Jeremiah 34
DortGod causeth it to be told to king Zedekiah by prophet what shall befall of Jerusalem and his own person and what end he shall have verse1 c. And for as much as the people by a solemn covenant had set at liberty all servant according to the law but afterwards when the Babylonian were departed from the city and had left the siege brought them again into bondage God foretelleth them that he will come again to destroy Jerusalem and all the land and in a special manner to punish those covenant breakers, 8.
1. The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord when Nebuchadnezzar [otherwise called in this book and Ezekiel for the most part of Nebuchadnezzar] king of Babel and all his army and all the kingdom of the earth that were under the dominion of his hand and all the nations fought against Jerusalem and against the cities thereof [see 2Kings 25.1]saying:
2. Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel go thy ways and speak to Zedekiah the king of Judah and say unto him thus saith the Lord and give this city into the hand of the king of Babel and he shall burn it fire [compare above chapter 21 .10 and 32.29.]
3. And thou shalt not escape out of his hand and shalt surely be taken[Heb taking betaken] and delivered into the hand and thine eyes shall behold into the eyes of the king of Babel and his mouth shall speak unto thy mouth [compare above chapter 32.4 and below 52.9,10,11.]
4. But hear the word of the Lord O Zedekiah king of Judah thus saith the Lord of thee thou shalt not die by the sword [compare above chapter 32.5 with the annotate.]
5. Thou shalt die in peace and according to the burning [or with the burnings]for thy fathers the former kings which were before thee so shall they burn thee [that is as they have honored thy predecessors at their burials with fires and burning of all manner of precious spices so shall it likewise be done unto thee see here 2 Chronicles 16:14 with the annotate.] and lament thee saying Ah Lord![compare above chapter 22 on verse 18,19] for I have spoken the word saith the Lord.
6. And Jeremiah the prophet spake these word unto king of Judah at Jerusalem:
7. When the king of Babel’s army fought against Jerusalem [hereby is intimated the obedience godly boldness and confidence of Jeremiah who was not afraid as matters then stood to tell king Zedekiah that which was commanded by him by God]and against all remaining cities of Judah against Lachis [see 2Kings 14 on verse 19] and against Azeka [see 1Samuel 17 on verse 1]for these being defense cities [Heb cities of defense]remained among the cities of Judah.
8. The word that came unto Jeremiah from the Lord after that king Zedekiah had made a covenant[see the manner of this covenant making below verse 18.19 and compare Genesis 15 on verse 17,18] with all the people which were at Jerusalem [meaning all those that had servants]to proclaim liberty for them [to wit all man servants and maid-servants in the seventh year according to the law below verse 13.14 see Exodus 21 .2 this Zedekiah did that by this work of obedience he might obtain deliverance and victory from God but how they meant and kept it after the manner of hypocrites is related in the sequel.]
9. That every man should let his man-servants and every man his maid-servant being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess go free so that none shalt cause himself to be served of them [see above chapter 22 on verse 13] of a Jew his brother.
10. Now all the princes and all the people which had entered in the covenant heard [that is obeyed as straightway again and elsewhere often]that they should let everyone his servant go free so that they should cause themselves no more to be served of them they then heard let them go.
11. But afterwards they returned and caused the maid-servants and the hand maid whom they had let go free to return [to their former service so verse 16]and they brought them into subjection for servants and for hand maids [this they seemed to have done because the Babylonians were departed from Jerusalem and were gone against the Egyptians vainly imagining that they had now escaped all danger whereas on the contrary they provoked the wrath of God a new against themselves see below verse 21.22]
12. Therefore the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying:
13. Thou saith the Lord the God of Israel I have made a covenant with your fathers in the day when I bought them forth out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage [Heb. House of bond-men]saying:
14. At the end of the seven years ye shall let go every man his brother an Hebrew which shall be sold unto thee [or which shall have sold himself unto thee] and hath served thee six years thou shalt then let him go free [see Deuteronomy15.12 Exodus 21:2] but your fathers hearkened out thus unto me neither inclined their ear.
15. Ye were now returned [or had turned to wit in outward shew as much as concerned the outward work] this day and had done that which was right in mine eyes proclaiming liberty everyman for his neighbor and ye had made a covenant before my face in the house which is called by my name [see above chapter 7 on verse 10 understand the temple.]
16. But ye again turned aside and have profaned my name [which ye have used in the oath of the covenant] and caused everyone his man-servant and everyone his hand-maid whom he had let go free according to their mind [or desire wish pleasure will Heb. Soul see Psalms 27 on verse 12 others for themselves for their persons that is to be their own man or woman and to be free]to return [as above verse 11] and ye have brought them into subjection to be unto ye for servants and for hand-maids.
17. Therefore thus saith the Lord ye have not hearkened unto me to proclaim liberty everyone for his brother and everyone for his neighbor behold therefore I proclaim a liberty against ye saith the Lord for the sword for the pestilence and for the famine [an elegant alteration or varying of the words of proclaiming liberty before for good but here for evil that is for punishment which God in his just judgment will execute upon them and cause to rage among them some render it to the sword c as if God had saith I will give liberty to the sword to the pestilence c to range amongst ye] and I will give you up for commotion into all the kingdoms of the earth [see Deuteronomy 28 on verse 25 above chapter 15.4 and 24.9c]
18. And I will deliver the man that have transgressed my covenant that have not confirmed [have not really performed not kept Heb properly cause to rise or arise see Deuteronomy 27:26 and below chapter 35 on verse 14] the words of the covenant which they have made before my face with the calf which they had hewn in twain and had passed between the parts thereof [see Genesis 15 on verse 17,18 others when the calf c that is I will cause them to be torn in pieces that is fowl c as verse 20.]
19. The princes of Judah and the princes of Jerusalem the Chamberlains [or courtiers see genesis 37 on verse 36] and the priest and all people of the land which had passed through the parts of the calf.
20. Yea I will deliver them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of them that seek their soul [that is that seek their life see Exodus 4 on verse 19 and 2 Samuel 4 on verse 8 so in the next verse] and their dead bodies [Heb dead body as above chapter 7 on verse 33] and shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven and the beasts of the earth [as above chapter 7.33 and 16.4 and 19.7.]
21. Even Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I deliver into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of them that seek their soul to wit into the hand of the king of Babel’s army which are now gone up from you [that is are marched away from Jerusalem and are marched up against the king of Egypt see above on verse 11 on below verse 37.5,11 who was upon the march to come and help Zedekiah.]
22. Behold I will give command saith the Lord and will bring them again to this city[that is I will so rule and order the matter by my providence as that the Chaldeans shall come again compare Leviticus 25 on verse 21 and above chapter 25 on verse 29 Amos 6:11 and 9.9.]And they shall fight against it and shall take it and shall burn it with fire and shall make the cities of Judah a desolation that shall dwell in them.