Zedekiah Warned by God
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, 2 Kin. 25:1; Jer. 32:1, 2; 39:1; 52:4when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army, Jer. 1:15; 25:9; Dan. 2:37, 38all the kingdoms of the earth under his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem and all its cities, saying, 2 "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Go and 2 Chr. 36:11, 12; Jer. 22:1, 2; 37:1, 2speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him, "Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, 2 Kin. 25:9; Jer. 21:10; 32:3, 28I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. 3 And 2 Kin. 25:4, 5; Jer. 21:7; 52:7–11you shall not escape from his hand, but shall surely be taken and delivered into his hand; your eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon, he shall speak with you 2 Kin. 25:6, 7; Jer. 32:4; 39:5, 6face to face, and you shall go to Babylon.’ " ’ 4 Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Zedekiah king of Judah! Thus says the Lord concerning you: ‘You shall not die by the sword. 5 You shall die in peace; as in 2 Chr. 16:14; 21:19the ceremonies of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, Dan. 2:46so they shall burn incense for you and Jer. 22:18lament for you, saying, "Alas, lord!" For I have pronounced the word, says the Lord.’ "
6 Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem, 7 when the king of Babylon’s army fought against Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and Azekah; for only2 Kin. 18:13; 19:8; 2 Chr. 11:5, 9these fortified cities remained of the cities of Judah.
Treacherous Treatment of Slaves
8 Thisis the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem to proclaim Ex. 21:2; Lev. 25:10; Neh. 5:1–13; Is. 58:6; Jer. 34:14, 17liberty to them: 9 Neh. 5:11that every man should set free his male and female slave—a Hebrew man or woman—Lev. 25:39–46that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage. 10 Now when all the princes and all the people, who had entered into the covenant, heard that everyone should set free his male and female slaves, that no one should keep them in bondage anymore, they obeyed and let them go. 11 But afterward they changed their minds and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection as male and female slaves.
12 Therefore the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 13 "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I made a Ex. 24:3, 7, 8; Deut. 5:2, 3, 27; Jer. 31:32covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, 14 "At the end of Ex. 21:2; 23:10; Deut. 15:12; 1 Kin. 9:22seven years let every man set free his Hebrew brother, who has been sold to him; and when he has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you." But your fathers did not obey Me nor incline their ear. 15 Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight—every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor; and you 2 Kin. 23:3; Neh. 10:29made a covenant before Me Jer. 7:10in the house which is called by My name. 16 Then you turned around and Ex. 20:7; Lev. 19:12profaned My name, and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves, whom you had set at liberty, at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves.’
17 "Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. Lev. 26:34, 35; Esth. 7:10; Dan. 6:24; (Matt. 7:2; Gal. 6:7); James 2:13Behold, I proclaim liberty to you,’ says the Lord—Jer. 32:24, 36‘to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to Deut. 28:25, 64; Jer. 29:18trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth. 18 And I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when Gen. 15:10, 17they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it— 19 the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf— 20 I will 2 Kin. 25:19–21; Jer. 22:25give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their Deut. 28:26; 1 Sam. 17:44, 46; 1 Kin. 14:11; 16:4; Ps. 79:2; Jer. 7:33; 16:4; 19:7dead bodies shall be for meat for the birds of the heaven and the beasts of the earth. 21 And I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army Jer. 37:5–11; 39:4–7which has gone back from you. 22 Jer. 37:8, 10Behold, I will command,’ says the Lord, ‘and cause them to return to this city. They will fight against it Jer. 38:3; 39:1, 2, 8; 52:7, 13and take it and burn it with fire; and Jer. 9:11; 44:2, 6I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.’ "