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Texts -- Jeremiah 34:3-22 (NET)

Context
34:3 You yourself will not escape his clutches , but will certainly be captured and handed over to him. You must confront the king of Babylon face to face and answer to him personally. Then you must go to Babylon . 34:4 However , listen to what I, the Lord , promise you, King Zedekiah of Judah . I, the Lord , promise that you will not die in battle or be executed. 34:5 You will die a peaceful death. They will burn incense at your burial just as they did at the burial of your ancestors , the former kings who preceded you. They will mourn for you, saying, “Poor, poor master !” Indeed , you have my own word on this. I , the Lord , affirm it!’” 34:6 The prophet Jeremiah told all this to King Zedekiah of Judah in Jerusalem . 34:7 He did this while the army of the king of Babylon was attacking Jerusalem and the cities of Lachish and Azekah . He was attacking these cities because they were the only fortified cities of Judah which were still holding out.
The Lord Threatens to Destroy Those Who Wronged Their Slaves
34:8 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to grant their slaves their freedom . 34:9 Everyone was supposed to free their male and female Hebrew slaves . No one was supposed to keep a fellow Judean enslaved . 34:10 All the people and their leaders had agreed to this. They had agreed to free their male and female slaves and not keep them enslaved any longer . They originally complied with the covenant and freed them. 34:11 But later they had changed their minds. They had taken back their male and female slaves that they had freed and forced them to be slaves again. 34:12 That was when the Lord spoke to Jeremiah , 34:13 “The Lord God of Israel has a message for you. ‘I made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt where they had been slaves . It stipulated , 34:14 “Every seven years each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. After they have served you for six years , you shall set them free .” But your ancestors did not obey me or pay any attention to me. 34:15 Recently , however, you yourselves showed a change of heart and did what is pleasing to me. You granted your fellow countrymen countrymen their freedom and you made a covenant to that effect in my presence in the house that I have claimed for my own . 34:16 But then you turned right around and showed that you did not honor me . Each of you took back your male and female slaves whom you had freed as they desired , and you forced them to be your slaves again. 34:17 So I, the Lord , say : “You have not really obeyed me and granted freedom to your neighbor and fellow countryman . Therefore , I will grant you freedom , the freedom to die in war, or by starvation or disease . I, the Lord , affirm it! I will make all the kingdoms of the earth horrified at what happens to you. 34:18 I will punish those people who have violated their covenant with me. I will make them like the calf they cut in two and passed between its pieces . I will do so because they did not keep the terms of the covenant they made in my presence . 34:19 I will punish the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem , the court officials , the priests , and all the other people of the land who passed between the pieces of the calf . 34:20 I will hand them over to their enemies who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals . 34:21 I will also hand King Zedekiah of Judah and his officials over to their enemies who want to kill them. I will hand them over to the army of the king of Babylon , even though they have temporarily withdrawn from attacking you. 34:22 For I, the Lord , affirm that I will soon give the order and bring them back to this city . They will fight against it and capture it and burn it down . I will also make the towns of Judah desolate so that there will be no one living in them.”’”

Pericope

NET
  • Jer 34:8-22 -- The Lord Threatens to Destroy Those Who Wronged Their Slaves

Bible Dictionary

  • Zedekiah

    [ebd] righteousness of Jehovah. (1.) The last king of Judah. He was the third son of Josiah, and his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah, and hence he was the brother of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:31; 24:17, 18...
    [smith] (justice of Jehovah). The last king of Judah and Jerusalem. He was the son of Josiah by his wife Hamutal, and therefore own brother to Jehoahaz. (2 Kings 24:18) comp. 2Kin 23:31 His original name was Mattaniah, which was ...
    [nave] ZEDEKIAH 1. Made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, 2 Kin. 24:17, 18; 1 Chr. 3:15; 2 Chr. 36:10; Jer. 37:1. Throws off his allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar, 2 Kin. 24:20; 2 Chr. 36:13; Jer. 52:3; Ezek. 17:12-21. Forms an allianc...

  • Covenant

    [ebd] a contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word berith is always thus translated. Berith is derived from a root which means "to cut," and hence a covenant is a "cutting," with reference to t...
    [smith] The Heb. berith means primarily "a cutting," with reference to the custom of cutting or dividing animals in two and passing between the parts in ratifying a covenant. (Genesis 15; Jeremiah 34:18,19) In the New Testament the c...
    [nave] COVENANT Sacred, Josh. 9:18-21; Gal. 3:15. Binding, Josh. 9:18-20; Jer. 34:8-21; Ezek. 17:14-18; Gal. 3:15. Binding, not only on those who make them, but on those who are represented, Deut. 29:14, 15. Blood of, Ex. 24:8. ...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Babylon

    [nave] BABYLON City of Built by Nimrod, Gen. 10:10. In the land of Shinar, Gen. 10:10; 11:2. Tower of, Gen. 11:1-9. Capital of the kingdom of Babylon, Dan. 4:30; 2 Kin. 25:13; 2 Chr. 36:6, 7, 10, 18, 20. Gates of, Isa. 45:1, 2...

  • ZEDEKIAH (2)

    [isbe] ZEDEKIAH (2) - (tsidhqiyahu, "Yah my righteousness"; name changed from Mattaniah (mattanyah, "gift of Yah"; Sedekias): I. SOURCES FOR HIS REGION AND TIME 1. Annalistic 2. Prophetic II. THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LAST KING OF ...

  • Servant

    [nave] SERVANT Distinguished as bond servant, who was a slave, and hired servant. Bond Laws of Moses concerning, Ex. 21:1-11, 20, 21, 26, 27, 32; Lev. 19:20-22; 25:6, 10, 35-55; Deut. 15:12, 14, 18; 24:7. Kidnapping forbidden, D...

  • Sabbatic Year

    [nave] SABBATIC YEAR, a rest recurring every seventh year. Called Year of Release, Deut. 15:9; 31:10. Ordinances concerning, Ex. 23:9-11; Lev. 25. Israelite bondservants set free in, Ex. 21:2; Deut. 15:12; Jer. 34:14. Creditors r...

  • COVENANT, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

    [isbe] COVENANT, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT - kuv'-e-nant (berith): I. GENERAL MEANING II. AMONG MEN 1. Early Idea 2. Principal Elements 3. Different Varieties 4. Phraseology Used III. BETWEEN GOD AND MEN 1. Essential Idea 2. Covenants R...

  • Emancipation

    [nave] EMANCIPATION, of all Jewish servants, Ex. 21:2; Lev. 25:8-17, 39-41; Deut. 15:12. Proclamation of: By Zedekiah, Jer. 34:8-11; by Cyrus, 2 Chr. 36:23; Ezra 1:1-4. See: Exodus; Jubilee.

  • King

    [nave] KING Called King of kings, Ezra 7:12; Ezek. 26:7; Dan. 2:37. Divinely authorized, Deut. 17:15; 1 Sam. 9:16, 17; 16:12; 1 Chr. 22:10; 2 Chr. 2:11, 12; Prov. 8:15; Dan. 2:21, 37; 4:17; 5:20; Hos. 8:4; 13:11. How chosen: By d...

  • Constitution

    [nave] CONSTITUTION. Agreement Between the Ruler and People Deut. 17:18-20; 2 Sam. 5:3; 2 Chr. 23:2, 3; Jer. 34:8-11; Dan. 6:12-15

  • Liberty

    [nave] LIBERTY Proclaimed in the year of jubilee, Lev. 25:10; Jer. 34:8, 15-17. Political, Judg. 17:6; 21:25; Acts 22:28. See: Jubilee. Figurative Isa. 61:1; 63:4; Luke 4:18; John 8:32, 33, 36; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 6:8; Col. 3:11.

  • SLAVE; SLAVERY

    [isbe] SLAVE; SLAVERY - slav, slav'-er-i: 1. Acquiring of Slaves 2. Hebrews as War Captives 3. Freedom of Slaves 4. Rights of Slaves 5. Rights of Slave Masters 6. The New Testament Conception LITERATURE The origin of the term "slav...

  • Lachish

    [isbe] LACHISH - la'-kish (lakhish; Septuagint Lachis (Josh 15:39), Maches): 1. Location: A town in the foothills of the Shephelah on the border of the Philistine plain, belonging to Judah, and, from the mention of Eglon in connect...
    [nave] LACHISH A city. King of, besieges Gibeon, Josh. 10:5. Captured by Joshua, Josh. 10:31, 32. Allotted to Judah, Josh. 15:39. Fortified by Rehoboam, 2 Chr. 11:9. Assassination of Amaziah at, 2 Kin. 14:19. Besieged by Seach...

  • ELIJAH

    [isbe] ELIJAH - e-li'-ja ('eliyahu or (4 times) 'eliyah, "Yah is God"; Septuagint Eleiou, New Testament Eleias or Elias, the King James Version of New Testament Elias): I. THE WORKS OF ELIJAH 1. The Judgment of Drought 2. The Ordea...

  • Azekah

    [isbe] AZEKAH - a-ze'-ka `azekah: A town of some importance in the Shephelah of Judah mentioned (Josh 15:35) next to Socoh. In Josh 10:10 the defeated kings of the Arnorites are described as flying before Joshua "by the way of the ...
    [nave] AZEKAH, a town of Judah, Josh. 10:10, 11; 15:35; 1 Sam. 17:1; 2 Chr. 11:9; Neh. 11:30; Jer. 34:7.

  • CALF, GOLDEN

    [isbe] CALF, GOLDEN - kaf, gol'-d'-n: I. THE NAME II. ANCIENT CALF WORSHIP 1. Narrative of Aaron's Golden Calf 2. Jeroboam's Golden Calves III. ATTITUDE OF ELIJAH TO THE BULL SYMBOLS IV. ATTITUDE OF AMOS AND HOSEA TO THE BULL SYMBO...

  • Calf

    [ebd] Calves were commonly made use of in sacrifices, and are therefore frequently mentioned in Scripture. The "fatted calf" was regarded as the choicest of animal food; it was frequently also offered as a special sacrifice (1 Sam...

  • HANDMAID

    [isbe] HANDMAID - hand'-mad: Which appears often in the Old Testament, but seldom in the New Testament, like bondmaid, is used to translate two Hebrew words (shiphchah, and 'amah) both of which normally mean a female slave. It is u...

  • Burial

    [nave] BURIAL Rites of, Jer. 34:5. Soon after death, Deut. 21:23; Josh. 8:29; John 19:38-42; Acts 5:9, 10. With spices, 2 Chr. 16:14; Mark 16:1; Luke 23:56. Bier used at, 2 Sam. 3:31; Luke 7:14. Attended by relatives and friend...
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Genesis 1:28

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Abram asked God to strengthen his faith. In response Yahweh promised to give the patriarch innumerable descendants. This led Abram to request some further assurance that God would indeed do what He promised. God graciously ob...
  • Emphasis shifts in this chapter from ceremonial defilement (ch. 17) to moral impurity. The Lord wanted His people to be holy in their behavior and character as well as in less important ritual observances (cf. Matt. 23:28; Ro...
  • Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book. 6 vols. London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott, 1965.Bromiley, Geoffrey W. God and Marriage. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1980.Bullock, C. Hassell. An Introduction to the Poe...
  • Jeremiah's purpose was to call his hearers to repentance in view of God's judgment on Judah, which would come soon from an army from the north (chs. 2-45). Judgment was coming because God's people had forsaken Yahweh and had ...
  • I. Introduction ch. 1A. The introduction of Jeremiah 1:1-3B. The call of Jeremiah 1:4-191. The promise of divine enablement 1:4-102. Two confirming visions 1:11-19II. Prophecies about Judah chs. 2-45A. Warnings of judgment on...
  • 1:4 The prophet now began speaking to his readers and telling them what the Lord had said to him. Throughout this book, an indication that the Lord had told Jeremiah something is often the sign of a new pericope, as here (cf....
  • This message demonstrates a structure that is quite typical of many others in the Book of Jeremiah (cf. 11:1-17; 17:19-27; 34:8-22). First there is an explanation of Yahweh's will (word, law; vv. 1-7), then a description of I...
  • This message to the people involved another symbolic act (cf. 13:1-11). This incident may have occurred between 609 and 605 B.C.19:1 Yahweh told Jeremiah to take some of Judah's elders and senior priests and to go and purchas...
  • This passage probably dates from the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 588-586 B.C. (vv. 2, 4; cf. 2 Kings 25). King Zedekiah sought advice from Jeremiah more than once (cf. 37:3-10, 17-21; 38:14-28). This passage consists of ...
  • This section consists of four parts: a summary of Jeremiah's Temple Sermon (vv. 2-6), the prophet's arrest and trial (vv. 7-16), the elders' plea for his life (vv. 17-19, 24), and the incident involving Uriah and his executio...
  • The Book of Consolation contained messages of future hope for Judah (chs. 30-33). Now Jeremiah returned to document her present judgment. Chapters 34-45 continue the theme of judgment on Judah and Jerusalem from chapters 2-29...
  • "The Book of Consolation has ended, and 34:1 confronts its readers with the full force of the invading imperial army. The destruction of Jerusalem and the remainder of Judah seems inevitable (v 3) because the LORD has made Ne...
  • This incident happened during the respite in the siege, as did those recorded in 32:1-15; 37-38; and 39:15-18 (cf. vv. 21-22). The year was about 588 B.C.34:8-9 The following message came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Zedek...
  • The theme of Judah's faithlessness carries over from chapter 34. The promise-breakers in 34:8-22 contrast with the promise-keepers in chapter 35. The events described in chapters 35 and 36 preceded those in chapters 32-34 chr...
  • 37:1 Nebuchadnezzar, sovereign over Judah since Jehoiakim's unsuccessful rebellion against him in 598 B.C., set up Zedekiah, Jehoiakim's brother, as Judah's king in 597 B.C. (cf. 2 Kings 24:17). Jehoiakim's son, Jehoiachin (C...
  • This chapter belongs after chapter 36 chronologically, either after 36:8 or 36:32. It serves as an appendix to the historical incidents recorded there. Perhaps the writer or final editor placed it here to show that Yahweh exe...
  • This is one of four accounts of the fall of Jerusalem in the Old Testament (cf. 2 Kings 25; 2 Chron. 36:11-21; Jer. 39:1-14). The repetition underlines the importance of the event.52:1 Zedekiah (Mattaniah, 2 Kings 24:17) was ...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. London: Collier Macmillan Publishers; and New York: Macmillan Publishers Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell. The Archaeology of Palestine. Revis...
  • This book does not identify its writer. The common view that Jeremiah wrote it rests on a preface in the Greek Septuagint, which the Latin Vulgate adopted and elaborated on. The Septuagint version of Lamentations begins, "And...
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