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Jeremiah 34

22 verses

TL;DR

God delivers a judgment message to King Zedekiah, announcing Jerusalem’s fall and the city’s transfer to Babylon, while warning of exile and destruction, yet also speaks of a paradoxical peaceful death for the king.

Summary

Jeremiah receives from the Lord a proclamation of judgment against Jerusalem and its ruler, Zedekiah, warning that the city will be given to Babylon and burned. The Lord assures Zedekiah that he will not die by the sword but will die in peace, though his city will be destroyed. The prophet also recalls a covenant of liberty made by the people, which freed Hebrew servants, but the covenant was later violated when the freed slaves were taken back into servitude. God warns that because the covenant was broken, the people will face a harsh punishment: exile, famine, pestilence, and slaughter by enemies. Jeremiah is commanded to speak these words to the king, underscoring the seriousness of covenant faithfulness. The chapter concludes with a bleak vision of Judah’s future: cities turned to desolation, and the people returned to the city only to be slaughtered by the Babylonian army.

Outline
  1. God’s judgment on Jerusalem and the proclamation of its transfer to Babylon.
  2. The covenant of liberty for Hebrew servants and its subsequent violation.
  3. The consequences: exile, destruction, and the ultimate fate of Judah’s people.
Themes
Judgment and mercyCovenant faithfulnessLiberty versus oppression
Keywords
covenantlibertyslaveryBabylonZedekiahJeremiahJudahJerusalemexileburning
People
JeremiahZedekiahNebuchadnezzar
Places
JerusalemJudahBabylonLachishAzekahEgypt
Things
covenantlibertyslaveryfreedomburningdestructionexile
Key Verses
  • Jeremiah 34:1: God announces judgment on Jerusalem and the king of Babylon
  • Jeremiah 34:5: The paradoxical promise that Zedekiah will die in peace, not by the sword
  • Jeremiah 34:9: Reveals the covenant of liberty to free Hebrew servants
  • Jeremiah 34:17: God’s warning of future punishment due to the covenant’s violation
Questions
  • What does the chapter reveal about the nature of God’s justice and mercy?
  • How does the covenant of liberty for slaves illustrate Israel’s relationship with the Lord?
  • Why does God promise a peaceful death for Zedekiah, and what does this suggest about judgment?
  • In what ways does the text warn contemporary readers about breaking covenant promises?
  • How might the vision of exile and destruction shape the identity of Judah’s people?
Sentiment

negative
The chapter is dominated by divine judgment, destruction, and the threat of exile.