---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Jeremiah 34"
description: "CHAPTER 34   :-. CAPTIVITY OF
ZEDEKIAH AND THE PEOPLE
FORETOLD FOR THEIR
DISOBEDIENCE AND PERFIDY. The prophecy ( :-) as to Zedekiah is an amplification o"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/jeremiah/34"
---

CHAPTER 34

. CAPTIVITY OF
ZEDEKIAH AND THE PEOPLE
FORETOLD FOR THEIR
DISOBEDIENCE AND PERFIDY.
The prophecy () as to Zedekiah is an amplification of that in , in consequence of which Jeremiah was then shut up in the
court of the prison. The prophecy () 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.

**1. Jerusalem and . . . all the
cities thereof**—(see on ). It was amazing blindness in the king, that, in such a
desperate position, he should reject admonition.

**3.** ().

**4, 5.** Mitigation of Zedekiah's
punishment.

**5. 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 ([2 Chronicles 16:14](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/16/14);
[2 Chronicles 21:19](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/21/19)). The honors here
mentioned were denied to Jehoiakim ([2 Chronicles 21:19](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/21/19)).
**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."

**7. these . . . retained**—alone
(compare [2 Chronicles 11:5](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/11/5); [2 Chronicles 11:9](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/11/9)).

**8.** By the law a Hebrew, after
having been a bond-servant for six years, on the seventh was to be
let go free ([Exodus 21:22](../../../kjv/exodus/21/22); [Deuteronomy 15:12](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/15/12)).
**Zedekiah made a covenant**—with
solemn ceremonial in the temple ([Jeremiah 34:15](../../../kjv/jeremiah/34/15);
[Jeremiah 34:18](../../../kjv/jeremiah/34/18); [Jeremiah 34:19](../../../kjv/jeremiah/34/19)).
**them**—bond-servants ([Jeremiah 34:19](../../../kjv/jeremiah/34/19)).

**9. none . . . serve himself of a
Jew**— ([Leviticus 25:39-46](../../../kjv/leviticus/25/39-46)).

**11.** During the interruption of
the siege by Pharaoh-hophra (compare [Jeremiah 34:21](../../../kjv/jeremiah/34/21);
[Jeremiah 34:22](../../../kjv/jeremiah/34/22); [Jeremiah 37:5-10](../../../kjv/jeremiah/37/5-10)),
the Jews reduced their servants to bondage again.

**13.** The last year of Zedekiah
was the sabbatical year. How just the retribution, that they who,
against God's law and their own covenant, enslaved their brethren,
should be doomed to bondage themselves: and that the bond-servants
should enjoy the sabbatical freedom at the hands of the foe () which their own countrymen denied them!

**14. At the end of seven years**—that
is, not on the *eighth* year, but within the limit of the
seventh year, not later than the end of the seventh year ([Exodus 21:2](../../../kjv/exodus/21/2);
[Exodus 23:10](../../../kjv/exodus/23/10); [Deuteronomy 15:12](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/15/12)).
So "at the end of three years" ([Deuteronomy 14:28](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/14/28);
[2 Kings 18:10](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/10)), and "*after
three days,* I will rise again" ([2 Kings 18:10](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/10)), that is, on the *third day* (compare [2 Kings 18:10](../../../kjv/2-kings/18/10)).

**15. in the house . . . called by my
name**—the usual place of making such covenants (; compare [1 Kings 8:31](../../../kjv/1-kings/8/31);
[Nehemiah 10:29](../../../kjv/nehemiah/10/29)).

**16. polluted my name**—by
violating your oath ([Exodus 20:7](../../../kjv/exodus/20/7)).

**17. not . . . proclaiming
liberty**—Though the Jews had ostensibly emancipated their
bond-servants, they *virtually* did not do so by revoking the
liberty which they had granted. God looks not to outward appearances,
but to the sincere intention.
**I proclaim a
liberty**—retribution answering to the offense ([Matthew 7:2](../../../kjv/matthew/7/2);
[Matthew 18:32](../../../kjv/matthew/18/32); [Matthew 18:33](../../../kjv/matthew/18/33);
[Galatians 6:7](../../../kjv/galatians/6/7); [James 2:13](../../../kjv/james/2/13)).
The Jews who would not give liberty to their brethren shall
themselves receive "a liberty" calamitous to them. God will
manumit them from His happy and safe service ([James 2:13](../../../kjv/james/2/13)), which is real "liberty" ([Psalms 119:45](../../../kjv/psalms/119/45);
[John 8:36](../../../kjv/john/8/36); [2 Corinthians 3:17](../../../kjv/2-corinthians/3/17)),
only to pass under the terrible bondage of other taskmasters, the
"sword," c.
**to be removed**—The
*Hebrew* expresses *agitation* (see on [2 Corinthians 3:17](../../../kjv/2-corinthians/3/17)). Compare [Deuteronomy 28:25](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/25)
[Deuteronomy 28:48](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/48); [Deuteronomy 28:64](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/64);
[Deuteronomy 28:65](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/65), as to the *restless
agitation* of the Jews in their ceaseless removals from place to
place in their dispersion.

**18. passed between the parts
thereof**—The contracting parties in the "covenant"
(not here the *law* in general, but their *covenant* made
before God in His house to emancipate their slaves, [Jeremiah 34:8](../../../kjv/jeremiah/34/8);
[Jeremiah 34:9](../../../kjv/jeremiah/34/9)) passed through the
parts of the animal cut in two, implying that they prayed so to be
cut in sunder ([Matthew 24:51](../../../kjv/matthew/24/51);
*Greek,* "cut in two") if they should break the
covenant ([Genesis 15:10](../../../kjv/genesis/15/10); [Genesis 15:17](../../../kjv/genesis/15/17)).

**20. I will even give**—resuming
the sentence begun, but not completed (), "I will give," c.
**seek their life**—implacably:
satisfied with nothing short of their blood not content with booty.
**dead bodies**—The
breakers of the covenant shall be cut in pieces, as the calf between
whose parts they passed.

**21. gone up**—that is, raised
the siege in order to meet Pharaoh-hophra (). The departure of the Chaldeans was a kind of
manumission of the Jews; but as their manumission of their
bond-servants was recalled, so God revoked His manumission of them
from the Chaldeans.

**22. I will command**—Nebuchadnezzar,
impelled unconsciously by a divine instigation, returned on the
withdrawal of the Egyptians.

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