Jer 34:19 | KingComments | STEP | A new judgment from the LORD follows ( ). He will declare them outlaws, as it were, to the sword, to the pestilence and to the famine because of their disobedience to the law of release. He will give these deadly means a free hand. These will do a thorough work, so that they will become a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth. The LORD knows all the men who have broken His covenant ( ). They are the men who made a covenant before Him and symbolically ratified it by cutting a calf in two and passing between the pieces. They did not make the covenant on a whim, but consciously and obligatorily. Whoever violates the covenant will suffer the fate of the calf killed at the covenant making. In the covenant that God made with Abraham, only God passed between the pieces, not Abraham ( ). Therefore, that covenant rests solely on God’s promises, without any responsibility on the part of man. This is not a small and select company, but it is people from all segments of the population, from high to low, who have acted in this way ( ). All these transgressors the LORD will give into the hand of their enemies, including enemies who seek their life ( ). The bodies of those who are killed will be food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth. They will not be chased away, contrary to what Abraham did ( ). To Zedekiah, the most responsible, comes another special word from the LORD. He will also fall under God’s judgment ( ). Zedekiah first gave the command, but failed to act against all who returned to it. He is told that he will fall into the hand of the enemy, the king of Babylon. Although it does not appear that the king of Babylon will take the city, for he is just now moving away from Jerusalem because of an attack by the king of Egypt ( ). As a result, the inhabitants of the city think that evil has passed. Possibly that is also why they have returned to their covenant to release the servants. However, the enemy has only temporarily moved away ( ). The LORD speaks that He will give command and then the enemy will come back to fight against the city. Then the city will be taken and burned with fire. The other cities of Judah will also be destroyed, so that they will be a wasteland without inhabitants. The LORD says He will do it, therefore it will happen.

‏ Jeremiah 34:19

The Retribution of Betrayal

A new judgment from the LORD follows (Jer 34:17). He will declare them outlaws, as it were, to the sword, to the pestilence and to the famine because of their disobedience to the law of release. He will give these deadly means a free hand. These will do a thorough work, so that they will become a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

The LORD knows all the men who have broken His covenant (Jer 34:18). They are the men who made a covenant before Him and symbolically ratified it by cutting a calf in two and passing between the pieces. They did not make the covenant on a whim, but consciously and obligatorily. Whoever violates the covenant will suffer the fate of the calf killed at the covenant making. In the covenant that God made with Abraham, only God passed between the pieces, not Abraham (Gen 15:7-21). Therefore, that covenant rests solely on God’s promises, without any responsibility on the part of man.

This is not a small and select company, but it is people from all segments of the population, from high to low, who have acted in this way (Jer 34:19). All these transgressors the LORD will give into the hand of their enemies, including enemies who seek their life (Jer 34:20). The bodies of those who are killed will be food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth. They will not be chased away, contrary to what Abraham did (Gen 15:11).

To Zedekiah, the most responsible, comes another special word from the LORD. He will also fall under God’s judgment (Jer 34:21). Zedekiah first gave the command, but failed to act against all who returned to it. He is told that he will fall into the hand of the enemy, the king of Babylon. Although it does not appear that the king of Babylon will take the city, for he is just now moving away from Jerusalem because of an attack by the king of Egypt (Jer 37:5). As a result, the inhabitants of the city think that evil has passed. Possibly that is also why they have returned to their covenant to release the servants.

However, the enemy has only temporarily moved away (Jer 34:22). The LORD speaks that He will give command and then the enemy will come back to fight against the city. Then the city will be taken and burned with fire. The other cities of Judah will also be destroyed, so that they will be a wasteland without inhabitants. The LORD says He will do it, therefore it will happen.