Jeremiah 34

1The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, with all his army, all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion, and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities, saying:Cross-references: 2Ki 25:1 · 2Chr 36:12 · Jer 1:15 · Jer 27:5 · Jer 32:2 · Jer 34:7 · +6 more

2“Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Yahweh says, “Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon and he will burn it with fire.Cross-references: 2Chr 36:11 · Jer 21:4 · Jer 21:10 · Jer 22:1 · Jer 32:3 · Jer 32:28 · +5 more

3You won’t escape out of his hand, but will surely be taken and delivered into his hand. Your eyes will see the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he will speak with you mouth to mouth. You will go to Babylon.”’Cross-references: 2Ki 25:4 · Jer 21:7 · Jer 32:4 · Jer 34:21 · Jer 37:17 · Jer 38:18 · +5 more

4“Yet hear Yahweh’s word, O Zedekiah king of Judah. Yahweh says concerning you, ‘You won’t die by the sword.

5You will die in peace; and with the burnings of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so they will make a burning for you. They will lament you, saying, “Ah Lord!” for I have spoken the word,’ says Yahweh.”Cross-references: 2Ki 22:20 · 2Chr 16:14 · 2Chr 21:19 · 2Chr 34:28 · Jer 22:18 · Lam 4:20 · +2 more

6Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem,Cross-references: 1Sam 3:18 · 1Sam 15:16 · 2Sam 12:7 · 1Ki 21:19 · 1Ki 22:14 · Ezek 2:7 · +2 more

7when the king of Babylon’s army was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and against Azekah; for these alone remained of the cities of Judah as fortified cities.Cross-references: Deut 28:52 · Josh 10:3 · Josh 10:10 · Josh 12:11 · Josh 15:35 · Josh 15:39 · +9 more

8The word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty to them,Cross-references: Ex 21:2 · Ex 23:10 · Lev 25:10 · Lev 25:39 · Deut 15:12 · 2Ki 11:17 · +10 more

9that every man should let his male servant, and every man his female servant, who is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free, that no one should make bondservants of them, of a Jew his brother.Cross-references: Gen 14:13 · Gen 40:15 · Ex 2:6 · Ex 3:18 · Lev 25:39 · Deut 15:12 · +10 more

10All the princes and all the people obeyed who had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his male servant and everyone his female servant go free, that no one should make bondservants of them any more. They obeyed and let them go,Cross-references: Isa 29:13 · Jer 3:10 · Jer 26:10 · Jer 26:16 · Jer 36:12 · Jer 36:24 · +2 more

11but afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids whom they had let go free to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.Cross-references: Ex 8:8 · Ex 8:15 · Ex 9:28 · Ex 9:34 · Ex 10:17 · Ex 14:3 · +16 more

12Therefore Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,

13“Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying:Cross-references: Ex 13:3 · Ex 13:14 · Ex 20:2 · Ex 24:3 · Ex 24:7 · Deut 5:2 · +17 more

14At the end of seven years, every man of you shall release his brother who is a Hebrew, who has been sold to you, and has served you six years. You shall let him go free from you. But your fathers didn’t listen to me, and didn’t incline their ear.Cross-references: Ex 21:1 · Ex 23:10 · Deut 15:12 · 1Sam 8:7 · 1Ki 9:22 · 1Ki 21:25 · +17 more

15You had now turned, and had done that which is right in my eyes, in every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor. You had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name;Cross-references: 1Ki 21:27 · 2Ki 10:30 · 2Ki 12:2 · 2Ki 14:3 · 2Ki 23:3 · Neh 10:29 · +8 more

16but you turned and profaned my name, and every man caused his servant and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return. You brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.’”Cross-references: Ex 20:7 · Lev 19:12 · 1Sam 15:11 · Jer 34:11 · Ezek 3:20 · Ezek 17:16 · +8 more

17Therefore Yahweh says: “You have not listened to me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim to you a liberty,” says Yahweh, “to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine. I will make you be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth.Cross-references: Lev 26:34 · Deut 19:19 · Deut 28:25 · Deut 28:64 · Judg 1:6 · Esth 7:10 · +16 more

18I will give the men who have transgressed my covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before me when they cut the calf in two and passed between its parts:Cross-references: Gen 15:10 · Gen 15:17 · Deut 17:2 · Josh 7:11 · Josh 23:16 · Ps 50:1 · +2 more

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.Cross-references: 2Ki 24:12 · 2Ki 24:15 · Jer 29:2 · Jer 34:10 · Jer 38:7 · Ezek 22:27 · +5 more

20I will even give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies will be food for the birds of the sky and for the animals of the earth.Cross-references: Deut 28:26 · 1Sam 17:44 · 1Sam 17:46 · 1Ki 14:11 · 1Ki 16:4 · 1Ki 21:23 · +15 more

21“I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes into the hands of their enemies, into the hands of those who seek their life and into the hands of the king of Babylon’s army, who has gone away from you.Cross-references: 2Ki 25:18 · Jer 32:4 · Jer 34:3 · Jer 37:5 · Jer 39:6 · Jer 52:10 · +3 more

22Behold, I will command,” says Yahweh, “and cause them to return to this city. They will fight against it, take it, and burn it with fire. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”Cross-references: 2Sam 16:11 · 2Ki 24:2 · 2Chr 36:17 · Isa 6:11 · Isa 10:5 · Isa 13:3 · +24 more