Jeremiah 34:8-22
Summary for Jer 34:8-35:19: 34:8–35:19 a Here are faithless (34:8-22 b) and faithful (35:1-19 c) examples of covenant-keeping.Summary for Jer 34:8-22: 34:8-22 d Zedekiah ordered the people to free their slaves; he was apparently trying to curry favor with God by enforcing the covenant requirements regarding the Hebrew ownership of slaves (Exod 21:2-4 e) that had been neglected since Moses’ time. However, the order was worse than useless because the people soon went back on this new affirmation of the covenant, just as they had broken their treaty with Nebuchadnezzar (see Ezek 21:23-24 f) and their original covenant with the Lord. The Lord would punish them as their treachery deserved.
Summary for Jer 34:15-16: 34:15-16 g The slaveholders had done what was right in releasing their slaves; they had obeyed God’s command. But their covenant had been made in the Temple, and when they broke their covenant, they defiled God’s name and treated it with contempt (in violation of Deut 5:11 h).
Summary for Jer 34:17-20: 34:17-20 i Because of their sin in breaking the terms of their covenant, the Lord would cut them apart and separate them from his protective care. This expression relates to the covenant ceremony of killing and cutting a calf sacrifice into two parts from head to tail. Those making a covenant walked between the laid-out portions to indicate their willingness to be similarly cut apart if they violated the covenant (see Gen 15:9-18 j). All classes of people in Judah had broken their oath, so they would all receive the punishment to which they had agreed.
Summary for Jer 34:21-22: 34:21-22 k Pharaoh Hophra had a treaty with Zedekiah to help him if he were attacked (Isa 30:1-3 l; 31:1-3 m). The Babylonians left Jerusalem to fight against Pharaoh Hophra (Jer 37:5-7 n), but their departure was temporary.
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