Jeremiah 34:1

CHAPTER XXXIV

This chapter contains two prophecies: the first, delivered

during the siege of Jerusalem, predicts to Zedekiah the taking

and burning of the city, with his own peaceful death and

honourable burial, 1-7.

The second was delivered when the Chaldeans had for some time

broken up the siege. It reproves the Jews for their conduct

towards their brethren of the poorer sort, whom they released,

by a solemn covenant, from bondage, in the extremity of their

danger; but compelled to return to it when they thought that

danger over, 8-11.

For this God threatens them with the sword, pestilence, and

famine; and with the return of the Chaldeans, who should take

the city, destroy it and the other cities by fire, and make an

utter desolation of the whole land of Judea, 12-22.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXXIV

Verse Jeremiah 34:1. The word which came unto Jeremiah] This discourse was delivered in the tenth year of the reign of Zedekiah. The chapter contains two discourses; one, Jeremiah 34:1, which concerns the taking of the city, and Zedekiah's captivity and death; the other, Jeremiah 34:8, which is an invective against the inhabitants of Jerusalem for having Hebrew male and female slaves. These, having been manumitted at the instance of the prophet, were afterwards brought back by their old masters, and put in the same thraldom; for which God threatens them with severe judgments.

Nebuchadnezzar-and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion] That is, his army was composed of soldiers gathered out of Babylon, and out of all his tributary dominions: one hundred and twenty provinces.