Jeremiah 34

1 The word which came unto Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) from יהוה, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (Bavel), and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), and against all the cities thereof, saying,

2 “Thus saith יהוה, the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael): ‘Go and speak to Zedekiah (Tsidqiyahu) king of Judah (Yehudah), and tell him, “Thus saith יהוה: ‘Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon (Bavel), and he shall burn it with fire.

3 And you shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and your eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon (Bavel), and he shall speak with you mouth to mouth, and you shalt go to Babylon (Bavel).’”’

4 Yet hear the word of יהוה, O Zedekiah (Tsidqiyahu) king of Judah (Yehudah)! Thus saith יהוה of you: ‘You shalt not die by the sword.

5 But you shalt die in peace; and with the burnings of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so shall they burn odours for you; and they will lament you, saying, “Ah lord (adon)!” For I have pronounced the word,” saith יהוה.

6 Then Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah (Tsidqiyahu) king of Judah (Yehudah) in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim),

7 When the king of Babylon (Bavel)’s army fought against Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), and against all the cities of Judah (Yehudah) that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah; for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah (Yehudah).

8 This is the word that came unto Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) from יהוה, after that the king Zedekiah (Tsidqiyahu) had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), to proclaim liberty unto them:

9 That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being a Hebrew or a Hebrewess (Ivri), go free; that none should serve himself of them, of a Jew (Yehudi) 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 יהוה came to Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) from יהוה, saying,

13 “Thus saith יהוה, the God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael): ‘I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim), out of the house of bondmen, saying,

14 “At the end of seven years let you go every man his brother a Hebrew (Ivri), which hath been sold unto you; and when he hath served you six years, you shalt let him go free from you.” But your fathers hearkened not unto Me, neither inclined their ear.

15 And you were now turned, and had done right in My sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and you had made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name.

16 ‘But you turned and polluted My name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom you 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 יהוה: ‘You have not hearkened unto Me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim a liberty for you,’ saith יהוה, ‘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 (Yehudah), and the princes of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim), the officials, and the priests (kohanim), 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 sky, and to the beasts of the earth.

21 And Zedekiah (Tsidqiyahu) king of Judah (Yehudah) 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 (Bavel)’s army, which are gone up from you.

22 Behold, I will command,’ saith יהוה, ‘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 (Yehudah) a desolation without an inhabitant.’”