Jeremiah 34:2

_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 BABYLON, AND HE SHALL BURN IT WITH FIRE:_ No JFB commentary on this verse....

Now the Prophet says, _Behold, I will deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon _Had he simply said that the city would in a short time be taken, it would have been a general truth, not effectual but frigid. It was therefore necessary to add this, — that the ruin of the citywas a just punishment inflicted by God. And Zedekiah was also thus reminded, that though he were stronger than his enemy, yet he could not effectually resist him, for the war was carrid on under the authority of God, as though he had said, “Thou thinkest that thou contendest with men; it would be difficult enough for thee and more than enough, to contend with the eastern monarchy and so many nations and kingdoms; farther than this, God himself is thine enemy; have regard to him, that thou mayest learn to dread his judgment.” And that the words might be more forcible, God himself speaks in his own person,...

1-7 Zedekiah is told that the city shall be taken, and that he shall die a captive, but he shall die a natural death. It is better to live and die penitent in a prison, than to live and die impenitent in a palace....

Verse Jeremiah 34:2. _HE SHALL BURN IT WITH FIRE_] This was a newly-added circumstance. Among many ancient nations they burned the bodies of the more illustrious dead. Odours were used in the burning: they then gathered the ashes, and put them into an urn or pitcher, sometimes into a strong vessel, and buried them. Many of these have been digged up in different parts of England, where the Romans had stations....

EXPOSITION This chapter must be taken in connection with Jeremiah 35:1. The whole section consists of three passages, introduced with a superscription in the same form, but otherwise unrelated. It serves to finish off the earlier prophetic portion of the book, Jeremiah 36:1. opening a series of narratives. The first passage (Jeremiah 34:1) is virtually a postscript to Jeremiah 32:1; Jeremiah 33:1.; it apparently contains the prophecy referred to in...

THUS SAITH THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL,.... Who, though the covenant God of Israel, yet provoked by their sins, sends the following message to their king: GO AND SPEAK TO ZEDEKIAH KING OF JUDAH, AND TELL HIM: alone; and tell it to no other but him, at least at present; the message being more peculiar to him, and must, had it been told to the people, been very disheartening to them: BEHOLD, I WILL GIVE THIS CITY INTO THE HAND OF THE KING OF BABYLON, AND HE SHALL BURN IT WITH FIRE; see Jeremiah 32:3; which was exactly accomplished, Jeremiah 52:13....

CHAPTER 34:1-7 Jeremiah Warns Zedekiah The besieging army was before the walls of Jerusalem when the prophet is commanded to go to the king and tell him that the city will soon be burned. He announced also Zedekiah's fate. He could not escape, but would be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon. He would see Nebuchadnezzar eye to eye, speak with him mouth to mouth, and then be taken to Babylon. Ezekiel said he should not see Babylon Ezekiel 12:13. Both statements are true. He saw the king as a prisoner at Riblah and there his eyes were put out 2 Kings 25:6, and then he was taken away to Babylon. Yet he was not to die by the sword, but in peace. And Jeremiah discharged faithfully his message....

THE FATE OF JERUSALEM AND OF ZEDEKIAH. In the course of the siege (588- 6), Jeremiah is sent to Zedekiah to tell him that the city will be taken and destroyed, that he will be brought before Nebuchadrezzar and sent to Babylon, but will obtain the customary royal honours after a peaceful death. At this time, it is said, the only other uncaptured cities were Lachish (Tell-el-Hesy, 35 m. SW. of Jerusalem, see p. 28) and Azekah (Joshua 15:35, probably 15 m. SW. of Jerusalem). For the actual fate of the king, so different from that here promised, see Jeremiah 52:11, and _cf._ Ezekiel 12:13. The present prophecy must be explained as conditional on submission to Babylon, a condition not fulfilled....

THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL. See note on Jeremiah 11:3....

Prophecy of the burning of the city and the captivity of Zedekiah....