Jeremiah 34:17

Judgment

¹⁵ Recently you repented and did what pleased Me; each of you proclaimed freedom for his neighbor. You made a covenant before Me in the house that bears My Name.

¹⁶ But now you have changed your minds and profaned My name. Each of you has taken back the menservants and maidservants whom you had set at liberty to go wherever they wanted, and you have again forced them to be your slaves.

Therefore this is what the LORD says: You have not obeyed Me; you have not proclaimed freedom, each man for his brother and for his neighbor. So now I proclaim freedom for you, declares the LORD—freedom to fall by sword, by plague, and by famine! I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

¹⁸ And those who have transgressed My covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before Me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two in order to pass between its pieces.

¹⁹ The officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the pieces of the calf,

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Therefore this is what the LORD says: You have not obeyed Me; you have not proclaimed freedom, each man for his brother and for his neighbor. So now I proclaim freedom for you, declares the LORD—freedom to fall by sword, by plague, and by famine! I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
KJV: 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.
WEB: Therefore the LORD says: “You have not listened to me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim to you a liberty,” says the LORD, “to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine. I will make you be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth.
ASV: Therefore thus saith Jehovah: ye have not hearkened unto me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim unto you a liberty, saith Jehovah, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth.
DARBY: Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith Jehovah, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will give you over to be driven hither and thither among all the kingdoms of the earth.
BLB: Therefore, thus says YHWH: You⁺ have not listened to Me [in] proclaiming liberty, each man to his brother, and each man to his neighbor. Behold, I am proclaiming to you⁺ liberty, a declaration of YHWH, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine! And I will give have to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth.

ÅB: Derfor sier Herren så: Dere har ikke hørt på meg og ropt ut frihet, hver for sin bror og hver for sin neste; se, jeg roper ut frihet for dere[^1], sier Herren, så dere overgis til sverdet, pesten og hungeren, og jeg lar dere bli mishandlet av alle jordens riker.
OTB: Derfor, dette sier Herren: Dere har ikke adlydt meg ved å proklamere frihet, hver til sin bror og nabo. Så nå proklamerer jeg ‘frihet’ for dere, erklærer Herren—‘frihet’ til sverdet, til pest, og til hungersnød. Jeg vil gjøre dere til en skrekk for alle jordens riker.
B1930: Derfor sier Herren så: I har ikke hørt på mig og ropt ut frihet, hver for sin bror og hver for sin næste; se, jeg roper ut frihet for eder, sier Herren, så I overgis til sverdet, pesten og hungeren, og jeg lar eder bli mishandlet av alle jordens riker. / < så jeg ikke lenger er eders herre. JER 21, 9; 24, 10.>

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Matthew 7:2
For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Read in context
Jeremiah 29:18
I will pursue them with sword and famine and plague. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth—a curse, a desolation, and an object of scorn and reproach among all the nations to which I banish them.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 28:25
The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them in one direction but flee from them in seven. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
Read in context
Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
Read in context
Esther 7:10
So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.
Read in context
James 2:13
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 28:64
Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.
Read in context
Daniel 6:24
At the command of the king, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions—they and their children and wives. And before they had reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
Read in context