Jeremiah 34:17 kjv
Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, 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.
Jeremiah 34:17 nkjv
"Therefore thus says the LORD: 'You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim liberty to you,' says the LORD? 'to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth.
Jeremiah 34:17 niv
"Therefore this is what the LORD says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim 'freedom' for you, declares the LORD?'freedom' to fall by the sword, plague and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth.
Jeremiah 34:17 esv
"Therefore, thus says the LORD: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the LORD. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
Jeremiah 34:17 nlt
"Therefore, this is what the LORD says: Since you have not obeyed me by setting your countrymen free, I will set you free to be destroyed by war, disease, and famine. You will be an object of horror to all the nations of the earth.
Jeremiah 34 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 34:15 | You recently...but now you have turned back and profaned my name... | Broken covenant |
| Jeremiah 34:16 | You acted disgracefully and profaned my name by returning slaves... | Defiling God's name |
| 2 Samuel 15:23 | The whole land was weeping with a loud voice as all the people passed by | Consequences of injustice |
| Psalm 7:11 | God is a righteous judge | God's justice |
| Psalm 109:6-7 | Let Satan stand at his right hand. When he is tried, let him be condemned | Divine judgment upon oppressors |
| Isaiah 1:20 | If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; | Blessing for obedience |
| Isaiah 3:15 | What do you mean by crushing my people by weight, and grinding the needy? | Oppression condemned |
| Isaiah 5:8 | Woe to you who join house to house, who lay field to field... | Greed and oppression |
| Isaiah 48:1-2 | Hear this, O house of Jacob...you who are named of the house of Israel... | Pride and self-reliance |
| Isaiah 58:6-7 | Is not this the fast that I choose...to let the oppressed go free?... | True fasting and justice |
| Ezekiel 18:27 | If the wicked man turns from his wickedness...he shall surely live. | Repentance and life |
| Ezekiel 22:12 | O Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world: have mercy upon us. | Plea for mercy |
| Amos 2:6-7 | They sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals... | Social injustice |
| Amos 5:12 | I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins— | Recognizing sin |
| Amos 8:4 | Hear this, you who trample on the needy, and who do the poor of the land! | Denunciation of oppressors |
| Micah 6:8 | He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you? | Requirements of God |
| Matthew 7:1-2 | Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged... | Divine judgment standard |
| Matthew 23:13 | Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut the kingdom of heaven... | Judgment on religious leaders |
| Mark 12:39-40 | and for pretense you make long prayers. These will receive the greater condemnation. | Judgment on hypocrisy |
| Luke 12:47-48 | And that servant who knew his master’s will, but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a flogging. | Knowledge and accountability |
| Revelation 18:5 | For her sins are heaped up into the sky, and God has remembered her iniquities. | God's remembrance of sin |
Jeremiah 34 verses
Jeremiah 34 17 Meaning
The verse proclaims a severe judgment from God upon the leaders of Judah and the people of Jerusalem for breaking the covenant concerning the release of slaves. God declares that He will issue a command for the sword to return and slay them.
Jeremiah 34 17 Context
Jeremiah chapter 34 addresses a critical historical moment in Judah, specifically during the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. The people of Jerusalem, including King Zedekiah and the nobles, made a covenant to release their Hebrew slaves, as required by the Law, when the Babylonian army seemed imminent. However, as the Babylonian forces briefly withdrew, they reneged on this covenant, re-enslaving those they had freed. This chapter details God’s displeasure with their hypocrisy and broken promises, leading to severe judgment. Verse 17 marks the pronouncement of this judgment for their betrayal of the covenant and their mistreatment of the vulnerable.
Jeremiah 34 17 Word Analysis
- "Therefore" (לָכֵן - laken): Indicates a consequence or result stemming from the preceding actions.
- "Thus" (כֹּה - koh): Similar to "therefore," it introduces a statement of decree or pronouncement from God.
- "Says" (אָמַר - amar): God's direct speech.
- "the Lord" (יהוָה - Yahweh): The covenant name of God.
- "I will cause" (הֵפִיץ - hephitz or in other contexts, the sense here is 'will bring about', 'will cause to break forth'): God initiating the action of scattering or breaking forth.
- "a declaration of war" (מִצְוָה - mitzvah, usually meaning commandment, but contextually here it implies a decree of destruction/punishment that goes forth, akin to an army's mobilization. Another reading or implied meaning in some contexts could be a call to action.): A divine command for destruction to be unleashed.
- "to return" (לָשׁוּב - lashuv): A strong emphasis on returning to their original mission, or turning back to strike.
- "over you" (עֲלֵיכֶם - aleihem): Directing the judgment specifically at the people and leaders addressed.
- "every sword" (כָּל־חֶרֶב - kol-kerev): All weapons of warfare; total military might.
- "its place" (מְקוֹמוֹ - mekomo): Returning to its designated purpose of conquest and destruction.
- "declares" (נְאֻם־יהוָה - neum-Yahweh): Emphasizes the authority and certainty of God's pronouncement.
- "even the sword of the wilderness" (וְחֶרֶב שְׂדֵה־אֱדֹוּר - vecherev s’deh-edor or possibly "sword of the desert"). This phrase is debated, but generally signifies instruments of war used in all situations, including open country and potentially extreme circumstances or even against enemies in desolate places. It emphasizes completeness. The wording can imply tools used by hostile forces from outlying or foreign territories.
- "into captivity" (בַּשְּׁבִי - bash’biy): To be taken away as prisoners of war, indicating exile and subjugation.
- "in" (בְּ - b’): Within the condition of.
- "captivity" (שְׁבִי - shevi): A state of bondage or exile.
Group Analysis:The phrase "cause every sword to return to its place" coupled with "every sword into captivity" signifies that God is redirecting the instruments of war, originally poised to conquer them, to now bring them into judgment and subjugation. It’s God controlling the instruments of destruction to fulfill His pronouncement.
Jeremiah 34 17 Bonus Section
The specific wording concerning the "sword of the wilderness" is often interpreted to mean the instruments of war wielded by those who would destroy them, essentially stating that their oppressors would continue their war efforts and turn these efforts into taking Judah captive. It highlights God's sovereign control over all military forces and His ability to direct them to execute His judgments against a disobedient people. This is consistent with the broader theme in Jeremiah and other prophetic books where military invasions are seen as God's instruments for chastisement.
Jeremiah 34 17 Commentary
God’s decree in this verse is absolute. Their act of breaking the covenant of releasing slaves, immediately after establishing it, is a grave offense that desecrates God's name and undermines justice. The promise of the sword returning and causing them to be taken captive underscores the inevitable consequence of their betrayal. It means their adversaries will succeed where they had briefly faltered. This judgment isn't arbitrary; it’s a direct response to their demonstrated faithlessness and mistreatment of their fellow humans, especially the vulnerable they had promised to free. The phrase "sword of the wilderness" or "wilderness sword" implies that instruments of war, in their most extreme forms and encompassing all terrains, will be employed against them.