
Text -- Jeremiah 34:5 (NET)




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collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
Wesley -> Jer 34:5
Wesley: Jer 34:5 - -- The Jews in their chronology, give us the form of the lamentation thus. Alas! Zedekiah is dead, who drank the dregs of all ages: that is, who was puni...
The Jews in their chronology, give us the form of the lamentation thus. Alas! Zedekiah is dead, who drank the dregs of all ages: that is, who was punished for the sins of all former ages.
Mitigation of Zedekiah's punishment.

JFB: Jer 34:5 - -- 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 h...

JFB: Jer 34:5 - -- The Hebrews in their chronology (Sederolam) mention the wailing used over him, "Alas! King Zedekiah is dead, drinking the dregs (that is, paying the p...
The Hebrews in their chronology (Sederolam) 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."
Clarke: Jer 34:5 - -- 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 th...
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

Clarke: Jer 34:5 - -- So shall they burn odours for thee - Scented wood and other odoriferous substances are placed on the funeral pile of the rich Hindoos, and burned wi...
So shall they burn odours for thee - Scented wood and other odoriferous substances are placed on the funeral pile of the rich Hindoos, and burned with the body

Clarke: Jer 34:5 - -- 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).
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).
Calvin -> Jer 34:5
Calvin: Jer 34:5 - -- 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.” H...
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, (Jer 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. (Psa 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. (Luk 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 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. (2Ch 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, (1Th 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 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.
TSK -> Jer 34:5

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Jer 34:5
Barnes: Jer 34:5 - -- 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 a...
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.
Poole -> Jer 34:5
Poole: Jer 34:5 - -- This only place informeth us concerning the manner of Zedekiah’ s death, and that both negatively and positively. Negatively, that he did not d...
This only place informeth us concerning the manner of Zedekiah’ s death, and that both negatively and positively. Negatively, that he did not die by the sword, the king of Babylon took him, killed his sons before his eyes, then put out his eyes, and bound him in chains, Jer 39:7 , but killed him not, as we learn from this text; but he died a natural death, which is here meant by dying in peace; and had an honourable burial, which the king of Babylon would not allow Jehoiakim, as we read, Jer 22:18,19 ; he was buried with the burial of an ass, and his body was cast out of the gates of Jerusalem , and no man lamented for him; but as to Zedekiah, they burned sweet odours for him , (after the manner of the burial of kings, 2Ch 16:14 ) and made solemn lamentation for him. The Jews, in their chronology, called by them Seder Olam , give us the form of their lamentation, thus: Alas! Zedekiah is dead, who drank the dregs of all ages ; that is, who was punished for the sins of all former ages.
Haydock -> Jer 34:5
Haydock: Jer 34:5 - -- Peace. That is, by a natural death. (Challoner) ---
Burn thee, like Asa; (2 Paralipomenon xvi. 14.; Calmet) or aromatical spices were only burnt ...
Peace. That is, by a natural death. (Challoner) ---
Burn thee, like Asa; (2 Paralipomenon xvi. 14.; Calmet) or aromatical spices were only burnt over their dead bodies, which were also embalmed. (Sanctius; Vatable, &c.) ---
Tostat says that Sedecias was intoxicated, for sport, (Habacuc ii. 15.) and died of grief in prison, chap. lii. 11. (Calmet) ---
The king of Babylon would probably not refuse him a decent burial. (Watson, Let. vi.)
Gill -> Jer 34:5
Gill: Jer 34:5 - -- 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; f...
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.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Jer 34:1-22
TSK Synopsis: Jer 34:1-22 - --1 Jeremiah prophesies the captivity of Zedekiah and the city.8 The princes and the people having dismissed their bond-servants, contrary to the covena...
MHCC -> Jer 34:1-7
MHCC: Jer 34:1-7 - --Zedekiah is told that the city shall be taken, and that he shall die a captive, but he shall die a natural death. It is better to live and die peniten...
Matthew Henry -> Jer 34:1-7
Matthew Henry: Jer 34:1-7 - -- 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 t...
Keil-Delitzsch -> Jer 34:1-7
Keil-Delitzsch: Jer 34:1-7 - --
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, th...
Constable: Jer 2:1--45:5 - --II. Prophecies about Judah chs. 2--45
The first series of prophetic announcements, reflections, and incidents th...

Constable: Jer 34:1--45:5 - --D. Incidents surrounding the fall of Jerusalem chs. 34-45
The Book of Consolation contained messages of ...

Constable: Jer 34:1--36:32 - --1. Incidents before the fall of Jerusalem chs. 34-36
The events recorded in these chapters took ...
