Old Testament Commentary - Jeremiah 34

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 34 Jeremiah prophesies the captivity of Zedekiah—The Jews shall be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.	Jeremiah condemns Jerusalem to captivity and destruction for breaking the Law of God—Death, destruction, captivity and scattering into all the kingdoms of the earth would result.	Breaking Temple Covenants: Where There Is A Law There Is the Penalty of Justice and Judgment. Mock Not God's Laws, the Wicked Will Be Destroyed
The Lord Condemns Jerusalem At the time when Jerusalem, the Great Sanhedrin of the Ruling Princes (The Sarim) and King Zedekiah had broken their 'yoke' from Babylon and allied themselves to Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar's armies came against Jerusalem to set siege against it. And the LORD commanded Jeremiah to condemn Jerusalem to their destruction (Ezekiel 17:15-21 & 2 Chronicles 36:13). Jeremiah 34 is a record of that condemnation and the reasoning upon what charge against the people caused and justified it. And it was the breaking of the covenant of God, that covenant of the Law of Moses which the people made and had made at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah (Ezekiel 17:16, 18-19). And as this chapter sets forth that braking of the covenant was particularly marked by the Law concerning the law's rules governing the release of Hebrew servants. And though the Jews are grossly guilty of much wickedness the prime proveable charge is the breaking of God's covenant which is born witness by the fact of the failure of the Jews to release their Hebrew servants. This they can not deny because of their own arrangement they have failed to kept that part of the covenant they swore themselves to keep.
1 The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and ^aagainst all the cities thereof^a, saying, 2 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 ^aBabylon, and he shall burn it with fire: 3 And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of ^aBabylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon.	1^a against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof Here be have the perspective of Jerusalem and her cities. Must like Zarahemla and her cities, Jerusalem was a 'land' as well as a 'city'. The land of Jerusalem did include all the cities of Judaea which included such as Bethlehem and Lackish. Thus when the Book of Mormon speaks of Jesus being born in Jerusalem, it speaks of the large area of Jerusalem which included Bethlehem, which was within the 'subburbs' of the larger perspective of the city as well as well with in the scope of the 'land' of Jerusalem.	1^a Ezek. 26:3 2^a Jer. 21:10; Jer. 38:3; Jer. 52:13 3^a TG Israel, Bondage of, in Other Lands Paralleled Destructions This eminant destruction of Jerusalem is but one of the scriptural paralleled desturction of Jerusalem and Zion. Isaiah chapter 29 refers to them in parallel between Ariel (Jerusalem) and Zion. Nephi likens one of these paralleled destructions to the Gentile destructions against the Lamanites (See 2 Nephi 26:15 & Isaiah 29:3). Besides the Babylonians, the Romans would again bring Jerusalem in to ruin and besides the Gentiles of the latter-days, the Lamanites did set the cities of the Nephites into ruin as they destroyed that nation of Zion. The wickedness which brought about these destructions and the preserved records of the righteous which have come to us from the 'dust' of the earth are the Bible and Book of Mormon. Without these scriptural records we would not know of the Lord and the Lords people through the ages of time. Wo unto Ariel, wo unto Zion; yet will the Lord chose Israel and redeem his people.
4 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword: 5 But thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word, saith the LORD.		14^a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12); D&C 109:60-61; D&C 133:34; TG Israel, Joseph, People of ^b Septuagint; crosing his hands
6 Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem, 7 When the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah.		14^a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12); D&C 109:60-61; D&C 133:34; TG Israel, Joseph, People of ^b Septuagint; crosing his hands
8 ¶ This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant^a with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim ^aliberty unto them; 9 ^aThat every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should ^aserve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother. 10 Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant^a, heard that every one should let his manservant, and every one his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves of them any more, then *they obeyed, and let them* go^b**.	8^a king Zedekiah had made a covenant The time in which King Zedekiah was able to make such a covenant enforcable upon all the people would be at the beginning of his reign, backed by the influence of King Nebuchanezzar and before the corrupting force of the princes of Israel, the Sarim or the presideing 70 elders of the of the Church which did rule over the common of tradition and the Law of Moses of the Jews. A number of scholars conclude that this covenant which Zedekiah made was a 'hurried up afair' when the Chaldeans first showed up on their door step after they had made an aliance with Egypt. Logic prohibits that possiblility as the Egyptians where in route and there was little motivation to perform such a radical reversal at this late stage. 10^a when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant All the princes of the land of Jerusalem and all the people thereof had entered into the covenant of the Law of Moses at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah as part of the covenant made in the name of Jehovah with Babylon. This would have been a part of all the public records upon the matter. 10^b they obeyed and let them go The Hebrew servants were all freed at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah. All the Jews and their princes had covenanted and all had let their Hebrew servants go free. This would have inclued Zoram, the trusted Hebrew servant of Laban. And this is a good reason why Lehi, if he had had any Hebrew servants previously, did not take any with him into the wilderness. How could he, he was a complying righteous prophet of God, true to his temple covenants. Lehi would have released them and it may have well have been the motivation which drove Lehi to prayer before the Lord when the Sarim pronounced that they were to be recovered as servants by the people. Certainly only the 'Sarim', the princes of Israel, the 70 elders of the church had such authority to so rule in such a matter after the King had made it a matter of his command to release them.	8^a TG Liberty 9^a Ex. 21:2 (2-6) 9^a OR enslave them Zedekiah's Covenant At the beginning of King Zedekiah's reign, the powers of Hebrew influence was upon King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel was his chief advisor and the influence would have been to commit the Jews to live their religion which would make them to be good faithful subjects of Babylon. Thus Zedekiah, under such supporting influence, proceded to commit all of Jerusalem to the Law of the Lord in the temple of God as had his father done before him, namely Josiah. Included in the Law of Jehovah or the Law of Moses, was the matter of the keeping of Hebrew slaves. Under Jehoiakim, they would not have lived the law, thus it would have been over seven years since such Hebrew servents had had their freedom. Thus, the charge of Zedekiah to the people in conjuction with their oaths in the name of Jehovah, was to let the Hebrew slaves go free, which under the present pressures of the occupying Chaldean forces, the people readily complied. Yet, immediately upon the withdrawal of the supporting force of the Chaldean presence, the Sarim of the Law of Moses set forth an interpretation that since the covenant had just been made, the servants should not have been immediately released but seven years hence from the covenant date. Thus in the early first year of Zedekiah's reign, the Hebrew servants where reclaimed under the force of the interpretation of the law expounded by the governing 'princes' or the 70 elders of the Church. This was the 'Sanhedrin' of Jeremiah's day. Now over seven years later, Jeremiah is sent by the Lord to charge the 'Jews' with destruction from the Lord for breaking his law and covenant. If Jeremiah would attack the individual worthiness of the Jewish people, the argument would be made that 'We are a righteous people', even though they where not, for what mounds of considerations are there of private sins and personal righteousness? But upon the matter of public record Jeremiah by the instructions of the Lord, had public record and common knowledge of the guilt of the Jews. They had covenanted with the Lord at the beginning of the riegn of King Zedekiah that they would let the Hebrew slaves go free as per the Law of Moses. Even under their own personally contrived interpretation of the, it had been well over seven years and now into the eighth year since that covenant. And still the Hebrew servants were not released according to the Law of God. There was no argument possible regarding this charge. All knew that the law was broken and of their guilt under the Law of Moses. This is one charge they could not deny by any false claim to personal righteousness.
11 But afterward they ^aturned, 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. Afterward They Turned The swaring of an oath was of no little matter to the 'outward' appearance of the Jews. This was no casual, I changed my mind affair. There would have to be a 'logical reason and cause' for such a public reversal of such a temple covenant oath. It would have to be a 'religious interpretation' of the Law by those who where in such authority to so legally interpret such matters of Law. Moses had established the order of judgement in such religious matters when he called upon the Lord to provide him help in governing and judging the multi-million population of the Hebrews delivered out of Egypt. Then according to the instruction of the Lord, 70 elders from among the chiefly princes of Israel where called to so preside and govern Israel under direction of Moses who would be the chief High Priest. While there is no direct evidence that such prevailed down to the time of Christ, it seems but the obvious conclusion. The ruling body of the Jews in Christ day consisted of the 'Sanhedrin' which was 70 princely religious elders overseen by the presiding High Priest. That organization just did not happen without presidence in the Law of Moses. And we may presume that this is exactly the order of Jewish religious government which presided during the time of Jeremiah. And the strength of the princely 'Sarim' was such that it did challenge the King, especially a weak kneed king such as Zedekiah was. Thus when the 'people' and 'princes' 'turned' from their oath of the temple, was can only presume that there was such logic, reason and interpretation of law which did allow them to so disanual their oath of the temple. And the logic of that reasoning would have been such as the seven year period of the law begins from the day of the covenant and not before. Thus the servants where not 'legally' freed and where to be recalled with the consideration that not until seven years hence would the covenant go into effect.		11^a IE turned back on their word A Servant's Choice What choice did a 'servant', a slave have? They were bound by the 'law'. And those who made the law and interpreted the law did rule the people. If the ruling 70 of the Church had so ruled, there was no choice but to comply. To rebel against the law would result in dyer consequences including various forms of punishment, prison and even the eventuality of death.
12 ¶ Therefore the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 13 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying, 14 At the end of ^aseven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew^a, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee^a: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear. 15 And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:	14^a seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew ... when he hath served thee six year, thou shalt let him go free from thee This is a purposeful and undeniable rehersal of the Law of Moses which none could deny which Jeremiah was putting forth to so now condemn Jerusalem unto destruction. The Jew's wickedness, like most men's wickedness, what that done in 'secret' and which could publically be denied. Thus Jeremiah needed an undeniable offense which could not be denied publically for all would know of it and none could deny it. This braking of the Law of the release of the Hebrew slaves would be it. As to the counting of the six/seven year, it was after this manner, that the Hebrew slave would serve six years full out and in and during the seventh year, sometime during that seventh year was the Hebrew servant to be released, likely in conjucntion with some religious event of that year such as the day of delivery of the passover event. Now in the commencement of the reign of King Zedekiah, under the influence and direction of the Chaldeans—that is King Nebuchadnezzar whose chief advisor was the Prophet Daniel—King Zedekiah held a public gathering remenisent of that of his father King Josiah, and there he swore alligence to Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar in the name of Jehovah, and as King Nebuchadnezzar recognized that 'the God of the Jews was Jehovah' per Daniel's position with the king; Nebuchadnezzar also had King Zedekiah recommit the Jews to the living of the Law of Moses in that manner similiar to when King Josiah had done so before. And thus the Jews agreed to so live the Law of Moses and since it had been over seven years since the last release of Hebrew slaves over the duration of the reign of King Joheiakim, as full token of this committment, the Jews agreed to so now release their Hebrew servants according to that Law of Moses. And they did. Yet almost immediately upon the withdrawal of the Babylonian influence, the 'elders of the Jews', those princely rulers of the Law of Moses under the High Priest, determined that rather than an immediate release of the Hebrew servants, it ought not to be so until seven years more from the actual date of the renewal of the covenant, say in the 7th year of the reign of Zedekiah. And thus the Jews immediately turned and reclaimed their Hebrew servant and held them again with the 'loop whole' promise to release them seven year hense, after they had served a full six years from the date of the renewed covenant and then some, til the ritualistic event date of release that year.
16 But ye turned and ^apolluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids. 17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming ^aliberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth^a.	17^a I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth Since the Jews did not keep the covenant under the Law of Moses to release their Hebrew servants, neither in the first year of Zedekiah as the had agreed, nor over seven year later according to the 'Sanhedrin's' own interpretation of the covenant, now the Lord would pronounce judgment upon them. And this wickedness of braking the covenant of the Law of Moses they could not deny for it was common knowledge among them all that it was so. Thus Jerusalem would be destroyed by the sword, with pestilence and famine from the seige. And the Jews, the Kingdom of Judah would begin their own scattering into all the nations of the earth, which had contintued unto this day when finally there begins to be a final gathering of the Jews back to the land of Jerusalem. It is interesting that since this condemnation was against the 'Jews' which chiefly included the 'rulers of the Jews' that on this braking of the covenant alone was the condemnation brought. Certainly they were guilty of much more wickedness, but it was of that nature which could be denied in a court of the Sarim, for the Sarim did rule the courts and would not let such accusations against them stand, true though they may be. They would fain righteousness though hypocrate they were in doing so. But in this charge they could not escape for all men knew that it was so and that they were all guilty of this one infraction against the Law of Moses. Even the high judges of the people could not manipulate themselves from under this condemnation.
18 And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they ^acut the calf in twain, and ^bpassed between the parts thereof^a, 19 The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem^a, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf; 20 I will even ^agive them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth^a. 21 And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which are gone up from you. Vows of the Covenant The sacrificial performances of the temple where not mere 'silent movies' of unspoken accompaniment. They would recite the oaths and vow the vows of promise when the rituals were performed and the people would repeat their promises made which were the promises to keep and abide by the covenants of the Lord. Just as the ceremonies of the temples today do covenant and promise certain commitments, so did ancient Israel. While the exact words of the ceremonies are not had there are enough evidence such as this in these verses which do so atest to the fact that such is the case.	18^a the men that have transgressed by covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof Though oost to what the actual detailed practices, ceremony and words were performed, there is enough here to thuroughly atest that such actual verbal vows and oaths of the covenant were performed with the temple ceremony of the sacrifice of the animal. (See also Eccl. 5:4-5) 19^a The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem This was the 'Sarim', the elders of Israel, the elder of the church, those from whom the seventy judges of the Law of Moses were made up of, who were in action under the High Priest as in the days of Jesus Christ and the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem in Christ's day. These were the 'Jews' who had plotted to destroy the prophets, Jeremiah and Lehi. They had sought Lehi's life because he testified of the coming of the Messiah, the Son of God and that they, the 'Jews' were wicked. They would have Lehi brought before them and condemn him for lying against the 'Jews' who they would fain to be 'a righteous people' including particularly themselves. And they would also condemn him for teaching the doctrine of the Messiah being the very Son of God. And thus in official capacity of the rule of the Law of Moses would Lehi be brought before the 'Sarim' and be condemned unto public death of stoneing. And who but Laban, that Captain of Fifty, that Fifty officers of the city of Jerusalem who did act in the name of 'Sarim'; would be given charge to bring Lehi in to be so tried and condemned? No wonder the sons of Lehi did fear to return to Jerusalem to obtain the plates of brass from Laban. And no wonder that Laban took so much liberty to seek to kill and steal from the sons of Lehi. 20^a their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth This was the early fate of Captain Laban, beheaded and left in the streets of Jerusalem to be so found as meat unto the fowls of the air and the dogs of the streets. Laban had so done as Jeremiah condemned. He had first released such as Zoram, a Hebrew servant, and then in breaking that covenant of the Law of Moses to so release Zoram, Laban had reclaimed him and was just as guilty as were other Jews who would come under this condemnation. Only Laban's demise came sooner rather than later and likely for aditional reasons also so applicable under the law as lying and seeking the lives of the sons of Lehi unjustly and against the Law of Moses. (See Isaiah 3:1-8 for the fate of Jerusalem, particularly to inclue 'the captian of fifty' as included there in verse 3. And thus the fate of Laban, the Captainn of the Fifty who did serve the ruling princes of the jews was so condemn, sealed and delivered, first by the hand of Nephi as he acted under the direction of the Holy Ghost as a direct commandment of God (See 1 Nephi 4:10-18).
22 Behold, I will command, saith the LORD, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.