Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 34

Verses 1-22

Chapters thirty-four and thirty-five contain prophecies of the siege. The armies of Nebuchadnezzar were round about Jerusalem, and Jehovah declared to Zedekiah that the king of Babylon would be successful, that the city would be taken and burned with fire, and that he himself would be carried captive to Babylon. Nevertheless, the word of Jehovah concerning Zedekiah was that he should not die by the sword, but in peace.

The next prophecy is a denunciation of the king for the false covenant he had made with the man servants and maid servants. Freedom had been promised to them, but they had been compelled to return to subjection and to slavery. This was a sin against the express Covenant God had made with His people, that the slaves should be set free every seventh year.

Because of this breaking of the Covenant and oppression of the people, Jehovah would fling them out, as the prophet satirically declared, to the liberty of the sword, pestilence, and famine. In this prophecy one of the sins which characterized the times is clearly manifest-oppression of the poor and helpless, against which the indignation of Jehovah is graphically set forth.