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英文原文
In this chapter we have two messages which God sent by Jeremiah. I. One to foretel the fate of Zedekiah king of Judah, that he should fall into the hands of the king of Babylon, that he should live a captive, but should at last die in peace in his captivity, Jer 34:1-7. II. Another to read the doom both of prince and people for their treacherous dealings with God, in bringing back into bondage their servants whom they had released according to the law, and so playing fast and loose with God. They had walked at all adventures with God (Jer 34:8-11), and therefore God would walk at all adventures with them, in bringing the Chaldean army upon them again when they began to hope that they had got clear of them, Jer 34:12-22.
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Captivity of Zedekiah Foretold; The Babylonish Captivity Predicted (589 BC)
预告西底家被掳；预告巴比伦之囚（主前 589 年）
¹ 当巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒和他全军，以及他权下地上列国的一切人民，攻击耶路撒冷和属它的一切城邑之时，耶和华的话临到耶利米说： ² 耶和华以色列的神如此说：你去告诉犹大王西底家，对他说，耶和华如此说：看哪，我将这城交在巴比伦王手中，他必用火焚烧。 ³ 你必不能逃脱他的手，定被拿住交在他手中；你的眼必见巴比伦王的眼，他必口对口与你说话，你也必到巴比伦去。 ⁴ 犹大王西底家啊，你还要听耶和华的话；耶和华论你如此说：你必不致死于刀剑。 ⁵ 你必平安而死；人必为你焚香，如同为你列祖、就是在你以前的先王焚香一样；他们也必为你举哀说：「哀哉，主啊！」因为我已命定这事。这是耶和华说的。 ⁶ 于是先知耶利米在耶路撒冷将这一切话告诉犹大王西底家—— ⁷ 那时巴比伦王的军队正攻打耶路撒冷，和犹大所剩的城邑，就是拉吉和亚西加；因为犹大的坚固城中，只剩下这两座。
这篇关于西底家的预言，是在耶利米被囚之前交给他，并由他传给当事人的；因为我们在耶 32:4 看见本段中某些话成了他被囚的根据。请观察：
一、这信息传给西底家的时候——正是「巴比伦王」和他全军，连同他辖下「地上列国」出来的一部分军队，「攻打耶路撒冷和属它的城邑」之时（耶 34:1），定意要毁灭它们，因他们已屡次掳掠它们。当时还剩下、仍在坚守的城邑也有名字记下（耶 34:7）：「拉吉和亚西加」。这表明事已到了最后关头，但西底家仍顽梗固守，他的心已硬到自取灭亡的地步。
二、传给他的信息本身。1. 此处有忿怒的威胁。他被告知那已经多次被告知的话：这城必被迦勒底人攻取「并被火焚烧」（耶 34:2），他自己必落在仇敌手中，必被囚，必被带到那暴烈的尼布甲尼撒王面前，并被掳到巴比伦（耶 34:3）；然而以西结曾预言他「必看不见巴比伦」；他确实没有看见，因为他的眼睛被剜出（结 12:13）。这灾是西底家因自己的罪从神招致，又因他对尼布甲尼撒背信而招致。2. 此处也掺杂了怜悯。他必在被掳中死去，但他「必不死于刀剑」；他必自然死亡（耶 34:4）；他必在某种程度上得着安慰地了结余生，「必平安而死」（耶 34:5）。他向来不算最坏的诸王之一，我们愿意盼望他在「耶和华眼中」所行的恶，在被掳中已经悔改——正如玛拿西那样——并蒙了赦免；神既与他复和，他便实在可以说是「平安而死」。注意：一个人可能在监里而死，却仍「平安而死」。不，他必在某种程度上带着比人意料更大的名声了结余生。他必与「他列祖」同被焚烧——即照着素常对诸王、尤其是对在以色列行过善的诸王所表示的尊敬而行。看来他在被掳之中待自己的百姓十分端正，以致他们愿意如此尊荣他；他待尼布甲尼撒也如此，以致尼布甲尼撒容许这事行在他身上。若西底家仍在兴旺之中，他或许会变得更坏，至终「无人思慕」而死；但他的苦难在他身上产生了改变，以致他的死被视为一大损失。在监中悔改而生、而死，胜过在宫中不悔改而生、而死。「他们必为你举哀说：哀哉，主啊！」——这是他兄弟约雅敬所没有的尊荣（耶 22:18）。犹太人说他们如此为他举哀：「哀哉！西底家死了，他喝尽了在他以前历代所有的渣滓」——意即他为他列祖的罪受了苦，因为罪孽的量度在他日子填满。他们必如此为他举哀，「主说，因为我已命定这事」；神所说的话，必毫无失误地应验。
三、耶利米在传达这信息上的忠心。他明知这话对王不悦，且可能对自己有危险——果然正如所料，他因此被囚——他却仍「将这一切话告诉西底家」（耶 34:6）。伟人身边若有忠心待他们、肯告诉他们恶行恶果的人，使他们可以悔改而存活，这便是伟人的福分。
英文原文
Captivity of Zedekiah Foretold; The Babylonish Captivity Predicted (589 BC)
¹ 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,
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:
³ 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.
⁴ 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:
⁵ 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.
⁶ Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem,
⁷ 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 prophecy concerning Zedekiah was delivered to Jeremiah, and by him to the parties concerned, before he was shut up in the prison, for we find this prediction here made the ground of his commitment, as appears by the recital of some passages out of it, Jer 32:4. Observe,
I. The time when this message was sent to Zedekiah; it was when the king of Babylon, with all his forces, some out of all the kingdoms of the earth that were within his jurisdiction, fought against Jerusalem and the cities thereof (Jer 34:1), designing to destroy them, having often plundered them. The cities that now remained, and yet held out, are named (Jer 34:7), Lachish and Azekah. This intimates that things were now brought to the last extremity, and yet Zedekiah obstinately stood it out, his heart being hardened to his destruction.
II. The message itself that was sent to him. 1. Here is a threatening of wrath. He is told that again which he had been often told before, that the city shall be taken by the Chaldeans and burnt with fire (Jer 34:2), that he shall himself fall into the enemy's hands, shall be made a prisoner, shall be brought before that furious prince Nebuchadnezzar, and be carried away captive into Babylon (Jer 34:3); yet Ezekiel prophesied that he should not see Babylon; nor did he, for his eyes were put out, Eze 12:13. This Zedekiah brought upon himself from God by his other sins and from Nebuchadnezzar by breaking his faith with him. 2. Here is a mixture of mercy. He shall die a captive, but he shall not die by the sword he shall die a natural death (Jer 34:4); he shall end his days with some comfort, shall die in peace, Jer 34:5. He never had been one of the worst of the kings, but we are willing to hope that what evil he had done in the sight of the Lord he repented of in his captivity, as Manasseh had done, and it was forgiven to him; and, God being reconciled to him, he might truly be said to die in peace, Note, A man may die in a prison and yet die in peace. Nay, he shall end his days with some reputation, more than one would expect, all things considered. He shall be buried with the burnings of his fathers, that is, with the respect usually shown to their kings, especially those that had done good in Israel. It seems, in his captivity he had conducted himself so well towards his own people that they were willing to do him this honour, and towards Nebuchadnezzar that he suffered it to be done. If Zedekiah had continued in his prosperity, perhaps he would have grown worse and would have departed at last without being desired; but his afflictions wrought such a change in him that his death was looked upon as a great loss. It is better to live and die penitent in a prison than to live and die impenitent in a palace. They will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! an honour which his brother Jehoiakim had not, Jer 22:18. The Jews say that they lamented thus over him, Alas! Zedekiah is dead, who drank the dregs of all the ages that went before him, that is, who suffered for the sins of his ancestors, the measure of iniquity being filled up in his days. They shall thus lament him, saith the Lord, for I have pronounced the word; and what God hath spoken shall without fail be made good.
III. Jeremiah's faithfulness in delivering this message. Though he knew it would be ungrateful to the king, and might prove, as indeed it did, dangerous to himself (for he was imprisoned for it), yet he spoke all these words to Zedekiah, Jer 34:6. It is a mercy to great men to have those about them that will deal faithfully with them, and tell them the evil consequences of their evil courses, that they may reform and live.
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Transient Reformation; The Servants Re-enslaved (589 BC)
短暂的改革；仆人被再奴役（公元前589年）
⁸ 西底家王与耶路撒冷的众民立约，要向他们宣告自由之后，有耶和华的话临到耶利米，说： ⁹ 就是各人要释放自己的仆人、各人要释放自己的婢女——希伯来男人或希伯来女人——任他们自由；不可再奴役他们，犹大弟兄也不可如此。 ¹⁰ 所有进入这约的首领和众民，听见各人要释放仆人、各人要释放婢女，任他们自由、不再奴役他们，他们就听从，把他们释放了。 ¹¹ 后来他们又反悔，叫所释放的仆人婢女回来，再使他们为奴为婢。 ¹² 于是耶和华的话临到耶利米，说： ¹³ 耶和华——以色列的神如此说：我将你们的列祖从埃及地为奴之家领出来的那日，与他们立约，说： ¹⁴ 『每逢七年之末，你们各人要释放希伯来弟兄；他服事你六年，你就要释放他自由离去』；你们的列祖却不听从我，也不侧耳而听。 ¹⁵ 如今你们回头，行我眼中看为正的事，各人向邻舍宣告自由，又在我面前、在我名所称为名的殿中与我立约； ¹⁶ 你们却又反悔，亵渎我的名，各人随意叫仆人婢女回来，再使他们为奴为婢。 ¹⁷ 所以耶和华如此说：你们不听从我，各人不向弟兄、不向邻舍宣告自由；看哪，我向你们宣告自由，这是耶和华说的——使你们自由于刀剑、瘟疫、饥荒之下；我也必使你们在天下万国中被抛来抛去。 ¹⁸ 那些违犯我约的人——就是那些在我面前立约，却在劈开牛犊从其中经过之时，没有履行约中之言的人——我必将他们 ¹⁹ 犹大的首领、耶路撒冷的首领、太监、祭司和那地从牛犊两半中经过的众民， ²⁰ 都交在他们仇敌手中，交在寻索他们性命的人手中；他们的尸首必给空中的飞鸟和地上的走兽作食物。 ²¹ 我必将犹大王西底家和他的首领交在仇敌手中，交在寻索他们性命的人手中，交在从你们这里上去的巴比伦王军队手中。 ²² 耶和华说：看哪，我必吩咐他们回到这城，攻击它，夺取它，用火焚烧；我也必使犹大的城邑荒凉，无居民。
我们在这里看见另一段针对特定情形的预言，其历史背景我们必须留意，因为它是理解预言所必需的。
I. 当耶路撒冷被迦勒底军紧密围困之时，首领和百姓同意在一件特定的事上进行改革——就是关于他们的仆人。
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神的律法明明白白：本国同胞不可被奴役超过七年，他们服事一段学徒期之后，就当被释放、得着自由；不，他们若为还债而卖身，或被审判官『为刑罚所卖』，也是如此。本国弟兄与外人之间有此区别：战争中掳来的外邦人，或用钱买来的，可以永久奴役，他们和他们的后裔；但本国弟兄至多只服事七年。神称这是他『将他们从埃及地领出来之时与他们所立的约』（耶34:13,14）。这是神赐给他们的头一项司法律法（出21:2），这律法有充分的理由。（1.）神已经尊荣那国，他也要他们自己维护那国的尊荣，使它与列国有别。（2.）神把他们从埃及的奴役中领出来，他也要他们借此表达对那恩惠的感恩之心，释放那些在他们家中『为奴』的人，正如埃及对他们的列祖一样。所以此处提及那次的拯救（耶34:13），作为这律法的根据。注意，神向我们施怜悯，当激励我们向弟兄施怜悯；我们当如同自己得释放那样释放人，如同自己蒙赦免那样赦免人，如同自己得救济那样救济人。这被称为『约』；因为我们履行所要求的本分，是神所赐恩惠得以延续的条件。
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他们和他们的列祖违背了这律法。世俗利益在他们身上比神的命令或神的约更有分量。他们的仆人服事他们七年之后，比刚来时更熟习他们的事务、更知道如何处理，所以他们那时无论如何也不肯放他们走——虽然神自己借律法已经使他们自由：『你们的列祖在这事上不听从我』（耶34:14）；所以他们从列祖的日子起就陷在这罪中；他们以为自己可以这样做，因为他们的列祖也这样做，他们的仆人也因久不使用而丧失了神为他们所作规定的益处；然而对于一条明文的律法——尤其是神明文的律法——任何风俗、惯例、时效，都不能作为借口。因他们和列祖的这罪，神如今使他们被奴役，是公义的。
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当他们被迦勒底军队围困、紧闭在内时，他们被告知自己在这事上的过错，便立即改革，释放了一切按神的律法有权得自由的仆人，正如法老在灾祸临到之时应许『让百姓去』，又约束自己以约而行。（1.）先知们忠实地就他们的罪警告他们。他们从先知那里听见自己应当让希伯来仆人『自由离去』（耶34:10）。他们本可自己从律法书中读到这事，却没有读，或不留意，所以先知们告诉他们律法是什么。可见传道之必要；百姓必须听传讲的道，因为他们不肯正用写下来的道。（2.）各等各级的人都赞同这改革。『王』、『首领』和『众民』都同意『释放他们的仆人』，无论这样做可能招致何等损失或损害。当王和首领带头行这善事，百姓也不致羞愧地跟随。大人物的榜样和影响在铲除最顽固的腐败上大有作用。（3.）他们以庄严的誓言和盟约约束自己如此行，借此向神和彼此负责。注意，神借他的诫命约束我们去行的事，我们借自己的应许约束自己去行，是好的。这约十分庄严：它在圣洁之处所立，『在我面前、在我名所称为名的殿中』而立（耶34:15），是在神特别的同在前——圣殿中那同在的记号当使他们肃然起敬，使他们在向他申诉时极其真诚。它以一个有意义的记号确认；他们『劈开牛犊从其中经过』（耶34:18-19），带着这可怕的咒诅：『我们若不履行如今所应许的，愿我们也照样被劈开。』这牛犊大概被献为祭给神，如此使神成为这约的一方。当神与亚伯拉罕立约时，为要确认这约，有『冒烟的炉』和『烧着的火把』从祭物的肉块中经过——是参照这立约的礼仪（创15:17）。注意，为要使我们有效地约束自己尽本分，以我们若轻视本分便自招的忿怒和咒祖的恐怖来警醒自己，是好的——那忿怒必将罪人『劈开』（太24:51），而感官的记号有助于使印象深刻持久，正如这里。（4.）他们在这事上遵行了神的命令和与神所立的约；他们『让仆人离去』，虽然此刻城被围困，他们极不愿意失去他们。如此他们『行神眼中看为正的事』（耶34:15）。虽是他们的患难驱使他们如此行，他却因此喜悦；他们若持守这向他们的仆人——向那些穷人——所施的怜悯，他们的太平也许可以延长（但4:27）。
II. 当围困似已解除、危险似已过去之时，他们又悔改自己的悔改，撤回自己所行的善，强迫所释放的仆人再回到各自服事之中。1.『巴比伦王的军队』如今『已经从你们这里上去』（耶34:21）。法老正带着埃及军队前来阻止巴比伦王胜利的推进，迦勒底人闻讯便暂时撤围，正如耶37:5所记：『他们从耶路撒冷撤退了。』请看神何等愿意在改革之初便停止他的审判，他不轻易发怒，又迅速施怜悯。他们一释放仆人，神就释放他们。2. 当他们开始以为自己已脱离围困之安危时，他们又使仆人回来再服事他们（耶34:11，又耶34:16）。这对仆人是大虐待，他们既尝过自由的滋味，奴役就更为难受。对自己是大羞耻，因为他们不能在善意之中保持良善的心意。但这特别是对神的冒犯；他们如此行便是『亵渎他的名』（耶34:16）。这是藐视他所给他们的命令，仿佛那毫无效力，他们可以随心守之或破之。这是藐视他们与他所立的约，又藐视他们在破坏那约时所招的自我咒诅。这是与全能的神戏耍，仿佛他可以被虚假的应许所欺哄——他们既达到目的，便以为自己不再受其约束。这是『用口向神说谎』，『用舌头谄媚他』。这又是藐视神的审判，公然向它挑战；仿佛一旦它的进程稍被阻止、稍被打断，就永不再进行，那审判永不再复兴；然而缓刑并非赦免；若被如此滥用，罪人借机再回到罪中，那不过是神圣报应更重打击的预备。
III. 他们如此待神诡诈，在此被严厉警告。『不要自欺；神是轻慢不得的。』那些想要以虚假的悔改、虚假的约、片面暂时的改革欺哄神的人，至终必发现自己欺哄自己的灵魂最为厉害；因为『耶和华他的名是忌邪者，是忌邪的神』。此处带着显然的不悦警告他们：1. 他们既不给他们仆人自由，让他们随意往来，神也必给他一切的审判自由，使它们不受阻挡地向他发作（耶34:17）：『你们没有向仆人宣告自由。』他们虽行了这事（耶34:10），却可以真实地说他们没有行——因为他们没有持守，又把它撤回；『不持久的不算为已成』。被离弃被转离的义必被忘记，『不再被记念』，仿佛从未有过（结18:24）。『所以我要向你们宣告自由；我必解雇你们不让我事奉，把你们赶出我的保护——那些离弃效忠的人便丧失这保护。你们可以自由选择你们要在哪种审判中被剪除——刀剑、饥荒或瘟疫』；如此的自由如同给大卫的选择，使他陷入『大难』（撒下24:14）。注意，那些不肯服在神律法之下的人，便把自己服在神的忿怒和咒诅之下。但这显明了向『罪』自由究竟是何意——不过是向最重的审判自由。2. 他们既把仆人带回他们家中的拘禁，神也必使他们在『天下万国中被抛来抛去』，他们必在那里过着奴役的生活，又是外人，不能指望自由民的特权。3. 他们既违背那以庄严咒诅所确认的约，神也必使他们所招的自我咒诅临到他们。神要凭他们自己的口审判他们，他们的判决也必如此；他们债券的刑罚必被追讨，因为他们没有履行条件；因为有人如此读耶34:18：『我必使违犯我约的人，如同他们所劈开的牛犊；我必把他们劈开，如同他们把它劈开。』4. 他们既不肯放手释放仆人，神也必将他们交在那些恨他们之人的手中，连『犹大和耶路撒冷』的『首领』和贵族（乡间的和城中的）、『太监』（内侍，或朝廷高官）、『祭司和众民』都一并交出（耶34:19）。他们都向神行事诡诈，因此必都无一例外地卷入共同的灭亡之中。他们必被『交给仇敌的手』，那些人所要的不是他们的财富或他们的服事，而是他们的『性命』；他们必得着所要的；但即便如此也不能满足他们：他们得了他们的性命，却让他们『尸首不得葬埋』，成为全人类的可憎之物，又是飞鸟走兽的易得之食，如此就给他们烙上持久的羞辱记号（耶34:20）。5. 他们既因迦勒底军从他们撤退而放胆回头去犯罪，违背自己的约，神也必因此使那军再临到他们：『他们如今「已经从你们这里上去」，你们的惊吓暂时止息；我却必「吩咐他们」转回原地；他们必「回到这城，攻取它，用火焚烧它」』（耶34:22）。注意，（1.）正如信靠神是临近拯救的指望的预兆，照样在罪中安逸是临近毁灭的凶兆。（2.）当审判从一百姓身上挪去——尚未完成其工——留下他们未被降卑、未被改革地离开，那是『存心要再回来』；他们不过退一退，要以更大的力量再上来；因为当神审判，他必得胜。（3.）当我们的宣告、托辞和好听应许曾给神造成指望，我们却使这些指望落空之时，神也必公义地使我们的指望落空——他的护理曾给我们的指望造成根据。我们若悔改自己所定意的善，神也必悔改他所定意的善。『乖僻的人，你以弯曲待他。』
英文原文
Transient Reformation; The Servants Re-enslaved (589 BC)
⁸ 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;
⁹ That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being a Hebrew or a 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 ye 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.
We have here another prophecy upon a particular occasion, the history of which we must take notice of, as necessary to give light to the prophecy.
I. When Jerusalem was closely besieged by the Chaldean army the princes and people agreed upon a reformation in one instance, and that was concerning their servants.
1. The law of God was very express, that those of their own nation should not be held in servitude above seven years, but, after they had served one apprenticeship, they should be discharged and have their liberty; yea, though they had sold themselves into servitude for the payment of their debts, or though they were sold by the judges for the punishment of their crimes. This difference was put between their brethren and strangers, that those of other nations taken in war, or bought with money, might be held in perpetual slavery, they and theirs; but their brethren must serve but for seven years at the longest. This God calls the covenant that he had made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt, Jer 34:13,14. This was the first of the judicial laws which God gave them (Ex 21:2), and there was good reason for this law. (1.) God had put honour upon that nation, and he would have them thus to preserve the honour of it themselves and to put a difference between it and other nations. (2.) God had brought them out of slavery in Egypt, and he would have them thus to express their grateful sense of that favour, by letting those go to whom their houses were houses of bondage, as Egypt had been to their forefathers. That deliverance is therefore mentioned here (Jer 34:13) as the ground of that law. Note, God's compassions towards us should engage our compassions towards our brethren; we must release as we are released, forgive as we are forgiven, and relieve as we are relieved. And this is called a covenant; for our performance of the duty required is the condition of the continuance of the favours God has bestowed.
2. This law they and their fathers had broken. Their worldly profit swayed more with them than God's command or covenant. When their servants had lived seven years with them they understood their business, and how to apply themselves to it, better than they did when they first came to them, and therefore they would then by no means part with them, though God himself by his law had made them free: Your fathers hearkened not to me in this matter (Jer 34:14), so that from the days of their fathers they had been in this trespass; and they thought they might do it because their fathers did it, and their servants had by disuse lost the benefit of the provision God made for them; whereas against an express law, especially against an express law of God, no custom, usage, nor prescription, is to be admitted in plea. For this sin of theirs, and their fathers, God now brought them into servitude, and justly.
3. When they were besieged, and closely shut in, by the army of the Chaldeans, they, being told of their fault in this matter, immediately reformed, and let go all their servants that were entitled to their freedom by the law of God, as Pharaoh, who, when the plague was upon him, consented to let the people go, and bound themselves in a covenant to do so. (1.) The prophets faithfully admonished them concerning their sin. From them they heard that they should let their Hebrew servants go free, Jer 34:10. They might have read it themselves in the book of the law, but did not, or did not heed it, therefore the prophets told them what the law was. See what need there is of the preaching of the word; people must hear the word preached because they will not make the use they ought to make of the word written. (2.) All orders and degrees of men concurred in this reformation. The king, and the princes, and all the people, agreed to let go their servants, whatever loss or damage they might sustain by so doing. When the king and princes led in this good work the people could not for shame but follow. The example and influence of great men would go very far towards extirpating the most inveterate corruptions. (3.) They bound themselves by a solemn oath and covenant that they would do this, whereby they engaged themselves to God and one another. Note, What God has bound us to by his precept, it is good for us to bind ourselves to by our promise. This covenant was very solemn: it was made in a sacred place, made before me, in the house which is called by my name (Jer 34:15), in the special presence of God, the tokens of which, in the temple, ought to strike an awe upon them and make them very sincere in their appeals to him. It was ratified by a significant sign; they cut a calf in two, and passed between the parts thereof (Jer 34:18,19) with this dreadful imprecation, "Let us be in like manner cut asunder if we do not perform what we now promise." This calf was probably offered up in sacrifice to God, who was thereby made a party to the covenant. When God covenanted with Abraham, for the ratification of it, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp passed between the pieces of the sacrifice, in allusion to this federal rite, Ge 15:17. Note, In order that we may effectually oblige ourselves to our duty, it is good to alarm ourselves with the apprehensions of the terror of the wrath and curse to which we expose ourselves if we live in the contempt of it, that wrath which will cut sinners asunder (Mt 24:51), and sensible signs may be of use to make the impressions of it deep and durable, as here. (4.) They conformed themselves herein to the command of God and their covenant with him; they did let their servants go, though at this time, when the city was besieged, they could very ill spare them. Thus they did right in God's sight, Jer 34:15. Though it was their trouble that drove them to it, yet he was well pleased with it; and if they had persevered in this act of mercy to the poor, to their poor servants, it might have been a lengthening of their tranquillity, Da 4:27.
II. When there was some hope that the siege was raised and the danger over they repented of their repentance, undid the good they had done, and forced the servants they had released into their respective services again. 1. The king of Babylon's army had now gone up from them, Jer 34:21. Pharaoh was bringing an army of Egyptians to oppose the progress of the king of Babylon's victories, upon the tidings of which the Chaldeans raised the siege for a time, as we find, Jer 37:5. They departed from Jerusalem. See how ready God was to put a stop to his judgments, upon the first instance of reformation, so slow is he to anger and so swift to show mercy. As soon as ever they let their servants go free God let them go free. 2. When they began to think themselves safe from the besiegers they made their servants come back into subjection to them, Jer 34:11, and again Jer 34:16. This was a great abuse to their servants, to whom servitude would be more irksome, after they had had some taste of the pleasures of liberty. It was a great shame to themselves that they could not keep in a good mind when they were in it. But it was especially an affront to God; in doing this they polluted his name, Jer 34:16. It was a contempt of the command he had given them, as if that were of no force at all, but they might either keep it or break it as they thought fit. It was a contempt of the covenant they had made with him, and of that wrath which they had imprecated upon themselves in case they should break that covenant. It was jesting with God almighty, as if he could be imposed upon by fallacious promises, which, when they had gained their point, they would look upon themselves no longer obliged by. it was lying to God with their mouths and flattering him with their tongues. It was likewise a contempt of the judgments of God and setting them at defiance; as if, when once the course of them was stopped a little and interrupted, they would never proceed again and the judgment would never be revived; whereas reprieves are so far from being pardons that if they be abused thus, and sinners take encouragement from them to return to sin, they are but preparatives for heavier strokes of divine vengeance.
III. For this treacherous dealing with God they are here severely threatened. Be not deceived; God is not mocked. Those that think to put a cheat upon God by a dissembled repentance, a fallacious covenant, and a partial temporary reformation, will prove in the end to have put the greatest cheat upon their own souls; for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. It is here threatened, with an observable air of displeasure against them, 1. That, since they had not given liberty to their servants to go where they pleased, God would give all his judgments liberty to take their course against them without control (Jer 34:17): You have not proclaimed liberty to your servants. Though they had done it (Jer 34:10), yet they might truly be said not to have done it, because they did not stand to it, but undid it again; and factum non dicitur quod non perseverat—that is not said to be done which does not last. The righteousness that is forsaken and turned away from shall be forgotten, and not mentioned any more than if it had never been, Eze 18:24. "Therefore I will proclaim a liberty for you; I will discharge you from my service, and put you out of my protection, which those forfeit that withdraw from their allegiance. You shall have liberty to choose which of these judgments you will be cut off by, sword, famine, or pestilence;" such a liberty as was offered to David, which put him into a great strait, 2Sa 24:14. Note, Those that will not be in subjection to the law of God put themselves into subjection to the wrath and curse of God. But this shows what liberty to sin really—it is but a liberty to the sorest judgments. 2. That, since they had brought their servants back into confinement in their houses, God would make them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth, where they should live in servitude, and, being strangers, could not expect the privileges of free-born subjects. 3. That, since they had broken the covenant which they ratified by a solemn imprecation, God would bring on them the evil which they imprecated upon themselves in case they should break it. Out of their own mouth will he judge them, and so shall their doom be; the penalty of their bond shall be recovered, because they have not performed the condition; for so some read Jer 34:18, "I will make the men which have transgressed my covenant as the calf which they cut in twain; I will divide them asunder as they divided it asunder." 4. That, since they would not let go their servants out of the hands, God would deliver them into the hands of those that hated them, even the princes and nobles both of Judah and Jerusalem (of the country and of the city), the eunuchs (chamberlains, or great officers of the court), the priests, and all the people, Jer 34:19. They had all dealt treacherously with God, and therefore shall all be involved in the common ruin without exception. They shall all be given unto the hand of their enemies, that seek, not their wealth only, or their service, but their life, and they shall have what they seek; but neither shall that content them: when they have their lives they shall leave their dead bodies unburied, a loathsome spectacle to all mankind and an easy prey to the fowls and beasts, a lasting mark of ignominy being hereby fastened on them, Jer 34:20. 5. That, since they had emboldened themselves in returning to their sin, contrary to their covenant, by the retreat of the Chaldean army from them, God would therefore bring it upon them again: "They have now gone up from you, and your fright is over for the present, but I will command them to face about as they were; they shall return to this city, and take it and burn it," Jer 34:22. Note, (1.) As confidence in God is a hopeful presage of approaching deliverance, so security in sin is a sad omen of approaching destruction. (2.) When judgments are removed from a people before they have done their work, leave them, but leave them unhumbled and unreformed, it is cum animo revertendi—with a design to return; they do but retreat to come on again with so much the greater force; for when God judges he will overcome. (3.) It is just with God to disappoint those expectations of mercy which his providence had given cause for when we disappoint those expectations of duty which our professions, pretensions, and fair promises, had given cause for. If we repent of the good we had purposed, God will repent of the good he had purposed. With the froward thou will show thyself froward.
本章记载神借耶利米所传的两个信息。一、其一预言犹大王西底家的命运——他必落入巴比伦王手中，必在被掳中度日，但最终必在被掳之地平安而死（耶 34:1-7）。二、其二宣告王与百姓因对神行事诡诈而遭受的厄运——他们按律法释放了仆婢，却又把他们带回复为奴仆，对神反反复复。他们既对神任意妄为（耶 34:8-11），神也必任意待他们，在他们开始指望已经摆脱迦勒底军队之时，再使那军队前来攻击他们（耶 34:12-22）。