Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, July 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Jeremiah 34:2

"I, God , the God of Israel, direct you to go and tell Zedekiah king of Judah: ‘This is God 's Message. Listen to me. I am going to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he is going to burn it to the ground. And don't think you'll get away. You'll be captured and be his prisoner. You will have a personal confrontation with the king of Babylon and be taken off with him, captive, to Babylon.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Babylon;   Jerusalem;   Thompson Chain Reference - Nebuchadnezzar;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Zedekiah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jeremiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Greek Versions of Ot;   Slave, Slavery;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Zedekiah ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jeremiah (2);   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Jeremiah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Zedekiah (2);  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Go, speak to King Zedekiah of Judah, and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it.
Hebrew Names Version
Thus says the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, Go, and speak to Tzidkiyahu king of Yehudah, and tell him, Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Bavel, and he shall burn it with fire:
King James Version
Thus saith the Lord , the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord ; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:
English Standard Version
"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.
New American Standard Bible
"This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: 'Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him, "This is what the LORD says: 'Behold, I am handing this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.
New Century Version
This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, said: "Jeremiah, go to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him: ‘This is what the Lord says: I will soon hand the city of Jerusalem over to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down!
Amplified Bible
"Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him: "Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will set it on fire and burn it down.
World English Bible
Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israel, Goe, and speake to Zedekiah King of Iudah, and tell him, Thus sayth the Lord, Beholde, I will giue this citie into the hand of the King of Babel, and he shall burne it with fire,
Legacy Standard Bible
"Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him: "Thus says Yahweh, ‘Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.
Berean Standard Bible
"This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Go, speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him that this is what the LORD says: I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down.
Contemporary English Version
to say to King Zedekiah: I am the Lord , and I am going to let Nebuchadnezzar capture this city and burn it down.
Complete Jewish Bible
" Adonai the God of Isra'el says to go and speak to Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah. Tell him that Adonai says: ‘I am going to hand this city over to the king of Bavel, and he will burn it to the ground.
Darby Translation
Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.
Easy-to-Read Version
This was the message: "This is what the Lord , the God of the people of Israel, says: Jeremiah, go to King Zedekiah of Judah and give him this message: ‘Zedekiah, this is what the Lord says: I will give the city of Jerusalem to the king of Babylon very soon, and he will burn it down.
George Lamsa Translation
Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him, Thus says the LORD: Behold, I will deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon and he shall burn it with fire;
Good News Translation
The Lord , the God of Israel, told me to go and say to King Zedekiah of Judah, "I, the Lord , will hand this city over to the king of Babylonia, and he will burn it down.
Lexham English Bible
"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.
Literal Translation
So says Jehovah, the God of Israel: Go and speak to Zedekiah, king of Judah, and tell him, So says Jehovah, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thus saieth the LORDE God of Israel: Go, & speake to Sedechias the kinge of Iuda, & tell him: The LORDE sendeth the this worde: Beholde, I will delyuer this cite in to the hode of the kinge of Babilon, he shal burne it,
American Standard Version
Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:
Bible in Basic English
The Lord, the God of Israel, has said, Go and say to Zedekiah, king of Judah, This is what the Lord has said: See, I will give this town into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will have it burned with fire:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him: Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire;
King James Version (1611)
Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Go, and speake to Zedekiah king of Iudah, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will giue this citie into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shal burne it with fire.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thus saith the Lorde God of Israel, Go and speake to Zedekias the king of Iuda, and tell hym, the Lorde sendeth thee this worde: beholde, I wyll deliuer this citie into the hande of the kyng of Babylon, he shall burne it with fire,
English Revised Version
Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, Go thou, and speke to Sedechie, kyng of Juda; and thou schalt seie to hym, The Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal bitake this citee in to the hond of the kyng of Babiloyne, and he schal brenne it bi fier.
Update Bible Version
This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus says Yahweh, Look, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:
Webster's Bible Translation
Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:
New English Translation
The Lord God of Israel told Jeremiah to go and give King Zedekiah of Judah a message. He told Jeremiah to tell him, "The Lord says, ‘I am going to hand this city over to the king of Babylon and he will burn it down.
New King James Version
"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: "Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him, "Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.
New Living Translation
"Go to King Zedekiah of Judah, and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down.
New Life Bible
"The Lord God of Israel says, ‘Go and say to Zedekiah king of Judah, "This is what the Lord says: ‘See, I am giving this city to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.
New Revised Standard
Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel: Go and speak to King Zedekiah of Judah and say to him: Thus says the Lord : I am going to give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thus, saith Yahweh God of Israel, Go and speak unto Zedekiah king of Judah, - and say unto him - Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire;
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: Go, and speak to Sedecias king of Juda, and say to him: Thus saith the Lord: Behold I will deliver this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.
Revised Standard Version
"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Go and speak to Zedeki'ah 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.
Young's Literal Translation
`Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel: Go, and thou hast spoken unto Zedekiah king of Judah, and hast said unto him, Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he hath burned it with fire,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Thus says the LORD 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 will burn it with fire.

Contextual Overview

1 God 's Message to Jeremiah at the time King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon mounted an all-out attack on Jerusalem and all the towns around it with his armies and allies and everyone he could muster: 2"I, God , the God of Israel, direct you to go and tell Zedekiah king of Judah: ‘This is God 's Message. Listen to me. I am going to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he is going to burn it to the ground. And don't think you'll get away. You'll be captured and be his prisoner. You will have a personal confrontation with the king of Babylon and be taken off with him, captive, to Babylon. 4"‘But listen, O Zedekiah king of Judah, to the rest of the Message of God . You won't be killed. You'll die a peaceful death. They will honor you with funeral rites as they honored your ancestors, the kings who preceded you. They will properly mourn your death, weeping, "Master, master!" This is a solemn promise. God 's Decree.'" 6The prophet Jeremiah gave this Message to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem, gave it to him word for word. It was at the very time that the king of Babylon was mounting his all-out attack on Jerusalem and whatever cities in Judah that were still standing—only Lachish and Azekah, as it turned out (they were the only fortified cities left in Judah).

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Go: Jeremiah 22:1, Jeremiah 22:2, Jeremiah 37:1-4, 2 Chronicles 36:11, 2 Chronicles 36:12

Behold: Jeremiah 34:22, Jeremiah 21:4, Jeremiah 21:10, Jeremiah 32:3, Jeremiah 32:28, Jeremiah 32:29, Jeremiah 37:8-10, Jeremiah 38:23, Jeremiah 39:8

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 28:55 - in the siege 2 Kings 25:1 - in the ninth Jeremiah 38:18 - then Jeremiah 39:16 - Behold Jeremiah 52:7 - the city

Cross-References

Genesis 34:11
Shechem then spoke for himself, addressing Dinah's father and brothers: "Please, say yes. I'll pay anything. Set the bridal price as high as you will—the sky's the limit! Only give me this girl for my wife."
Genesis 34:24
Everyone who was anyone in the city agreed with Hamor and his son, Shechem; every male was circumcised.
Genesis 34:25
Three days after the circumcision, while all the men were still very sore, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each with his sword in hand, walked into the city as if they owned the place and murdered every man there. They also killed Hamor and his son Shechem, rescued Dinah from Shechem's house, and left. When the rest of Jacob's sons came on the scene of slaughter, they looted the entire city in retaliation for Dinah's rape. Flocks, herds, donkeys, belongings—everything, whether in the city or the fields—they took. And then they took all the wives and children captive and ransacked their homes for anything valuable.
Judges 14:1
Samson went down to Timnah. There in Timnah a woman caught his eye, a Philistine girl. He came back and told his father and mother, "I saw a woman in Timnah, a Philistine girl; get her for me as my wife."
2 Samuel 11:2
One late afternoon, David got up from taking his nap and was strolling on the roof of the palace. From his vantage point on the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was stunningly beautiful. David sent to ask about her, and was told, "Isn't this Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite?" David sent his agents to get her. After she arrived, he went to bed with her. (This occurred during the time of "purification" following her period.) Then she returned home. Before long she realized she was pregnant. Later she sent word to David: "I'm pregnant."
Job 31:1
"I made a solemn pact with myself never to undress a girl with my eyes. So what can I expect from God? What do I deserve from God Almighty above? Isn't calamity reserved for the wicked? Isn't disaster supposed to strike those who do wrong? Isn't God looking, observing how I live? Doesn't he mark every step I take?
Job 31:9
"If I've let myself be seduced by a woman and conspired to go to bed with her, Fine, my wife has every right to go ahead and sleep with anyone she wants to. For disgusting behavior like that, I'd deserve the worst punishment you could hand out. Adultery is a fire that burns the house down; I wouldn't expect anything I count dear to survive it.
Proverbs 13:20
Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel,.... Who, though the covenant God of Israel, yet provoked by their sins, sends the following message to their king:

go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him: alone; and tell it to no other but him, at least at present; the message being more peculiar to him, and must, had it been told to the people, been very disheartening to them:

behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon,

and he shall burn it with fire; see Jeremiah 32:3; which was exactly accomplished, Jeremiah 52:13.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 34:2. He shall burn it with fire — This was a newly-added circumstance. Among many ancient nations they burned the bodies of the more illustrious dead. Odours were used in the burning: they then gathered the ashes, and put them into an urn or pitcher, sometimes into a strong vessel, and buried them. Many of these have been digged up in different parts of England, where the Romans had stations.


 
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