Jeremiah 34
34
1The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army and all the kingdoms of the earth under his dominion and all the peoples were fighting against Jerusalem and all of its cities: 2“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. 3You shall not escape from his hand, but shall surely be captured and delivered into his hand; you shall see the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak with him face to face; and you shall go to Babylon.’ 4Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Zedekiah king of Judah! Thus says the Lord concerning you: ‘You shall not die by the sword. 5You shall die in peace. And as spices were burned for your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so men shall burn spices for you and lament for you, saying, “Alas, lord!” ’ For I have spoken the word, says the Lord.”
6Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah, in Jerusalem, 7when the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the cities of Judah that were left, Lachish and Azekah; for these were the only fortified cities of Judah that remained.
8The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to make a proclamation of liberty to them, 9that every one should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave a Jew, his brother. 10And they obeyed, all the princes and all the people who had entered into the covenant that every one would set free his slave, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again; they obeyed and set them free. 11But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them into subjection as slaves. 12The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 13“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, 14‘At the end of six#34.14 Gk: Heb seven years each of you must set free the fellow Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you six years; you must set him free from your service.’ But your fathers did not listen to me or incline their ears to me. 15You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty, each to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name; 16but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your slaves. 17Therefore, thus says the Lord: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, says the Lord. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 18And the men who transgressed my covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant which they made before me, I will make like#34.18 Cn: Heb lacks like the calf which they cut in two and passed between its parts— 19the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf; 20and I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives. Their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth. 21And Zedekiah king of Judah, and his princes I will give into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives, into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon which has withdrawn from you. 22Behold, I will command, says the Lord, and will bring them back to this city; and they will fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.”
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Jeremiah 34
34
A Message for Zedekiah
1The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, when Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and all his army, with all the kingdoms of the earth under the dominion of his hand, and all the peoples were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities, saying,#Literally “to say” 2“Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘Go and say to Zedekiah the king of Judah, now you must say to him, “Thus says Yahweh: ‘Look, I am going to give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire. 3And you will not escape from his hand, but surely you will be captured, and into his hand you will be given, and you will see the king of Babylon eye to eye,#Literally “your eyes shall see with the eyes of the king of Babylon” and you will speak face to face with him,#Literally “his mouth shall speak with your mouth” and to Babylon you will go.’ 4However, hear the word of Yahweh, O Zedekiah, the king of Judah. Thus says Yahweh concerning you: ‘You will not die by the sword. 5In peace you will die, and as there was burning for your ancestors,#Or “fathers” the former kings who were before you,#Literally “to the face of you” so they will burn for you, and they will lament for you, “Alas, lord!” For the word I have spoken,’ declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh.” ’ ” 6Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Zedekiah the king of Judah all these words in Jerusalem 7when the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the cities of Judah that were left over—Lachish and Azekah, for these remained among the cities of Judah, the cities of fortification.
Zedekiah’s Covenant Concerning Slaves
8The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh after king Zedekiah made#Literally “cut” a covenant with all the people who were in Jerusalem to proclaim release to them, 9to let go each one his male slave and each one his female slave, the Hebrew and the free Hebrew, so that no one among the Judeans#Hebrew “Judean” should enslave his fellow countryman. 10And all the officials and all the people obeyed, who had entered into the covenant to let go each one his male slave and each one his female slave, not enslaving them again, and they obeyed and they let them#Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation go. 11But afterward#Literally “after thus” they turned back and they brought back the male slaves and the female slaves whom they had let go free, and they subdued them as male slaves and female slaves.
12And the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,#Literally “to say” 13“Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘I made#Literally “cut” a covenant with your ancestors#Or “fathers” on the day of my bringing them out from the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves, saying,#Literally “to say” 14“At the end of seven years you must let go each one his fellow countryman, the Hebrew who has been sold to you and who has served you six years, and you must let him go free from you.” But your ancestors#Or “fathers” did not listen to me, and they did not incline their ears.#Hebrew “ear” 15And you turned back recently#Literally “the day” and you did right in my eyes, to proclaim release each one to his neighbor, and you made#Literally “cut” a covenant before me#Literally “to the face of me” in the house that is called by#Literally “on it” my name. 16But you turned back and you profaned my name when you brought back each one his male slave and each one his female slave, whom you had let go free according to their desire, and you subdued them to be to you as male slaves and as female slaves.’
17“Therefore#Literally “To thus” thus says Yahweh, ‘You have not listened to me to proclaim release each one to his fellow countryman and each one to his neighbor. Look, I am going to proclaim to you a release,’ declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh, ‘to the sword, to the plague, and to the famine, and I will make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 18And I will make the men who transgressed my covenant, who have not kept the words of the covenant that they made#Literally “cut” before me,#Literally “to the face of me” like the calf which they cut in two and they passed between its parts— 19the officials of Judah, and the officials of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf— 20and I will give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of the seekers of their lives, and their dead bodies#Hebrew “dead body” will become as food for the birds#Hebrew “bird” of the heavens#Or “sky” and for the animals#Hebrew “animal” of the earth. 21And Zedekiah the king of Judah and his officials I will give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of the seekers of their lives, and into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, who retreated from you. 22Look, I am going to command,’ declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh, ‘and I will bring them back to this city, and they will fight against it, and they will capture it, and they will burn it with fire, and the towns of Judah I will make a desolation without#Literally “from there is not” an inhabitant.’ ”
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