; and (3) his liberty.[3]
This view, in effect, denies that the prophecy here was fulfilled, due to Zedekiah's
violation of the condition implied in the prophecy itself. Ash, Dummelow, and others
concur with Barnes in this understanding. Dummelow submits as proof of this
interpretation that, "Although the key condition of Zedekiah's surrender is omitted
in this chapter, it is emphatically stated in Jeremiah 38:17."[4] We accept this
understanding of the place and note that, in addition to the benefits to Zedekiah
which were conditionally promised here, the lives of his sons would also have been
spared if he had obeyed the word of the Lord (Jeremiah 38:17ff).
"Thou shalt die in peace ..." (Jeremiah 34:5). How could one die in peace, after his
sons were slain before him, and after he had been blinded, enslaved, and deported
to Babylon where he died? We agree with Matthew Henry that one may "die in
peace, even though in prison,"[5] and also that to die in peace might have referred
to his attaining "peace with God," as did Manasseh at the end of his life. Others
have also suggested that, when contrasted with the death of Jehoiachim who died
unmourned, receiving the burial of an ass, Zedekiah did indeed "die in peace." If so,
then this part of the prophecy was unconditional.
"With the burnings of thy fathers, etc., ..." (Jeremiah 34:5). The Jews never had a
custom of cremation, and this refers to the lighting of bonfires upon the death of a
beloved monarch, spices also being added to the burning faggots in such
lamentations. The expression "Ah Lord" was the customary exclamation upon the
death of a king. Barnes and others thought this promise of that kind of a burial for
Zedekiah was a pledge (if he had obeyed the Lord) of a successful tenure on the
throne of Jerusalem as a vassal of Babylon. However, it is by no means impossible
that the captive Jews in Babylon would have been allowed thus to honor their
deceased monarch. Still, we favor the view of this whole prophecy as conditional
and the conclusion that it was not fulfilled because Zedekiah violated the conditions
in it.
PETT, "Verses 1-7
Subsection 3 Part 1. Jerusalem Is Surrounded And Jeremiah Declares that There Is
no Point In Holding Out Because Jerusalem Is About To Be Destroyed And
Zedekiah Will Be Carried Off To Babylon To Meet Nebuchadrezzar Face To Face
Where He Will Die ‘In Peace’ And Be Lamented By His Nobles (Jeremiah 34:1-7).
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Jerusalem was in dire straits. Surrounded by the Babylonians and by armies from
‘all the kingdoms of the earth which were under his dominion’ it knew that only two
other cities of Judah were still holding out, the fortified cities of Lachish and
Azekah. Otherwise the whole of Judah was being ravaged and was in
Nebuchadnezzar’s hands. But it still thought that it had one hope. It was depending
on Pharaoh Hophra to arrive with an Egyptian army and drive off the Babylonians.
Jeremiah, however, warns them against such a vain hope. Let them be in no doubt.
Jerusalem would be taken and burned with fire and Zedekiah its king would be
carried off to Babylon never again to participate in political intrigue (he would die
‘in peace’, excluded from political activity), and there he would meet
Nebuchadnezzar face to face to receive his punishment. That was on the word of
YHWH. It is noteworthy that there is no reference at this stage to his being blinded,
confirmation that this is a prophecy before the event.
Jeremiah 34:1
‘The word which came to Jeremiah from YHWH, when Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth which were under his
dominion, and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem, and against all its
cities, saying,’
This is clearly describing a time prior to Jeremiah’s imprisonment. The impossible
position of Jerusalem is underlined. They were surrounded by the armies of ‘all the
kingdoms of the world’ which were under Nebuchadnezzar’s control. (Note the use
of ‘world’ to indicate the local ‘known world’). ‘All the peoples’ were fighting
against Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah. The idea is that there really was no
hope. Of course, as vassals of Nebuchadnezzar the other kingdoms had little choice
in the matter. It was part of their commitment as vassals to provide
Nebuchadnezzar with regiments to bolster up his army.
The change in description from Nebuchadrezzar (used earlier in chapters 21-25, and
in Jeremiah 29:31; Jeremiah 32:1; Jeremiah 32:28; Jeremiah 35:11; Jeremiah 37:1;
Jeremiah 39:1; Jeremiah 39:11, but not in Jeremiah 27:1 to Jeremiah 29:3) to
Nebuchadnezzar indicates very little, for such a change could easily be made by the
same author writing at a different time, especially as the use of the ‘n’ in place of the
‘r’ could simply have been in order to introduce a derogatory element into the name
in view of the increasing intensity of the situation.
In Jeremiah the use of Nebuchadnezzar is mainly restricted to the passage Jeremiah
27:1 to Jeremiah 29:3 (Nebuchadrezzar appears in Jeremiah 29:21), whilst also
occurring here in Jeremiah 34:1, with this last appearance having no obvious
explanation. Nebuchadrezzar is used in Jeremiah 32:1; Jeremiah 32:28; Jeremiah
35:11; Jeremiah 37:1; Jeremiah 39:1; Jeremiah 39:11. In the end we may think what
we like about the significance of the change for we have little to go on. The pattern is
not wholly consistent.
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PETT, "Verses 1-28
SECTION 2 (Jeremiah 26:1 to Jeremiah 45:5). (continued).
As we have previously seen this Section of Jeremiah from Jeremiah 26:1 to
Jeremiah 45:5 divides up into four main subsections, which are as follows:
1. Commencing With A Speech In The Temple Jeremiah Warns Of What Is Coming
And Repudiates The Promises Of The False Prophets (Jeremiah 26:1 to Jeremiah
29:32).
2. Following The Anguish To Come Promises Are Given Of Eventual Restoration,
Central To Which is A New Covenant Written In The Heart And The
Establishment Of A Shoot (Branch) Of David On His Throne (Jeremiah 30:1 to
Jeremiah 33:26).
3. YHWH’s Continuing Word of Judgment Is Given Through Jeremiah, The
Continuing Disobedience Of The People Is Brought Out, And Jeremiah’s Resulting
Experiences Leading Up To The Fall Of Jerusalem Are Revealed (Jeremiah 34:1 to
Jeremiah 38:28).
4. The Fall Of Jerusalem And Events Subsequent To It Are Described (Jeremiah
39:1 to Jeremiah 45:5).
We have already commented on Subsections 1). in Jeremiah 4 and subsection 2). in
Jeremiah 5. We must now therefore consider subsection 3). This subsection deals
with various experiences of Jeremiah (although not in chronological order) in the
days of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah.
Section 2 Subsection 3. YHWH’s Continuing Word of Judgment Is Given Through
Jeremiah, The Continuing Disobedience Of The People Is Brought Out, And
Jeremiah’s Resulting Experiences Leading Up To The Fall Of Jerusalem Are
Revealed (Jeremiah 34:1 to Jeremiah 38:28).
The promise of future restoration having been laid out Jeremiah now returns to the
current situation with Jerusalem under threat. He demonstrates the different ways
in which YHWH has been rejected, and treated with contempt by 1). a hypocritical
pretence of obedience to the covenant, which is reneged on, 2). a treating of
YHWH’s Fatherhood with contempt by the people, something which is in stark
contrast with the obedience and reverence shown by the Rechabites to their father,
3). a burning of YHWH’s very word in a brazier, and 4). a continuing misuse of
YHWH’s prophet. All this but confirms YHWH’s prophecies of judgment against
Jerusalem,
The subsection divides up easily into five parts, each of which is opened by a crucial
phrase, thus:
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1. 34:1-7 ‘The word which came to Jeremiah from YHWH when
Nebuchadnezzar --- fought against Jerusalem and all its cities.’ This was a word
declaring that Jerusalem would be destroyed and Zedekiah would be carried off to
Babylon and meet Nebuchadnezzar face to face. There he will die ‘in peace’ and be
lamented by his nobles.
2. 34:8-22 ‘The word which came to Jeremiah from YHWH after King Zedekiah
had made a covenant with all the people at Jerusalem to proclaim freedom to them.’
Zedekiah having persuaded the more wealthy in Jerusalem to enter into a covenant
before YHWH to set free their Hebrew slaves, thus fulfilling the Sinai covenant, the
more wealthy do so, but once the danger appears to be past, change their minds and
re-enslave them, bringing down on themselves the renewed wrath of YHWH and the
certainty of Babylonian subjection.
3. 35:1-19 ‘The word which came to Jeremiah from YHWH in the days of
Jehoiakim.’ YHWH uses the example of the Rechabites as an illustration of a filial
obedience to their father, which is the very opposite of Judah’s disobedience to their
Father, something which will result in judgment coming on Judah and Jerusalem.
4. 36:1-32 ‘And it came about in the fourth year of Jehoiakim --- this word came to
Jeremiah from YHWH.’ Jeremiah records his prophecies in a book in the days of
Jehoiakim, prophecies which impress the nobles, but which are treated with disdain
by Jehoiakim and his associates, resulting in Jehoiakim cutting up the ‘leaves’ of the
book and burning them, thereby bringing judgment on himself.
5. 37:1-38:28 ‘And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah -- but
did not listen to the words YHWH which He spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.’
YHWH’s prophet is rejected. Jeremiah warns the king not to expect deliverance
through the approaching Egyptian army, and on seeking to visit his hometown
during a lull in the siege is accused of attempted desertion and is shut up in prison,
although there he is surreptitiously consulted by Zedekiah. His various sufferings,
resulting from his prophesying, including a near death experience, are described,
and he ends up in the royal prison where he is comparatively well treated.
It will be noted from this that after the initial warning of the success of the
Babylonians there is a continuing emphasis on the growing disobedience towards,
and rejection of, YHWH and His covenant. This is illustrated firstly by the breaking
of a solemn covenant made by the people, a covenant in which they guaranteed to
free their Hebrew slaves as required by the Sinaitic covenant, something which they
subsequently reneged on; secondly by a disobedience which is shown to be the direct
opposite of the obedience of the Rechabites (who sought to be faithful to the
principles of wilderness days) to their father; thirdly by the disrespect shown to
YHWH’s prophecies as written down by Jeremiah when Jehoiakim contemptuously
burned them in a brazier; and fourthly by the continual disrespect shown to
Jeremiah himself in his various imprisonments. The growth in intensity of the
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disobedience as each chapter progresses (breach of the ancient covenant, falling
short of a righteous example presented before their very eyes, burning the currently
received word of YHWH, and finally misusing the prophet of YHWH because of his
up to date prophecies), helps to explain why the prophecies have been put in this
order.
We may also see here a deliberate attempt to sandwich between two references to
the approaching end and to Zedekiah’s reign, reasons as to why that end is
necessary from earlier days. This follows a similar pattern to chapters 21-24 which
also sandwiched earlier situations between two examples of the days of Zedekiah.
PULPIT, "Verses 1-22
EXPOSITION
This chapter must be taken in connection with Jeremiah 35:1-19. The whole section
consists of three passages, introduced with a superscription in the same form, but
otherwise unrelated. It serves to finish off the earlier prophetic portion of the book,
Jeremiah 36:1-32. opening a series of narratives.
The first passage (Jeremiah 34:1-7) is virtually a postscript to Jeremiah 32:1-44;
Jeremiah 33:1-26.; it apparently contains the prophecy referred to in Jeremiah
32:3-5 as the cause of Jeremiah's imprisonment. The same prophecy recurs in a
shorter form in Jeremiah 37:17, and, by comparing the context of this passage with
Jeremiah 32:1, etc; we are enabled to infer that the original prophecy was uttered at
the renewal of the siege of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, who had withdrawn for a
time on the news of the approach of Pharaoh's army.
Jeremiah 34:1
All the kingdoms of the earth; etc.; rather, of the land. The accumulation of phrases
is to convey the composite character of the Chaldean army. And against all the cities
thereof; i.e. the fortified cities which still held out—against Lachish and Azekah, if
no more (per. 7).
2 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says:
Go to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him, ‘This
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is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city
into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will
burn it down.
CLARKE, "He shall burn it with fire - This was a newly-added circumstance.
Among many ancient nations they burned the bodies of the more illustrious dead.
Odours were used in the burning: they then gathered the ashes, and put them into an
urn or pitcher, sometimes into a strong vessel, and buried them. Many of these have
been digged up in different parts of England, where the Romans had stations.
GILL, "Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel,.... Who, though the covenant God
of Israel, yet provoked by their sins, sends the following message to their king:
go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him: alone; and tell it to no
other but him, at least at present; the message being more peculiar to him, and must,
had it been told to the people, been very disheartening to them:
behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon,
and he shall burn it with fire; see Jer_32:3; which was exactly accomplished, Jer_
52:13.
HENRY 2-7, "The message itself that was sent to him. 1. Here is a threatening of
wrath. He is told that again which he had been often told before, that the city shall be
taken by the Chaldeans and burnt with fire (Jer_34:2), that he shall himself fall into the
enemy's hands, shall be made a prisoner, shall be brought before that furious prince
Nebuchadnezzar, and be carried away captive into Babylon (Jer_34:3); yet Ezekiel
prophesied that he should not see Babylon; nor did he, for his eyes were put out, Eze_
12:13. This Zedekiah brought upon himself from God by his other sins and from
Nebuchadnezzar by breaking his faith with him. 2. Here is a mixture of mercy. He shall
die a captive, but he shall not die by the sword he shall die a natural death (Jer_34:4);
he shall end his days with some comfort, shall die in peace, Jer_34:5. He never had been
one of the worst of the kings, but we are willing to hope that what evil he had done in the
sight of the Lord he repented of in his captivity, as Manasseh had done, and it was
forgiven to him; and, God being reconciled to him, he might truly be said to die in peace,
Note, A man may die in a prison and yet die in peace. Nay, he shall end his days with
some reputation, more than one would expect, all things considered. He shall be buried
with the burnings of his fathers, that is, with the respect usually shown to their kings,
especially those that had done good in Israel. It seems, in his captivity he had conducted
himself so well towards his own people that they were willing to do him this honour, and
towards Nebuchadnezzar that he suffered it to be done. If Zedekiah had continued in his
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prosperity, perhaps he would have grown worse and would have departed at last
without being desired; but his afflictions wrought such a change in him that his death
was looked upon as a great loss. It is better to live and die penitent in a prison than to
live and die impenitent in a palace. They will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! an honour
which his brother Jehoiakim had not, Jer_22:18. The Jews say that they lamented thus
over him, Alas! Zedekiah is dead, who drank the dregs of all the ages that went before
him, that is, who suffered for the sins of his ancestors, the measure of iniquity being
filled up in his days. They shall thus lament him, saith the Lord, for I have pronounced
the word; and what God hath spoken shall without fail be made good.
III. Jeremiah's faithfulness in delivering this message. Though he knew it would be
ungrateful to the king, and might prove, as indeed it did, dangerous to himself (for he
was imprisoned for it), yet he spoke all these words to Zedekiah, Jer_34:6. It is a mercy
to great men to have those about them that will deal faithfully with them, and tell them
the evil consequences of their evil courses, that they may reform and live.
K&D, "Jer_34:2-7
"Thus saith Jahveh: Behold, I will deliver this city into the hand of the king of
Babylon, that he may burn it with fire. Jer_34:3. And thou shalt not escape from his
hand, but shalt certainly be seized and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall see
the eyes of the king of Babylon, and his mouth shall speak with thy mouth, and thou
shalt go to Babylon. Jer_34:4. But hear the word of Jahveh, O Zedekiah, king of Judah.
Thus saith Jahveh concerning thee: Thou shalt not die by the sword. Jer_34:5. In peace
shalt thou die; and as with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings who were
before thee, so shall they make a burning for thee, and they shall wail for thee, [crying,]
'Alas, lord!' for I have spoken the word, saith Jahveh. - On Jer_34:2, Jer_34:3, cf. Jer_
32:3-5. "But hear," Jer_34:4, introduces an exception to what has been said before; but
the meaning of Jer_34:4, Jer_34:5 is disputed. They are usually understood in this say:
Zedekiah shall be carried into exile to Babylon, but shall not be killed with the sword, or
executed, but shall die a peaceful death, and be buried with royal honours. But C. B.
Michaelis, Venema, Hitzig, and Graf take the words as an exception that will occur,
should Zedekiah follow the advice given him to deliver himself up to the king of Babylon,
instead of continuing the struggle. Then what is denounced in Jer_34:3 will not happen;
Zedekiah shall not be carried away to Babylon, but shall die as king in Jerusalem. This
view rests on the hypothesis that the divine message has for its object to induce the king
to submit and give up himself (cf. Jer_38:17.). But this supposition has no foundation;
and what must be inserted, as the condition laid before Zedekiah, "if thou dost willingly
submit to the king of Babylon," is quite arbitrary, and incompatible with the spirit of the
word, "But hear the word of Jahveh," for in this case Jer_34:4 at least would require to
run, "Obey the word of Jahveh" (‫ע‬ ַ‫מ‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ ‫ר‬ ַ‫ב‬ ְ‫ד‬ ִ‫בּ‬ ), as Jer_38:20. To take the words ‫ע‬ ַ‫מ‬ ְ‫שׁ‬
‫ר‬ ַ‫ב‬ ְ‫ד‬in the sense, "Give ear to the word, obey the word of Jahveh," is not merely
inadmissible grammatically, but also against the context; for the word of Jahveh which
Zedekiah is to hear, gives no directions as to how he is to act, but is simply an intimation
as to what the end of his life shall be: to change or avert this does not stand in his power,
so that we cannot here think of obedience or disobedience. The message in Jer_34:4,
Jer_34:5 states more in detail what that was which lay before Zedekiah: he shall fall into
the hands of the king of Babylon, be carried into exile in Babylon, yet shall not die a
violent death through the sword, but die peacefully, and be buried with honour - not,
like Jehoiakim, fall in battle, and be left unmourned and unburied (Jer_22:18.). This
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intimation accords with the notices given elsewhere as to the end of Zedekiah (Jer_32:5;
Jer_39:5-7). Although Zedekiah died a prisoner in Babylon (Jer_52:11), yet his
imprisonment would not necessarily be an obstacle in the way of an honourable burial
after the fashion of his fathers. When Jehoiachin, after an imprisonment of thirty-seven
years, was raised again to royal honours, then also might there be accorded not merely a
tolerably comfortable imprisonment to Zedekiah himself, but to the Jews also, at his
death, the permission to bury their king according to their national custom. Nor is
anything to be found elsewhere contrary to this view of the words. The supposition that
Zedekiah caused the prophet to be imprisoned on account of this message to him, which
Nägelsbach has laboured hard to reconcile with the common acceptation of the passage,
is wholly devoid of foundation in fact, and does not suit the time into which this message
falls; for Jeremiah was not imprisoned till after the time when the Chaldeans were
obliged for a season to raise the siege, on the approach of the Egyptians, and that, too,
not at the command of the king, but by the watchman at the gate, on pretence that he
was a deserter. "Thou shalt die in peace," in contrast with "thou shalt die by the sword,"
marks a peaceful death on a bed of sickness in contrast with execution, but not (what
Graf introduces into the words) in addition, his being deposited in the sepulchre of his
fathers. "With the burnings of thy fathers," etc., is to be understood, according to 2Ch_
16:14; 2Ch_21:19, of the burning of aromatic spices in honour of the dead; for the
burning of corpses was not customary among the Hebrews: see on 2Ch_16:14. On "alas,
lord!" see Jer_22:18. This promise is strengthened by the addition, "for I have spoken
the word," where the emphasis lies on the ‫י‬ִ‫ֲנ‬‫א‬: I the Lord have spoken the word, which
therefore shall certainly be fulfilled. - In Jer_34:6, Jer_34:7 it is further remarked in
conclusion, that Jeremiah addressed these words to the king during the siege of
Jerusalem, when all the cities of Judah except Lachish and Azekah were already in the
power of the Chaldeans. ‫י‬ ֵ‫ר‬ָ‫ע‬ is not in apposition to ‫י‬ ֵ‫ר‬ָ‫ע‬ ‫ה‬ ָ‫הוּד‬ְ‫,י‬ but belongs to ‫ֲרוּ‬‫א‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ִ‫:נ‬
"they were left among the towns of Judah as strong cities;" i.e., of the strong cities of
Judah, they alone had not yet been conquered.
CALVIN, "Now the Prophet says, Behold, I will deliver this city into the hand of the
king of Babylon Had he simply said that the city would in a short time be taken, it
would have been a general truth, not effectual but frigid. It was therefore necessary
to add this, — that the ruin of the citywas a just punishment inflicted by God. And
Zedekiah was also thus reminded, that though he were stronger than his enemy, yet
he could not effectually resist him, for the war was carrid on under the authority of
God, as though he had said, “Thou thinkest that thou contendest with men; it would
be difficult enough for thee and more than enough, to contend with the eastern
monarchy and so many nations and kingdoms; farther than this, God himself is
thine enemy; have regard to him, that thou mayest learn to dread his judgment.”
And that the words might be more forcible, God himself speaks in his own person,
Behold, he says, I will deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he
will burn it with fire This last sentence was a dreadful aggravation; for it often
happens that cities are taken, and the conquerors are satisfied with the spoils.
When, therefore, Nebuchadnezzar came against the city of Jerusalem with so much
rage that he burnt it, it was a proof of the dreadful vengeance of God. It now
follows —
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TRAPP, "Jeremiah 34:2 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Go and speak to
Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD Behold, I will give this
city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:
Ver. 2. Go and speak unto Zedekiah.] Tell him plainly what shall become of him and
his, though thou be sent to prison for thy plain dealing.
PETT, "Jeremiah 34:2
‘Thus says YHWH, the God of Israel, “Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah,
and tell him, Thus says YHWH, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king
of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire,”
YHWH here underlines their lack of hope. As ‘YHWH, the God of Israel’ He calls
on Jeremiah to go to Zedekiah the king of Judah and tell him that YHWH Himself
intends to deliver Jerusalem into the hand of the king of Babylon. This reveals
Israel’s hopelessness in that if Israel’s own God was not supporting them, what
possible hope could they have? Furthermore, He declares that the city will be
burned with fire, something which was the regular treatment for a rebellious and
obstinate city.
3 You will not escape from his grasp but will
surely be captured and given into his hands. You
will see the king of Babylon with your own eyes,
and he will speak with you face to face. And you
will go to Babylon.
CLARKE, "Thou shalt not escape - This, however, he had attempted, but was
taken in his flight. See Jer_39:4, and Jer_52:7, etc.
GILL, "And thou shalt not escape out of his hand,.... Though he would, and did
15

attempt to do it, Jer_52:8;
but shall surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; he was taken on the
plains of Jericho, and delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon at Riblah; as may
be seen in the place just referred to:
and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon; and that was all; for
they were quickly put out by him:
and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon;
see Jer_32:3.
CALVIN, "As Zedekiah saw the people still doing their duty he despised his enemy;
for as the city was very strongly fortified, he hoped to be able to preserve it a little
time longer. Hence was the false hope of deliverance; for he thought that the enemy
being wearied would return into Chaldea. He was deceived by this expectation. But
the Prophet forthwith assailed him, and declared that he would become a captive,
which Zedekiah indeed deserved through his ingratitude: for Nebuchadnezzar had
put hint in the place of his nephew, when Jeconiah was led away into Babylon and
had made him king. He afterwards revolted from the king of Babylon, to whom he
had pledged his faith, and to whom he became tributary. But the Prophet did not
regard these intermediate causes, but the primary cause, the fountain, even because
the people had not ceased to add sins to sins, because they had been wholly
untameable and had rejected all promises, and had also closed their ears against all
wise counsels. Then God, resolving to inflict extreme punishment on a people so
perverse and desperate, blinded their king, as we have before said, so that he
revolted from the king of Babylon, and thus brought destruction on himself, and the
city, and the whole country. Thus God overruled the intermediate causes which are
apparent to us; but he had his hidden purpose which he executed through external
means.
He then says, Thou shalt not be freed from his hand, for thou shalt be taken; and
then he adds, Thou shalt be delivered into his hand What he says in many words
might have been expressed in one sentence: but it was necessary to rouse the king’s
sottishness, by which he was inebriated, so that he might be awakened in order that
he might dread the punishment which was at hand, which, however, was not the
case; but he was thereby rendered more inexcusable. Thus the threatenings which
God repeats by his servants are never useless; for if the ears of those who are
reproved are deaf, yet what God declares will be a testimony against them, so that
every excuse on the ground of ignorance is removed.
He says afterwards, Thine eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon And this
happened; but his eyes were afterwards pulled out. He met, indeed, with singular
disgrace, for he was taken to Riblah and tried as a criminal. He was not treated as a
king, nor did he retain any of his former dignity; but he was taken before the
tribunal of the king of Babylon as a thief or a miscreant. Then after he was
16

convicted of ingratitude and treachery, the Chaldean king ordered his children to be
slain before his eyes, and also his chief men and counsellors, and himself to be
bound with chains and his eyes to be pulled out; and he brought him to Babylon. It
was, then, a most cruel punishment which the king of Babylon inflicted on
Zedekiah. And the Prophet seems to have indirectly referred to what happened,
Thine eyes, he says, shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon: he was forced to look
with his eyes on the proud conqueror, and then his eyes were pulled out; but he had
first seen his own children slain.
He adds, and his mouth shall speak to thy mouth, that is, “Thou shalt hear the
dreadful sentence pronounced upon thee, after thou shalt be convicted of a capital
offense; the king himself shall degrade thee with all possible disgrace.” Now, this
was a harder fate than if Zedekiah had been secretly put to death. He was dragged
into the light; he then underwent many terrible things when led into the presence of
his enemy. This, then, the Prophet related, that Zedekiah might understand that he
in vain defended the city, for its miserable end was near at hand. He afterwards
adds, —
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 34:3 And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely
be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the
king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to
Babylon.
Ver. 3. And thou shalt not escape.] Whatever vain hopes thou mayest nourish, and
although thou thinkest thou hast a stake in store, howsoever the world goes with the
rest. See Jeremiah 32:4-5.
“And you will not escape out of his hand, but will surely be taken, and delivered
into his hand, and your eyes will behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he will
speak with you mouth to mouth, and you will go to Babylon.”
Nor should Zedekiah think that somehow he himself might escape from
Nebuchadnezzar’s hand. He was to recognise that he would certainly be taken and
handed over to Nebuchadnezzar, and would have to see him face to face, and speak
to him mouth to mouth (he would of course do it grovelling before him with his face
to the ground), for ‘he would go to Babylon’ whether he liked it or not.
4 “‘Yet hear the Lord’s promise to you, Zedekiah
king of Judah. This is what the Lord says
17

concerning you: You will not die by the sword;
GILL, "Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Zedekiah king of Judah,.... Which,
though a king, he ought to hearken to; and, besides, what follows was for comfort, being
a mitigation of his sentence, and containing in it mercy, as well as judgment:
thus saith the Lord of thee, thou shalt not die by the sword: of the king of
Babylon; or a violent death; and therefore fear not to deliver up thyself and city into his
hands; which he might be twelfth to do, fearing he would put him to death immediately.
JAMISON, "Mitigation of Zedekiah’s punishment.
CALVIN, "Here Jeremiah adds some comfort, even that Zedekiah himself would
not be slain by the sword, but that he would die in his bed, and, as they commonly
say, yield to his fate. It was indeed some mitigation of punishment, that God
extended his life and suffered him not to be immediately smitten with the sword.
And yet if we consider all circumstances, it would have been a lighter evil at once to
be put to death, than to prolong life on the condition of being doomed to pine away
in constant misery. When the eyes are pulled out, we know that the principal part of
life is lost. When, therefore, this punishment was inflicted on Zedekiah, was not
death desirable? And then he was not only deprived of his royal dignity, but was
bereaved also of all his offspring, and was afterwards bound with chains. We hence
see that what remained to him was not so much an object of desire, he might have
preferred ten times or a hundred times to die. God, however, designed it as a favor,
that he was not smitten with the sword.
A question may be here raised, Ought violent death to be so much dreaded? We
indeed know that some heathens have wished it. They tell us of Julius Caesar, that
the day before he was killed, he disputed at supper what death was the best, and
that he deemed it the easiest death ( εὐθανασίαν) when one is suddenly deprived of
life, — the very thing which happened to him the day after. Thus he seemed to have
gained his wish, for he had said, that it was a happy kind of death to be suddenly
extinguished. There is, however, no doubt but that natural death is always more
easy to be borne, when other things, as they say, are equal; for the feeling of nature
is this, that men always dread a bloody death, and it is regarded a monstrous thing
when human blood is shed; but when any one dies quietly through disease, as it is a
common thing, we do not feel so much horror. Then time is granted to the sick, to
think of God’s hand, to reflect on the hope of a better life, and also to flee to God’s
mercy, which cannot be done in a violent death. When, therefore, all these are duly
weighed, it ought not to be deemed strange, that God, willing to mitigate the
18

punishment of Zedekiah, should say, Thou shaft not die by the sword, but thou shall
die in peace To die in peace is to die a natural death, when no violence is used, but
when God hhnself calls men, as though he stretched forth his hand to them. It is
indeed certain, that it is much better for some to be slain by the sword, than to pine
away through disease: for we see that many are either seized with frenzy on their
bed, or rage against God, or remain obstinate: there are, in short, dreadful
examples, which daily occur, where the Spirit of God does not work nor rule. For
there is then no tenderness in man, especially when he has the fear of death; he then
kindles up as it were into rage against God. But, on the other hand, many who are
brought into affliction, acknowledge themselves to be justly condemned, and at the
same time acknowledge the punishment inflicted to be medicine, in order that they
may obtain mercy before God. To many, then, it is better to die a violent death than
to die in peace; but this happens through the fault of men: at the same time, natural
death, as I have said, justly deserves to be much preferred to a violent and bloody
death, and I have briefly stated the reasons. The subject might indeed be more fully
handled, but it is enough to touch shortly on the chief point as the passage requires.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 34:4 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of
Judah; Thus saith the LORD of thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword:
Ver. 4. Yet hear the word of the Lord.] A word of comfort. The Lord is good to all,
and his tender mercies are over all his works. [Psalms 145:9] Out of his
philanthropy he giveth this wicked prince a mitigation of his just punishment, and a
further time to repent. {as Revelation 2:21} And possibly this goodness of God might
in time lead him to repentance. {as Romans 2:4}
Thou shalt not die by the sword.] And yet Josiah, his father, a far better man, did;
so unsearchable are God’s judgments, and his ways past finding out.
ELLICOTT, "(4) Thou shalt not die by the sword.—The tone is one of comparative
mildness, the motive apparently being the wish to persuade the king to abandon his
useless resistance, and to court the favour of the conqueror. His going to Babylon
would not necessarily shut him out from a life of comparative ease and an
honourable burial. Jeconiah, it is true, had been thrown into prison (Jeremiah
51:31), and remained there during the whole reign of Nebuchadnezzar, but that was
the result of his obstinate resistance, and Zedekiah might avert that doom by a
timely submission.
‘Surely hear the word of YHWH, O Zedekiah king of Judah, “Thus says YHWH
concerning you, You will not die by the sword,”
Furthermore he would not die nobly by the sword, neither in actively fighting for
his country (no such noble death was to be his), nor by execution. This too was the
word of YHWH. His only future lay in prison. (It should be noted that no mention is
19

made of the fact that he would be blinded, something which demonstrates that the
prophecies were not tampered with after the event. It would have been all too easy
for a dishonest or over-enthusiastic copyist to introduce the idea. The fact that it did
not happen reminds us how carefully copyists refrained from such activities).
PULPIT, "Jeremiah 34:4
Yet hear the word of the Lord, etc. Clearly this introduces a limitation of the
foregoing threat. Zedekiah will, it is true, be carried to Babylon, but he will not
suffer a violent death; he will "die in peace," and be buried with all customary royal
honours. A difficulty, however, has been felt in admitting this view. How could
Zedekiah be said to die in peace, when he was "in prison till the day of his death"
(Jeremiah 52:11)? and how could the deposed king of a captive people be honoured
with a public mourning? The reply is
5 you will die peacefully. As people made a
funeral fire in honor of your predecessors, the
kings who ruled before you, so they will make a
fire in your honor and lament, “Alas, master!” I
myself make this promise, declares the Lord.’”
BARNES, "In peace - See Jer_12:12 note.
Burn odors - “Make a burning.” The burning was probably that of piles of wood, and
spices were added only as an special honor. It was not a Jewish custom to burn the dead.
As these burnings depended upon the estimation in which the dead king was held, the
verse implies a prosperous reign, such as Zedekiah might have had as an obedient vassal
to BabyIon.
I have pronounced the word - I have spoken the word.
CLARKE, "Thou shalt die in peace - Thou shalt not die a violent death; and at
thy death thou shalt have all those funereal solemnities which were usual at the demise
of kings. See 2Ch_16:14.
So shall they burn odours for thee - Scented wood and other odoriferous
20

substances are placed on the funeral pile of the rich Hindoos, and burned with the body.
And they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! - They will recite the funeral dirge
that begins with those words. See the note on Jer_22:18 (note).
GILL, "But thou shall die in peace,.... Upon his bed, a natural death, and in good
friendship with the king of Babylon; and, it may be, in peace with God; for before his
death, some time in his captivity, he might be brought to true repentance for his sins:
and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before
thee: so shall they burn odours for thee. The sense is, that he should have an
honourable burial; and that sweet odours and spices should be burned for him, as were
for the kings of Judah his predecessors, particularly Asa, 2Ch_16:14. Josephus says (b),
that Nebuchadnezzar buried him in a royal manner; though this seems to refer to what
the people of the Jews in Babylon would do in honour of him, by burning for him. The
Rabbins say, as Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech observe, that they burned their beds
and ministering vessels, or household goods (c), as was usual on such occasions. The
Talmudist (d) a say, all this honour was done him for that single act of ordering
Jeremiah to be taken out of the dungeon; for this was done honour to persons: so, when
Gamaliel the elder died, Onkelos the proselyte burned for him seventy Tyrian pounds
(e); not such a quantity of money, but goods that were worth so much; and this was a
custom with the Heathens, who used to burn the bodies of the dead, to burn their
garments with them, and their armour, and whatever were valuable and esteemed of by
them life; and particularly odoriferous things, as frankincense, saffron, myrrh,
spikenard, cassia, and cinnamon (f); and which seem to be meant here, by comparing
the passage with the case of Asa before mentioned; for though the word "odours" is not
in the text, it seems rightly enough supplied by us, as it is by other interpreters (g). The
Vulgate Latin version very wrongly translates it, "and shall burn thee"; for it was not the
manner of the Jews to burn the bodies of the dead, but to inter them in the earth; and so
Tacitus (h) observes, it was the custom of the Jews not to burn, but after the manner of
the Egyptians to bury in the earth nor does it appear to have been the custom of the
Babylonians or Chaldeans, as should seem from the account that is given of the death
and burial of the Babylonian monarch in Isa_14:4;
and they will lament, saying, Ah lord! alas! our lord the king is dead. The form of
lamentation said over him, as the Jews record (i), was,
"alas! King Zedekiah, who is dead, drank the dregs of all ages;''
was punished for the sins of men in all generations past:
for I have pronounced the word, saith the Lord; both that which respects his
captivity, and that which refers to his death; the manner of it, and his honourable
interment, which shall be accomplished.
JAMISON, "the burnings of thy fathers — Thy funeral shall be honored with the
same burning of aromatic spices as there was at the funerals of thy fathers (2Ch_16:14;
2Ch_21:19). The honors here mentioned were denied to Jehoiakim (Jer_22:18).
21

Ah, lord! — The Hebrews in their chronology (Seder Olam) mention the wailing used
over him, “Alas! King Zedekiah is dead, drinking the dregs (that is, paying the penalty
for the sins) of former ages.”
CALVIN, "In peace, he says, shalt thou die, and then adds, with the burnings of thy
fathers shall they burn thee, and lament over thee, “Alas! Lord.” Here is added
another comfort, — that when Zedekiah should die, there would be some to bury
him, not only in a humane, but also in an honorable manner. And burial in many
places is reckoned as one of God’s favors, as in life God shews himself kind and
bountiful to us when we are in health and in vigor. For as health and food sufficient
for the necessities of life, are evidences of God’s love, so is burial after death; for
burial distinguishes men from brutes. When a wild beast dies, his carcase is left to
putrify. Why are men buried, except in hope of the resurrection, as though they
were laid up in a safe place till the time of restoration? Burial, then, as it is a symbol
of our immortality, makes a distinction between us and brute animals after death.
In death itself there is no difference; the death of a man and the death of a dog, have
no certain marks to distinguish the one from the other. Then it is God’s will that
there should be some monument, that men might understand how nmch more
excellent: is their condition than that of brute animals. Hence then it is, that when
God favors us with a burial, he shows his paternal care towards us. On the contrary,
when the body of any one is cast away, it is in itself a sign of God’s displeasure, as it
appeared before, when the Prophet said of Jehoiakim that his burial would be that
of an ass, (Jeremiah 22:19) As then Jehoiakim was threatened with the burial of an
ass, so now he promises an honorable burial to Zedekiah.
I said that this is true, when the thing is in itself considered. For it sometimes
happens that the most wicked are buried with honor and great pomp, when the
children of God are either burnt or torn by wild beasts. Known is that complaint of
the Psalmist, that the bodies of the saints were cast away and became food to birds
and wild beasts. (Psalms 79:2) And it is said of the rich man, who lived in splendor,
that he died and was buried, but there is no mention made of the burial of Lazarus.
(Luke 16:22) We ought not then simply to conclude, that those are miserable who
are not buried, and that those are blessed who obtain the honor of a burial. As the
sun is said to rise on the children of God and on strangers, so also after death, as
burial is a temporal benefit, it may be considered as belonging indiscriminately to
the good and to the bad. It may on the contrary be, that God should deprive his
children of a burial; yet still that truth remains fixed, that burial in itself is an
evidence of God’s favor; and that; when any one is cast away and denied a burial, it
is a sign of God’s displeasure. When yet we come to individuals, the Lord turns a
temporal punishment into a benefit to his own people; and makes his temporal
blessings to serve for a heavier condemnation to all the reprobate and ungodly,
hence they were barbarous who dared to deride burial, as the Cynics did, who
treated burial with contempt. This was inhumanity.
But we ought to hold these points, — that as God supplies us with bread, wine, and
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water, and other necessaries of life, in order to feed us, and to preserve us in health
and rigor, so we ought to regard burial; but when the faithful are exposed to
hunger, when they die through cold or nakedness, or when they are made subject to
other evils, and when they are treated ignominiously after death, all this turns out
for their salvation, for the Lord regards their good even when he seems to afflict
them with adversities.
This, then, is the reason why the Prophet now in some measure mitigates the sorrow
of Zedekiah, by saying,. They shall bury thee, and with the burnings of thy fathers
shall they burn thee This was not a common but a royal mode of burial. He then
promises, that after many degradations and reproaches, God would at length shew
him, when dead, some favor. But one may say, what would this avail Zedekiah? for
his body would then be without sense or feeling. But. it was well to hear of this
kindness of God, for he might thereby conclude that God would be at length
merciful to him, if he really humbled himself. There is then no doubt but that a hope
of pardon was promised to him, though he was to be sharply and severely chastised
even until he died. God then intended that this symbol should ever be remembered
by him, that he might not wholly despair. We now then understand why the Prophet
promised this to Zedekiah, not that it might be a matter of interest to him to be
buried with honor, but that he might have some conception of God’s kindness and
mercy.
Now we know that the dead bodies of kings were burnt at a great expense; many
precious odors were procured, a fire was kindled, and the bodies were seared; not
that they were reduced to ashes, (for this was not the custom, as among the Romans
and other nations, who burnt the bodies of the dead, and gathered the ashes) But
among the Jews, the body was never burnt; only they kindled a fire around the dead
body, that putrefaction might not take place. The bodies of the dead were dried by a
slow fire. This was not indeed commonly done, but only at the burials of kings, as it
appears from the case of Asa and of others. (2 Chronicles 16:14)
Then he says, With the burnings of thy fathers shall they burn thee, and they shall
lament thee, “Alas! Lord,” it may be asked, whether these lamentations were
approved by God? To this there is a ready answer, — that the Prophet does not here
commend immoderate mourning, and cryings, and ejaculations, when he says, they
shall lament thee, but that he took the expression from what was commonly done, as
though he had said, “They shall perform for thee this office of humanity, such as is
usually done over the remains of kings in full power, in the day of their prosperity.”
God, then, in speaking here of lamentation and mourning, does not commend them
as virtues, or as worthy of praise, but refers only to what was then commonly done.
But we know what Paul especially teaches us, — that we are so to moderate our
sorrow, as not to be like the unbelieving, who have no hope, (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
for they think that death is the death of the soul as well as of the body: they
therefore lament their dead as for ever lost; and they also murmur against God, and
sometimes utter horrid blasphemies. Paul then would have us to be moderate in our
sorrow. He does not condemn sorrow altogether, but only requires it to be
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moderate, so that we may shew what influence the hope of resurrection has over us.
And yet there is no doubt but that men, in this respect, exceed moderation. It has
commonly been the case almost in all ages to be ostentatious in mourning for the
dead. For not only are they without genuine feeling in lamenting for their friends or
relatives, but they are carried away by a sort of ambition, while burying the dead
with great noise and lamentation. When they are alone they contain themselves, so
that at least they make no noise; but when they go out before others, they break
forth into noisy lamentations. It hence appears that, as I have said, mourning is
often ostentatious. But as men have from the beginning gone astray in this respect,
greater care ought to be taken by us, that each of us may check and restrain himself.
Still it is natural, as I have said, to weep for the dead; but doubtless, it may be said,
the ejaculations mentioned by the Prophet cannot be approved; for to what purpose
was it to cry, “Alas! Lord; our king is dead,” and things of the same kind? But we
ought to bear in mind, that eastern nations were always excessive in this respect,
and we find them to be so at this day. The warmer the climate the more given to
gestures and ceremonies the people are. In these cold regions gesticulations and
crying out, “Alas! Lord, alas! father,” would be deemed impertinent and foolish.
But where they tear off their hair, and also cut themselves and tear their cheeks not
only with their nails, but also with knives, — where they do these things, they also
utter these ejaculations spoken of by the Prophet.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 34:5 [But] thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy
fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn [odours] for
thee; and they will lament thee, [saying], Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word,
saith the LORD.
Ver. 5. But thou shalt die in peace.] Yet not as his father Josiah did, in that peace of
God, unless he amended his manners, for he was reckoned among the naughty figs.
And with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings.] With the usual solemnities
at the exequies of the better sort of kings: Nec una fuit veteribus sepeliendi ratio. See
2 Chronicles 16:14; 2 Chronicles 21:19. The Jews have a tradition that
Nebuchadnezzar, upon a festival day, caused him to be brought out of prison, and
so abused him before his princes to make them sport, that for shame and grief
thereof he died soon after; and then Nebuchadnezzar, to make him some
recompense, caused him to be honourably buried, suffering his former subjects to
burn sweet odours and to bewail his death. (a)
And they will lament thee.] The dues of the dead are, honorifice lugeri et honeste
sepeliri, to be honourably lamented and laid up; which yet is not granted to all good
men, but heaven makes amends. Planctus haec fuit formula iuxta Seder Olam, Heu!
quia mortuus est Rex Zedechias bibens faeces omnium cetatum; i.e., Luens peccata
priorum saeculorum - interprete Genebrardo.
For I have pronounced the word.] Both the comminatory part of this message and
24

the consolatory. But Zedekiah was so moved at the former that he regarded not the
latter.
ELLICOTT, " (5) And with the burnings of thy fathers . . .—Spices and perfumes
were burnt as a mark of honour at the burial of kings and persons of high rank, and
this is the burning here referred to (2 Chronicles 16:14; 2 Chronicles 21:19). The
Hebrews never adopted the practice of burial by cremation, and for the most part
embalmed their dead after the manner of Egypt (comp. Genesis 50:2; John
19:39-40).
They will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! . . .—The words derive their full effect from
their contrast with the prediction which the prophet had uttered (Jeremiah 22:18)
as to the burial of Jehoiakim without any of the usual honours of the funeral dirges
of the mourners. Here he comforts Zedekiah with the thought that no such shameful
end was in store for him, leaving the place where he was to die uncertain.
“You will die in peace; and with the burnings of your fathers, the former kings who
were before you, so will they make a burning for you, and they will lament you,
saying, ‘Ah Lord!’ for I have spoken the word, the word of YHWH.”
Indeed he would die ‘in peace’ (i.e. in a non-belligerent situation, languishing in
prison) and would have a normal royal funeral, with the burning of perfumes and
spices (compare 2 Chronicles 16:14; 2 Chronicles 21:19) and the lamentations of his
nobles. That at least would be permitted to him and was all that he had to look
forward to. The emphasis is more on the fact that his usefulness was at an end and
that he would not accomplish anything more in his life, rather than being intended
as being an indication that he would have a pleasant life. He would, in fact,
probably die in prison.
PULPIT, "Jeremiah 34:5
With the burnings of thy fathers. It was customary to burn spices at royal funerals
(2 Chronicles 16:14; 2 Chronicles 21:19). Saying, Ah lord! (see on Jeremiah 22:18).
The second of the group of prophecies in Jeremiah 34:1-22; Jeremiah 35:1-19. is
composed of Jeremiah 35:8 -22. It contains a denunciation of the Jews who, at the
beginning of the siege, had emancipated their Hebrew slaves (according to Exodus
21:1-4; Deuteronomy 15:12), but after the withdrawal of the Chaldeans had
resumed possession of them. Verse 21 is couched in a form which indicates the
precise date of the prophecy, viz. before the Chaldeans returned to renew the siege
of Jerusalem.
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6 Then Jeremiah the prophet told all this to
Zedekiah king of Judah, in Jerusalem,
CLARKE, "Spake all these Words unto Zedekiah - He delivered this message
at the hazard of his life. Jeremiah feared God, and had no other fear.
GILL, "Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words,.... The threatening,
as well as the consolatory ones; he kept back no part of the message he was sent with,
but faithfully delivered the whole:
unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem; though he knew it would displease
him, and bring himself into trouble, as it did; for upon this he was put into prison.
CALVIN, "Here Jeremiah only relates that he had delivered the message committed
to him; and here is seen the Prophet’s magnanimity, for as it appeared yesterday, he
was an unwelcome messenger; and though there was danger, yet Jeremiah
performed his office, for he knew that God would not suffer the king to do anything
to him unless it were for some benefit. There is then no doubt but that he deposited
his life in God’s hand, and offered himself, as it were, a sacrifice, when he dared
openly to threaten the king, which could not have been done without offending him;
and
“the wrath of a king,” as Solomon says,
“is the messenger of death.” (Proverbs 16:14)
Here, then, the firmness of the Prophet is deserving of praise; for he dreaded no
danger when he saw that necessity was laid on him by God.
COFFMAN, "Verse 6
TIME WHEN THIS WAS PROPHESIED
"Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in
Jerusalem, when the king of Babylon's army was fighting against Jerusalem, and
against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and against Azekah;
for these alone remained of the cities of Judah as fortified cities."
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It is a marvelous fact that the details of this siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar
have been strikingly confirmed by the spade of the archaeologist within our very
generation. "The Mari letters and the Lachish Ostraca (broken pieces of pottery
with inscriptions upon them) have been uncovered in the ruins of Lachish during
the years 1935-1938, and have been positively dated in this very year of the final
siege of Jerusalem."[6] "These treasures were discovered by the Wellcome-Marston
Expedition."[7]
"Lachish and Azekah ..." (Jeremiah 34:7). These were important fortified towns,
which longer than any others except Jerusalem itself, resisted the Chaldean army.
Lachish, at one time, had been larger than Jerusalem itself, and according to the
Lachish Letters was the last to surrender prior to the fall of Jerusalem. Lachish was
located 23 miles southwest of Jerusalem, and Azekah was eleven miles north of
Lachish. Letter No. 4 deals with the very time when this prophecy was written by
Jeremiah.
It records urgent military messages from the commander of Jerusalem's defenders
to the garrison commander in Lachish, saying, "Let my lord know that we are
watching the signals of Lachish (the smoke signals), according to all the indications
which my lord has given; for we cannot see Azekah (evidently Azekah had
fallen)."[8]
There are also mentioned in these letters a half dozen names, including that of the
father of Baruch, which are also found in this section of Jeremiah. Now, not for a
moment, do we suppose that anything in the Bible needs to be confirmed either by
pagan writers, or by fragments digged up from ancient ruins; but it is interesting
and encouraging indeed to find that the deeper the spade of the archaeologist goes,
the more is the proof of the truth of every word in the Holy Bible verified.
"This prophecy was given just a short time before Letter IV was written,"[9]
because Azekah had not yet fallen (Jeremiah 34:7).
PETT, "Jeremiah 34:6-7
‘And Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in
Jerusalem, when the king of Babylon’s army was fighting against Jerusalem, and
against all the cities of Judah which were left, against Lachish and against Azekah,
for these alone remained of the cities of Judah as fortified cities.’
It is then emphasised that these words were spoken when Judah was on its last legs,
with only two other fortified cities, apart from Jerusalem still holding out. Lachish
and Azekah were in the low foothills of Judah and were two strong cities. Lachish
was 40 kilometres (23 miles) south west of Jerusalem and surrounded on three sides
by the River Lachish which meandered around it. It was important enough for
Sennacherib of Assyria in c. 701 BC, having failed to capture Jerusalem, to
celebrate its subjection by a relief sculpture in his palace at Nineveh. It was
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eventually to be taken again by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Azekah was seemingly
almost as strong and held out bravely, although succumbing to the Babylonians
some time earlier than Lachish. It was about 26 kilometres (18 miles) south west of
Jerusalem. Interestingly we have possible contemporary evidence of its fall, for
letters were discovered in the ruins of Lachish in which a guard commander,
presumably writing from an outpost, informs his governor that ‘we are watching for
the signal fires of Lachish for we cannot see those of Azekah’, which may indicate
that the latter had ceased burning because the city was taken.
7 while the army of the king of Babylon was
fighting against Jerusalem and the other cities of
Judah that were still holding out—Lachish and
Azekah. These were the only fortified cities left in
Judah.
BARNES, "This marks the exact time, that it was early in the campaign, while the
outlying fortresses still occupied the attention of Nebuchadnezzars army. Lachish and
Azekah were strong cities in the plain toward Egypt and must be taken before the
Chaldseans could march upon Jerusalem: otherwise the Egyptians might collect there
and fall upon them.
CLARKE, "Against Lachish, and against Azekah - These were two cities of
Judah of considerable importance: they had been strongly fortified by Rehoboam, 2Ch_
11:9-11; 2Ch_32:9.
GILL, "When the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem,.... Had
laid close siege to it, and still continued it:
and against all the cities of Judah that were left; unconquered by him; when he
invaded the land, he fought against, and took, and ravished all the cities that lay in his
way; and it seems there were none that stood out against him but Jerusalem, now
besieged by him, and two others, next mentioned:
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against Lachish, and against Azekah; for these defenced cities remained of
the cities of Judah; two cities that had been fortified by Rehoboam, 2Ch_11:9; and
were the only ones besides Jerusalem, which as yet had not fallen into the hands of the
king of Babylon.
JAMISON, "these ... retained — alone (compare 2Ch_11:5, 2Ch_11:9).
CALVIN, "He again repeats that Jerusalem was then surrounded by the army of
the king of Babylon, as well as the other cities of Judah, which he names, even
Lachish and Azekah. He seems, therefore, indirectly to reprove the arrogance of
Zedekiah, for he still retained his high spirits, when yet he was reduced to such
straits. All the cities of Judah, — how many were they? Two, says the Prophet. This,
then, was no unsuitable way of indirectly exposing to ridicule the vain confidence of
the king, who still thought that he could overcome the enemy, though he was master
only of three cities, that is, Jerusalem, Lachish, and Azekah. But the Prophet gives a
reason why these cities did not immediately fall into the hands of the king of
Babylon, because they were fortified. It hence follows, that the other cities were
taken without trouble, or that they surrendered of their own accord. Zedekiah the
king was then deprived of his power, and yet he had not relinquished the ferocity of
his mind, nor was he terrified by the threatenings of the Prophet; and this was a
proof of extreme madness. For he hence appears that he was alienated in mind; for.
the dreadful hand of God was put forth against him, and yet he rushed headlong to
his own ruin as a wild beast destitute of reason. Let us proceed, —
WHEDON, "7. Against Lachish, etc. — Lachish and Azekah were both situated in
the south-western part of Judah, on the Philistine plain, and were both fortified by
Rehoboam. 2 Chronicles 11:9. The siege of Lachish by Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:14;
2 Kings 18:17, et al) is supposed by Layard to be depicted on certain slabs
disinterred from the ruins of Nineveh. (Cowles.) The general meaning of the passage
is that these cities remained; but it is hardly true that the passage requires us to
conclude that these alone remained.
ELLICOTT, "(7) Against Lachish, and against Azekah . . .—The two cities are
named in this book for the first time. Lachish was one of the strongest towns of the
Amorites in the time of Joshua (Joshua 10:3; Joshua 10:5), and was situated in the
Shephelah, or lowland district (Joshua 15:39). It was restored or fortified by
Rehoboam, as a defence against the northern kingdom (2 Chronicles 11:9). Amaziah
took refuge there on his flight from the conspiracy at Jerusalem (2 Chron. 14:19; 2
Chronicles 25:27). It was taken by Sennacherib on his way from Assyria to Egypt,
and made the monarch’s headquarters (2 Chronicles 32:9; 2 Kings 18:17). A slab at
Kouyunjik (Layard’s Nineveh and Babylon, 149-152; Monuments of Nineveh, 2nd
Series, Plates xxi, 24) represents the siege of Lakhisha by the armies of Sennacherib,
and gives something like a ground-plan of the city. Its site has not been identified
with certainty, but ruins still known as Um-lakis are found between Gaza and
Eleutheropolis. It is mentioned here as being, next to Jerusalem, one of the strongest
fortresses of the kingdom of Judah, which as yet had resisted the attack of
29

Nebuchadnezzar’s armies. Azekah, less conspicuous in history, was also in the
Shephelah region, and is named with other cities in Joshua 10:10-11; Joshua 15:35.
The Philistines were encamped between it and Shochoh in the days of Saul (1
Samuel 17:1). It also was fortified by Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11:9). Its site has not
been ascertained, but Eusebius and Jerome speak of it as lying between
Eleutheropolis and Jerusalem.
Freedom for Slaves
8 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after
King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the
people in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom for the
slaves.
BARNES, "It is usual with commentators to say that, the laws dealing with the
emancipation of the Hebrew slaves, as also that of the land resting during the sabbatical
year, were not observed. The narrative teaches us the exact contrary. The manumission
of the slaves on the present occasion was the spontaneous act of Zedekiah and the
people. They knew of the law, and acknowledged its obligation. The observance of it was,
no doubt, lax: the majority let their own selfish interests prevail; but the minority made
might give way to right, and Zedekiah supported their efforts though only in a weak way.
Early in January, in the ninth year of Zedekiah, the Chaldaean army approached
Jerusalem. The people made a covenant with the king, who appears as the abettor of the
measure, to let their slaves go free. Possibly patriotism had its share in this: and as
Jerusalem was strongly fortified, all classes possibly hoped that if the slaves were
manumitted, they too would labor with a more hearty good-will in resisting the enemy.
In the summer of the same year the Egyptians advanced to the rescue, and
Nebuchadnezzar withdrew to meet their attack. The Jews with a strange levity, which
sets them before us in a most despicable light, at once forced the manumitted slaves
back into bondage. With noble indignation Jeremiah rebukes them for their treachery,
assures them that the Chaldaean army will return, and warns them of the certainty of the
punishment which they so richly merited.
Jer_34:8
As the Chaldaean army swept over the country the wealthier classes would all flee to
30

Jerusalem, taking with them their households. And as the Mosaic Law was probably
more carefully kept there than in the country, the presence in these families of slaves
who had grown grey in service may have given offence to the stricter classes at the
capital.
To proclaim liberty unto them - The words are those of the proclamation of the
year of jubile to the people, whereupon it became their duty to set their slaves free.
CLARKE, "The word that came unto Jeremiah - Here the second discourse
begins, which was delivered probably a short time, even a few days, after the former.
Zedekiah had made a covenant - We find no account elsewhere of this covenant:
“Every man should let his man-servant and his maid-servant go free;” i.e., as we learn
from Jer_34:14, on the sabbatical year; for the seventh year was the year of release. See
Deu_15:12.
GILL, "This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord,.... Here begins a
new prophecy, which was delivered some time after the former; that was given out while
the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem; this after he had quitted the siege for a
while, and was gone to meet the king of Egypt, who was coming to the relief of the city,
as appears from Jer_34:21; though the Jews (k) say this was delivered in the seventh
year of Zedekiah, in the first month, and tenth day of the month; at the same time that
the elders of Israel came to Ezekiel, to inquire of the Lord by him, Eze_20:1; which was
two years before the king of Babylon came against Jerusalem; but this seems not likely.
It is said to be
after that the King Zedekiah made a covenant with all the people that were
at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them; not unto the people, or to
themselves, the king and the people; unless the sense is, that the king and the people
entered into an agreement among themselves to make proclamation, that liberty would
be granted by them to their servants; for the liberty proclaimed was to the servants, and
not to them. This seems to confirm it, that it was while the city was besieged that this
covenant was made; since it was made only with the people at Jerusalem, which were
pent up in it; for otherwise it would in all probability have been made with all the people
of the land; and seems to have been done with this view, to obtain this favour of the
Lord, that they might gain their freedom from the enemy, and come not under the yoke
and into the servitude of the king of Babylon: and very probable it is that they did not do
this of their own accord, but were exhorted to it by Jeremiah; who perhaps, among other
sins, had reproved them for the breach of the law respecting the liberty of servants.
HENRY 8-13, "We have here another prophecy upon a particular occasion, the
history of which we must take notice of, as necessary to give light to the prophecy.
I. When Jerusalem was closely besieged by the Chaldean army the princes and people
agreed upon a reformation in one instance, and that was concerning their servants.
1. The law of God was very express, that those of their own nation should not be held
in servitude above seven years, but, after they had served one apprenticeship, they
should be discharged and have their liberty; yea, though they had sold themselves into
servitude for the payment of their debts, or though they were sold by the judges for the
31

punishment of their crimes. This difference was put between their brethren and
strangers, that those of other nations taken in war, or bought with money, might be held
in perpetual slavery, they and theirs; but their brethren must serve but for seven years at
the longest. This God calls the covenant that he had made with them when he brought
them out of the land of Egypt, Jer_34:13, Jer_34:14. This was the first of the judicial
laws which God gave them (Exo_21:2), and there was good reason for this law. (1.) God
had put honour upon that nation, and he would have them thus to preserve the honour
of it themselves and to put a difference between it and other nations. (2.) God had
brought them out of slavery in Egypt, and he would have them thus to express their
grateful sense of that favour, by letting those go to whom their houses were houses of
bondage, as Egypt had been to their forefathers. That deliverance is therefore mentioned
here (Jer_34:13) as the ground of that law. Note, God's compassions towards us should
engage our compassions towards our brethren; we must release as we are released,
forgive as we are forgiven, and relieve as we are relieved. And this is called a covenant;
for our performance of the duty required is the condition of the continuance of the
favours God has bestowed.
JAMISON, "By the law a Hebrew, after having been a bond-servant for six years, on
the seventh was to be let go free (Exo_21:22; Deu_15:12).
Zedekiah made a covenant — with solemn ceremonial in the temple (Jer_34:15,
Jer_34:18, Jer_34:19).
them — bond-servants (Jer_34:9).
K&D 8-11, "Threatening because of the Re-enslavement of the Liberated Hebrew
Men-and Maid-servants. - Jer_34:8-11 describe the occasion of the word of the Lord,
which follows in Jer_34:12-22. It came to Jeremiah "after King Zedekiah had made a
covenant with all the people in Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty to them, that every one
should send away his man-servant, or his maid-servant, being a Hebrew or
Hebrewess, so that none should impose servitude on any one of them who was a Jew,
his brother. Jer_34:10. And all the princes and all the people who entered into the
covenant obeyed, each one setting free his man-servant and his maid-servant, and not
imposing servitude on them any more: they obeyed and each one set them free. Jer_
34:11. But they turned round afterwards, and brought back the servants and the
handmaids whom they had set free, and brought them under subjection, for servants
and for handmaids." The covenant which Zedekiah concluded with all the people at
Jerusalem, according to what follows, consisted in a solemn vow made before the Lord
in the temple, probably confirmed by sacrifices, to set free the male and female slaves of
Hebrew descent, in conformity with the law, Exo_21:1-4; Deu_15:12.
The law required the gratuitous manumission of these after seven years of service.
This time, indeed, is not mentioned in our verses, but it is assumed as well known
through the law. But, in the general departure of the people from the Lord and His
commandments, the observance of this law had probably long been intermitted, so that,
in consequence of the solemn engagement to obey it once more, a great number of
Hebrew male and female slaves received their freedom, inasmuch as very many had
served longer than seven years; however, we need not suppose that all bond men and
women were liberated at once. The resolution, Jer_34:9, that every one should liberate
his Hebrew man-or maid-servant, and that no one should continue to impose servitude
32

on a Jew, his brother, i.e., compel him any longer to serve as a slave, is conditioned by
the law, which is assumed as well known: this also accords with the expression ‫י‬ ִ‫תּ‬ ְ‫ל‬ ִ‫ב‬ ְ‫ל‬
‫ם‬ ָ‫ד־בּ‬ ָ‫ֲב‬‫ע‬, which is used in a general way of the treatment of Hebrew men-and maid-
servants, Lev_25:39. However, it is also possible that a liberation of all bond men and
women took place without regard to the duration of their servitude, partly for the
purpose of averting, by such obedience to the law, the calamity now threatening the city,
and partly also to employ the liberated slaves in the defence of the city; for, according to
Jer_34:21., the emancipation took place during the siege of Jerusalem, and after the
departure of the Chaldeans the solemn promise was revoked. The expression ‫א‬ ָ‫ת‬ ָ‫ק‬ ‫ר‬ ‫ר‬ ְ‫,ד‬
"to proclaim liberty," is taken from Lev_25:10, but it does not prove that the
manumission took place on a sabbath-or jubilee-year. ‫ם‬ ֶ‫ה‬ָ‫ל‬ refers ad sensum to those
who were bondmen and had a right to be set free. The general expression is explained by
‫ח‬ַ‫לּ‬ַ‫שׁ‬ ‫ים‬ ִ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫פ‬ ָ‫,ח‬ and this again is more closely defined by ‫י‬ ִ‫תּ‬ ְ‫ל‬ ִ‫ב‬ ְ‫ל‬ ‫ם‬ ָ‫ד־בּ‬ ָ‫ֲב‬‫ע‬ (cf. Lev_25:39).
‫ישׁ‬ ִ‫א‬ ‫י‬ ִ‫יהוּד‬ ִ‫בּ‬ ‫יהוּ‬ ִ‫ח‬ ָ‫,א‬ (that no one should labour) "though a Jew, who is his brother," i.e., a
fellow-countryman; i.e., that no one should impose servitude on a Jew, as being a
compatriot. "To enter into a covenant" is to assume its obligation; cf. 2Ch_15:12; Eze_
16:8. The Kethib ‫יכבישׁום‬ receives, in the Qeri, the vowels of the Kal, since the Hiphil of
this verb does not occur elsewhere, only the Kal, cf. 2Ch_28:10; but the alteration is
unnecessary - the Hiphil may intensify the active meaning.
TRAPP, "Jeremiah 34:8 [This is] the word that came unto Jeremiah from the
LORD, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which
[were] at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them;
Ver. 8. This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord.] Here beginneth a
new sermon, reckoned the seventeenth; and here ought to begin a new chapter, saith
Piscator.
After that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant.] In their distress they made
some shows of remorse, and some overtures of reformation. So did Pharaoh.
[Exodus 8:8; Exodus 8:15; Exodus 8:28; Exodus 8:32; Exodus 9:28; Exodus 9:34;
Exodus 10:17; Exodus 10:20] And the Israelites of old. { 10:15-16 Psalms 78:34-36;
see the notes there} Daemon languebat, &c. Pliny, in one of his epistles to one that
desired rules from him how to order his life aright, I will, said he, give you one rule
that shall be instead of a thousand: Ut tales esse perseveremus sani, quales nos
futuros esse profitemur infirmi, i.e., That we continue to be as good in health as we
promise and begin to be at the time of our sickness.
WHEDON, " JUDGMENTS DENOUNCED AGAINST THE PEOPLE FOR
ANNULLING THE MANUMISSION OF THEIR SLAVES, Jeremiah 34:8-22.
8. Had made a covenant… to proclaim liberty — By the law, as given in
Deuteronomy 15:12, and Exodus 21:2, Hebrews held as bond-servants were to be
emancipated after being held in service for six years. It does not seem that this
33

means the sabbatical year, but only after six years. Their great danger had,
doubtless, quickened their consciences in this matter, and the proper observance of
this law was one of the reforms which the king sought to institute. It is possible, too,
that slaves were liberated without reference to the time of their servitude.
ELLICOTT, "(8) After that the king Zedekiah had made» a covenant . . .—The
remainder of the chapter brings before us an historical episode of considerable
interest. The law of Moses did not allow in the case of a free-born Hebrew more
than a temporary bondage of seven years (Exodus 21:2; Deuteronomy 15:12-18),
extended (but under the form of serfage rather than slavery) in the later regulations
of Leviticus 25:39-40 to the time that might intervene between the date of purchase
and the commencement of the next year of jubilee. In 2 Kings 4:1 we have an
instance of the working of the law, as bringing even the sons of a prophet into this
modified slavery. Only if the man preferred his state as a slave to the risks of
freedom could his master retain him after the appointed limit (Exodus 21:5-6). The
law had apparently fallen into disuse, and the nobles of Judah, like those of Athens
before Solon, and Rome before the institution of the Tribunate, had used the law of
debt to bring a large number of their fellow citizens into slavery, just as their
successors did after the return from Babylon (Nehemiah 5:5). Under the pressure of
the danger from the Chaldæan invasion, and that he might have the ready service of
freemen instead of the forced work of slaves, perhaps also in consequence of the
revival of the law, that followed on its discovery, probably in the form of the Book of
Deuteronomy, in the days of Josiah (2 Kings 22:8), Zedekiah had been led to
promise freedom to all the slave population of this class that were within the walls of
Jerusalem, either as a celebration of a Sabbatic year, or jubilee, or, irrespective of
any such observance, as a reparation for past neglect. The step was probably not
without its influence in giving fresh energy to the defenders of the city. The
Chaldæans, threatened by the approach of an Egyptian army (Jeremiah 37:5),
raised the siege (Jeremiah 34:21). When the danger was past, however, the princes
who had agreed to the emancipation returned to their old policy of oppression
(Jeremiah 34:11), and those who had been liberated were brought under a bondage
all the more bitter for the temporary taste of freedom. Against this perfidious
tyranny the prophet, stirred by “the word of the Lord,” bears his protests. His
sympathies, like those of true prophets at all times, were with the poor and the
oppressed. The phrase “proclaim liberty” was closely connected with the year of
jubilee, as in Leviticus 25:10, Isaiah 61:1.
COFFMANN, "Verse 8
SLAVES FREED AND PROMPTLY ENSLAVED AGAIN (JER. 34:8-22)
"The word that came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, after that the king Zedekiah
had made a covenant with all the people that were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty
unto them; that every man should let his man-servant, and every man his maid-
servant, that is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; that none should make bondmen
of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother. And all the princes and all the people obeyed,
34

that had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his man-servant, and
everyone his maid-servant, go free, that none should make bondmen of them any
more; they obeyed, and let them go."
As evident later in the chapter, this solemn covenant was entered into in the holy
Temple itself, and was witnessed by the priesthood and attested by all of the
appropriate ceremonies.
"Made a covenant ..." (Jeremiah 34:8,10). Evidently, the covenant here resembled
that of Genesis 15:2, in which one or more birds or animals or both were cut in half,
and the contracting parties walked between the divided portions of the living
creatures that were slain, thus calling all men and God Himself to witness that any
violator of the solemn agreement entered into by this ceremony would himself be
destroyed after the manner of the slain creatures.
"They obeyed, and let them go free ..." (Jeremiah 34:11). In the abbreviated account
here, it is not clear whether or not the Jews freed all of their slaves, or only those
who were being kept in bondage contrary to the Law of Moses; but, in any case, the
number of manumissions must have been very considerable, as "all the princes and
the people" entered into the covenant to do so.
Again the existence of the Pentateuch, and the Jews' familiarity with its teachings, is
emphatically evident in the events of this prophecy. The laws appealed to here were
those of Exodus 21:2,7 and Leviticus 25:39-55. The Jews knew all about those laws
but simply refused to obey them. What induced the change here?
Early in the final siege of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar's immense composite army
approached the city. It was early January in Zedekiah's ninth year. The evident
danger quickened the conscience of the king and his people; and they at once "cut
the covenant" to free their slaves, no doubt praying that, as a reward, God might
spare their city.
This good deed was evidently a case of "death-bed repentance,"[10] as indicated in
a quotation which Green attributed to Peake. Feinberg called it, "panic piety."[11]
Since there seems to have been no genuine religious devotion whatever behind this
maneuver, we are led to inquire what was behind it?
REASONS FOR THIS MANEUVER
(1) In the approaching siege, by freeing their slaves, the evil masters would be no
longer obligated to feed them.
(2) The shortage of defenders of the city might have been somewhat alleviated by
making freemen of all the slaves, who then would be expected to fight for "their"
city.
35

Jeremiah 34 commentary

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Jeremiah 34 commentary