34 The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying,

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:

And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon.

Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Zedekiah king of Judah; Thus saith the Lord of thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword:

But thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word, saith the Lord.

Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem,

When the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah.

This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them;

That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.

10 Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should let his manservant, and every one his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves of them any more, then they obeyed, and let them go.

11 But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.

12 Therefore the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

13 Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying,

14 At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear.

15 And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:

16 But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom he had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.

17 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.

18 And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof,

19 The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf;

20 I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.

21 And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which are gone up from you.

22 Behold, I will command, saith the Lord, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.

35 The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,

Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.

Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites;

And I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:

And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.

But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:

Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers.

Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;

Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:

10 But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

11 But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.

12 Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,

13 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the Lord.

14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.

15 I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.

16 Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me:

17 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.

18 And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you:

19 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.

34 1 He threateneth that the city, and the King Zedekiah shall be given into the hands of the king of Babylon. 11 He rebuketh their cruelty toward their servants.

The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord (when [a]Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel, and all his host, and all the kingdoms of the earth, that were under the power of his hand, and all people fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cites thereof) saying,

Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord, behold, (A)I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babel, and he shall burn it with fire,

And thou shall not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand, and thine eyes shall behold the face of the king of Babel, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babel.

Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Zedekiah king of Judah, thus saith the Lord of thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword,

But thou shalt die in [b]peace: and according to the burning for thy fathers the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odors for thee, and they shall lament thee, saying, Oh [c]Lord: for I have pronounced the word, saith the Lord.

Then Jeremiah the Prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem,

(When the King of Babel’s host fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah, that were left, even against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these strong cities remained of the cities of Judah)

This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people, which were at Jerusalem, [d]to proclaim liberty unto them,

That every man should let his [e]servant go free, and every man his handmaid, which was an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, and that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.

10 Now when all the princes, and all the people which was agreed to the covenant, heard that everyone should let his servant go free, and everyone his handmaid, and that none should serve themselves of them anymore, they obeyed and let them go.

11 But afterward they [f]repented and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and held them in subjection as servants and handmaids.

12 Therefore the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

13 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I made a covenant with your fathers, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of [g]servants, saying,

14 (B)At the term of seven years, let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew which hath been sold unto thee: and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers obeyed me not, neither inclined their ears.

15 And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight in proclaiming liberty, every man to his neighbor, and ye had made a covenant before me in [h]the house, whereupon my Name is called.

16 But ye repented, and polluted my Name: for ye have caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and hold them in subjection to be unto you as servants and as handmaids.

17 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Ye have not obeyed me, in proclaiming freedom every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the Lord, to [i]the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine, and I will make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

18 And I will give those men that have broken my Covenant, and have not kept the words of the Covenant, which they had made before me, when they [j]cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof,

19 The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the Eunuchs, and the Priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf,

20 I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hands of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.

21 And Zedekiah king of Judah, and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babel’s host, which [k]are gone up from you.

22 Behold, I will command, saith the Lord, and cause them to return to this city, and they shall fight against it, and take it and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah desolate without an inhabitant.

35 He purposeth the obedience of the Rechabites, and thereby confoundeth the pride of the Jews.

The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, in the days [l]of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,

Go unto the house of the [m]Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the Lord into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.

Then took I Jaazaniah, the son of Jeremiah the son of Habazziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites,

And I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah a man [n]of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the [o]treasure.

And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and [p]said unto them, Drink wine.

But they said, We will drink no wine: for [q]Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, [r]Ye shall drink no wine, neither you nor your sons forever.

Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any, but all your days ye shall dwell in tents, that ye may live a long time in the land where ye be strangers.

Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father, in all that he hath charged us, and we drink no wine all our days, neither we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters.

Neither build we houses for us to dwell in, neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed,

10 But we have remained in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to [s]all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

11 But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel came up into the land, we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem, from the host of the Chaldeans, and from the host of Aram: so we [t]dwell at Jerusalem.

12 Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,

13 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Go, and tell the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will [u]ye not receive doctrine to obey my words, saith the Lord?

14 The commandment of Jonadab the son of Rechab that he commanded his sons, that they should drink no wine, is surely kept: for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, [v]rising early, and speaking, but ye would not obey me.

15 I have sent also unto you all my servants the Prophets: rising up early, and sending them, saying, (C)Return now every man from his evil way, and amend your works, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given unto you, and to your fathers, but ye would not incline your ear, nor obey me.

16 Surely the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab, have kept the commandment of their father, which he gave them, but this people hath not obeyed me.

17 (D)Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will bring upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, all the evil that I have pronounced against them, because I have [w]spoken unto them, but they would not hear, and I have called unto them, but they would not answer.

18 And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you,

19 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Jonadab the son of Rechab shall [x]not want a man, to stand before me forever.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 34:1 Who commonly of Jeremiah was called Nebuchadrezzar, and of others Nebuchadnezzar.
  2. Jeremiah 34:5 Not of any violent death.
  3. Jeremiah 34:5 The Jews shall lament for thee their lord and king.
  4. Jeremiah 34:8 When the enemy was at hand, and they saw themselves in danger, they would seem holy, and so began some kind of reformation: but soon after they uttered their hypocrisy.
  5. Jeremiah 34:9 According to the Law, Exod. 21:2; Deut. 15:12.
  6. Jeremiah 34:11 Hebrew, returneth.
  7. Jeremiah 34:13 Or, bondage.
  8. Jeremiah 34:15 Meaning, in the Temple, to declare that it was a most solemn and straight covenant, made in the Name of the Lord.
  9. Jeremiah 34:17 That is, I give the sword liberty to destroy you.
  10. Jeremiah 34:18 As touching this manner of solemn covenant which the ancients used by passing between the two parts of a beast, to signify that the transgressor of the same covenant should be so divided in pieces, read Gen. 15:10.
  11. Jeremiah 34:21 To fight against the Egyptians, as Jer. 37:11.
  12. Jeremiah 35:1 For the disposition and order of these prophecies, read Jer. 27:1.
  13. Jeremiah 35:2 They came of Hobab Moses’ father-in-law, who was no Israelite, but after joined with them in the service of God.
  14. Jeremiah 35:4 That is, a Prophet.
  15. Jeremiah 35:4 Or, door.
  16. Jeremiah 35:5 The Prophet saith not. The Lord saith thus, for then they ought to have obeyed, but he tendeth to another end: that is, to declare their obedience to man, seeing the Jews would not obey God himself.
  17. Jeremiah 35:6 Whom Jehu the King of Israel favored for his zeal, 2 Kings 10:15.
  18. Jeremiah 35:6 Teaching them hereby to flee all occasion of intemperancy, ambition and avarice, and that they might know that they were strangers in the earth, and be ready to depart at all occasions.
  19. Jeremiah 35:10 Which was now for the space of three hundred years from Jehu to Jehoiakim.
  20. Jeremiah 35:11 Which declareth that they were not so bound to their vow, that it could not be broken for any necessity: for where they were commanded to dwell in tents, they dwell now at Jerusalem for fear of the wars.
  21. Jeremiah 35:13 Whom I have chosen to be my children, seeing these which were the children of an heathen man, obeyed the commandment of their father.
  22. Jeremiah 35:14 I have most diligently exhorted and warned you both by myself and my Prophet.
  23. Jeremiah 35:17 That is, by his Prophets and ministers, which showeth that it is as much, as though he should speak to us himself, when he sendeth his ministers to speak in his Name.
  24. Jeremiah 35:19 His posterity shall continue and be in my favor forever.