20 I will even give H5414 them into the hand H3027 of their enemies, H341 and into the hand H3027 of them that seek H1245 their life: H5315 and their dead bodies H5038 shall be for meat H3978 unto the fowls H5775 of the heaven, H8064 and to the beasts H929 of the earth. H776
And G2532 I saw G1492 an G1520 angel G32 standing G2476 in G1722 the sun; G2246 and G2532 he cried G2896 with a loud G3173 voice, G5456 saying G3004 to all G3956 the fowls G3732 that fly G4072 in G1722 the midst of heaven, G3321 Come G1205 and G2532 gather yourselves together G4863 unto G1519 the supper G1173 of the great G3173 God; G2316 That G2443 ye may eat G5315 the flesh G4561 of kings, G935 and G2532 the flesh G4561 of captains, G5506 and G2532 the flesh G4561 of mighty men, G2478 and G2532 the flesh G4561 of horses, G2462 and G2532 of them that sit G2521 on G1909 them, G846 and G2532 the flesh G4561 of all G3956 men, both free G1658 and G2532 bond, G1401 both G2532 small G3398 and G2532 great. G3173 And G2532 I saw G1492 the beast, G2342 and G2532 the kings G935 of the earth, G1093 and G2532 their G846 armies, G4753 gathered together G4863 to make G4160 war G4171 against G3326 him that sat G2521 on G1909 the horse, G2462 and G2532 against G3326 his G846 army. G4753 And G2532 the beast G2342 was taken, G4084 and G2532 with G3326 him G5127 the false prophet G5578 that wrought G4160 miracles G4592 before G1799 him, G846 with G1722 which G3739 he deceived G4105 them that had received G2983 the mark G5480 of the beast, G2342 and G2532 them that worshipped G4352 his G846 image. G1504 These both G1417 were cast G906 alive G2198 into G1519 a lake G3041 of fire G4442 burning G2545 with G1722 brimstone. G2303 And G2532 the remnant G3062 were slain G615 with G1722 the sword G4501 of him that sat G2521 upon G1909 the horse, G2462 which G3588 sword proceeded G1607 out of G1537 his G846 mouth: G4750 and G2532 all G3956 the fowls G3732 were filled G5526 with G1537 their G846 flesh. G4561
And, thou son H1121 of man, H120 thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Speak H559 unto every feathered H3671 fowl, H6833 and to every beast H2416 of the field, H7704 Assemble H6908 yourselves, and come; H935 gather H622 yourselves on every side H5439 to my sacrifice H2077 that I do sacrifice H2076 for you, even a great H1419 sacrifice H2077 upon the mountains H2022 of Israel, H3478 that ye may eat H398 flesh, H1320 and drink H8354 blood. H1818 Ye shall eat H398 the flesh H1320 of the mighty, H1368 and drink H8354 the blood H1818 of the princes H5387 of the earth, H776 of rams, H352 of lambs, H3733 and of goats, H6260 of bullocks, H6499 all of them fatlings H4806 of Bashan. H1316 And ye shall eat H398 fat H2459 till ye be full, H7654 and drink H8354 blood H1818 till ye be drunken, H7943 of my sacrifice H2077 which I have sacrificed H2076 for you. Thus ye shall be filled H7646 at my table H7979 with horses H5483 and chariots, H7393 with mighty men, H1368 and with all men H376 of war, H4421 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
And when he was come in, H935 he did eat H398 and drink, H8354 and said, H559 Go, H6485 see now this cursed H779 woman, and bury H6912 her: for she is a king's H4428 daughter. H1323 And they went H3212 to bury H6912 her: but they found H4672 no more of her than H518 the skull, H1538 and the feet, H7272 and the palms H3709 of her hands. H3027 Wherefore they came again, H7725 and told H5046 him. And he said, H559 This is the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 which he spake H1696 by H3027 his servant H5650 Elijah H452 the Tishbite, H8664 saying, H559 In the portion H2506 of Jezreel H3157 shall dogs H3611 eat H398 the flesh H1320 of Jezebel: H348 And the carcase H5038 of Jezebel H348 shall be as dung H1828 upon the face H6440 of the field H7704 in the portion H2506 of Jezreel; H3157 so that they shall not say, H559 This is Jezebel. H348
And of Jezebel H348 also spake H1696 the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 The dogs H3611 shall eat H398 Jezebel H348 by the wall H2426 of Jezreel. H3157 Him that dieth H4191 of Ahab H256 in the city H5892 the dogs H3611 shall eat; H398 and him that dieth H4191 in the field H7704 shall the fowls H5775 of the air H8064 eat. H398
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 34
Commentary on Jeremiah 34 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 34
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.
1. 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.
3. (Jer 32:4).
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 (2Ch 16:14; 21:19). The honors here mentioned were denied to Jehoiakim (Jer 22:18).
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 2Ch 11:5, 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 (Ex 21:22; De 15:12).
Zedekiah made a covenant—with solemn ceremonial in the temple (Jer 34:15, 18, 19).
them—bond-servants (Jer 34:9).
9. none … serve himself of a Jew—(Le 25:39-46).
11. During the interruption of the siege by Pharaoh-hophra (compare Jer 34:21, 22, with Jer 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 (Jer 52:16) 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 (Ex 21:2; 23:10; De 15:12). So "at the end of three years" (De 14:28; 2Ki 18:10), and "after three days, I will rise again" (Mt 27:63), that is, on the third day (compare Mt 27:64).
15. in the house … called by my name—the usual place of making such covenants (2Ki 23:3; compare 1Ki 8:31; Ne 10:29).
16. polluted my name—by violating your oath (Ex 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 (Mt 7:2; 18:32, 33; Ga 6:7; Jas 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 (Ps 121:3), which is real "liberty" (Ps 119:45; Joh 8:36; 2Co 3:17), only to pass under the terrible bondage of other taskmasters, the "sword," &c.
to be removed—The Hebrew expresses agitation (see on Jer 15:4). Compare De 28:25, 48, 64, 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, Jer 34:8, 9) passed through the parts of the animal cut in two, implying that they prayed so to be cut in sunder (Mt 24:51; Greek, "cut in two") if they should break the covenant (Ge 15:10, 17).
20. I will even give—resuming the sentence begun, but not completed (Jer 34:18), "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 (Jer 37:7-10). 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.