21. gone up—that is, raised the siege in order to meet Pharaoh-hophra ( :-). The departure of the Chaldeans was a kind of manumission of the Jews; but as their manumission of their bond-servants was recalled, so God revoked His manumission of them from the Chaldeans. read more
22. I will command—Nebuchadnezzar, impelled unconsciously by a divine instigation, returned on the withdrawal of the Egyptians. read more
Treachery against servants 34:8-22This incident happened during the respite in the siege, as did those recorded in Jeremiah 32:1-15; Jeremiah 37-38; and Jeremiah 39:15-18 (cf. Jeremiah 34:21-22). The year was about 588 B.C. read more
The Lord then sent Jeremiah to remind the people that He had made a covenant with their forefathers to set them at liberty from their bondage in Egypt (Exodus 19:4-6). They of all people should have shown mercy to others in bondage. The Passover commemorated their emancipation from Egyptian slavery. read more
Part of the Mosaic Covenant specified that the Israelites should liberate their servants, who had sold themselves to them, after six years of service (cf. Exodus 21:2-6; Deuteronomy 15:12-18). But the forefathers had disobeyed the Lord and disregarded His word. read more
Recently the people had made a covenant to release their indentured servants, and had started to follow through with it, but then they changed their minds and forced them back into servitude. The fact that they had made this covenant in the temple indicates that they made it with the Lord, not just with one another. Breaking it profaned the Lord’s name (reputation), because they had made the covenant in His name. This temple event was not a full-fledged covenant renewal ceremony, but only a... read more
Because the people had not released their servants, the Lord was going to release them from His protection to experience the sword, disease, and starvation. They would become an awful example to the other kingdoms of the earth. Then there would be no distinction between Hebrew masters and servants; they would all be servants of Nebuchadnezzar. read more
The Lord would give all the people who had broken the covenant, regardless of their social position, into the hand of their enemy. They would die without the privilege of a burial; birds and beasts would consume their carcasses (cf. Jeremiah 7:33; Jeremiah 16:4; Jeremiah 19:7; Deuteronomy 28:26). They had used a typical covenant-making ritual. They had cut a young calf in two and the parties of the covenant passed between the halves (cf. Genesis 15:10; Genesis 15:17)."The fate of the animal was... read more
Yahweh would also give Zedekiah and his officials into the hand of the Babylonians, even though at the time of this message the Babylonian army had withdrawn from Jerusalem, temporarily. read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Jeremiah 34:20
20. I will even give—resuming the sentence begun, but not completed ( :-), "I will give," c. seek their life—implacably: satisfied with nothing short of their blood not content with booty. dead bodies—The breakers of the covenant shall be cut in pieces, as the calf between whose parts they passed. read more