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Jeremiah 34 Introduction
英文原文
The ordinary view of this prophecy Jeremiah 34, that it is a more full account of the narrative given in Jeremiah 32:3-5, is not so probable as that which takes it in connection with Jeremiah 21:1-14. Jeremiah had then informed Zedekiah by his messengers that Jerusalem would certainly be captured: but he was still in a condition to obtain good terms, and the prophet goes to him and lays before him the alternative. Zedekiah with all the obstinacy of a weak man chose to continue the war, and lost kingdom, eyesight, and liberty.
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Jeremiah 34:1
「人民」——宜作「萬民」（複數），即受一人統治之下的眾支派、眾民族。
英文原文
People - Peoples, i. e., tribes, races, under the rule of one man.
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Jeremiah 34:5
「平安」——見耶利米書12:12註。
「為你焚燒物件」——原文作「行焚燒」("Make ... burning")。所焚的大概是一堆堆的柴,加上香料只是為表特別的尊榮。猶太人並無焚燒屍體的習俗。這些焚燒之禮既取決於人們對已故王的敬重程度,本節便暗示一個興盛的治世——西底家若作巴比倫順服的藩屬,原可享有這樣的治世。
「我已命定這話」——即「我已說出這話」。
英文原文
In peace - See Jeremiah 12:12 note.
Burn odors - "Make a burning." The burning was probably that of piles of wood, and spices were added only as an special honor. It was not a Jewish custom to burn the dead. As these burnings depended upon the estimation in which the dead king was held, the verse implies a prosperous reign, such as Zedekiah might have had as an obedient vassal to BabyIon.
I have pronounced the word - I have spoken the word.
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Jeremiah 34:7
這標明了確切的時間：那時戰事方啟，尼布甲尼撒的大軍仍在應付外圍的堡壘。拉吉和亞西加是朝埃及方向平原上的堅固城邑，迦勒底人必須先攻取它們，才能向耶路撒冷進軍；否則埃及人可能在那裏集結，反過來攻擊他們。
英文原文
This marks the exact time, that it was early in the campaign, while the outlying fortresses still occupied the attention of Nebuchadnezzars army. Lachish and Azekah were strong cities in the plain toward Egypt and must be taken before the Chaldseans could march upon Jerusalem: otherwise the Egyptians might collect there and fall upon them.
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Jeremiah 34:8
解經家通常說，有關釋放希伯來奴僕的律法，以及安息年讓土地休息的律法，都未被遵守。但這段記敘教導我們的恰恰相反。這次釋放奴僕，是西底家和百姓自發的行動。他們知道這律法，並承認其約束力。對律法的遵守無疑是鬆懈的：多數人讓一己私利佔了上風；但少數人使強權向公理讓路，西底家也支持他們的努力，只是方式軟弱。
西底家九年一月初，迦勒底大軍逼近耶路撒冷。百姓與王立約——王似乎是這措施的推動者——要釋放他們的奴僕自由。其中或許也有愛國心的成分：耶路撒冷城防堅固，各階層或都指望奴僕一旦得釋放，也會更甘心盡力抵禦敵人。同年夏天，埃及人前來救援，尼布甲尼撒便撤軍迎擊。猶太人卻以令人錯愕的輕率——使他們在我們眼前顯得極其可鄙——立刻強迫已釋放的奴僕重回捆鎖。耶利米以高貴的義憤斥責他們的背信，向他們保證迦勒底大軍必將捲土重來，並警告他們所深深應得的刑罰必然臨到。
Jeremiah 34:8
迦勒底大軍橫掃全國之際，富戶都會攜家帶眷逃往耶路撒冷。摩西律法在京城大概比在鄉間遵守得更嚴，因此這些人家中衰老的奴僕，可能已觸怒了京中較嚴謹的人。
「向他們宣告自由」——這些話正是向百姓宣告禧年時所用的；宣告之後，釋放奴僕便成為他們的本分。
英文原文
It is usual with commentators to say that, the laws dealing with the emancipation of the Hebrew slaves, as also that of the land resting during the sabbatical year, were not observed. The narrative teaches us the exact contrary. The manumission of the slaves on the present occasion was the spontaneous act of Zedekiah and the people. They knew of the law, and acknowledged its obligation. The observance of it was, no doubt, lax: the majority let their own selfish interests prevail; but the minority made might give way to right, and Zedekiah supported their efforts though only in a weak way.
Early in January, in the ninth year of Zedekiah, the Chaldaean army approached Jerusalem. The people made a covenant with the king, who appears as the abettor of the measure, to let their slaves go free. Possibly patriotism had its share in this: and as Jerusalem was strongly fortified, all classes possibly hoped that if the slaves were manumitted, they too would labor with a more hearty good-will in resisting the enemy. In the summer of the same year the Egyptians advanced to the rescue, and Nebuchadnezzar withdrew to meet their attack. The Jews with a strange levity, which sets them before us in a most despicable light, at once forced the manumitted slaves back into bondage. With noble indignation Jeremiah rebukes them for their treachery, assures them that the Chaldaean army will return, and warns them of the certainty of the punishment which they so richly merited.
Jeremiah 34:8
As the Chaldaean army swept over the country the wealthier classes would all flee to Jerusalem, taking with them their households. And as the Mosaic Law was probably more carefully kept there than in the country, the presence in these families of slaves who had grown grey in service may have given offence to the stricter classes at the capital.
To proclaim liberty unto them - The words are those of the proclamation of the year of jubile to the people, whereupon it became their duty to set their slaves free.
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Jeremiah 34:9
「使自己受他們的服事」——意即使他們服事自己（見 Jeremiah 25:14）。
英文原文
Should serve himself of them - Should make them serve him (see Jeremiah 25:14).
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Jeremiah 34:11
「後來卻又……叫……回來」——但後來他們又使奴僕回來服事。
英文原文
They turned, and caused ... to return - But afterward they again made the slaves return.
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Jeremiah 34:13
「奴僕之家」——指悲慘的監牢：奴隸們成群地在田間勞作一整天之後，夜裏就被關在那裏。
英文原文
The house of bondmen - The miserable prison in which, after being worked in the fields all day in gangs, the slaves were shut up at night.
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Jeremiah 34:16
「隨自己的心意」——按字面是「為自己」。
英文原文
At their pleasure - literally, for themselves.
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Jeremiah 34:17
「我必使你們……交出」——即「我必使你們成為……的驚駭」。人們看見他們就戰兢。
英文原文
I will make you to be removed into - "I will cause you to be a terror unto." Men would shudder at them.
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Jeremiah 34:18
「他們的話……」——猶太人說「切」約，因為立約的雙方把牛犢切成兩半，從兩半中間經過。因此，切約與把牛犢切成兩半，是同一回事。
英文原文
The words ... - The Jews spoke of "cutting" a covenant, because the contracting parties cut a calf in twain and passed between the pieces. Thus cutting a covenant and cutting a calf in twain, meant the same thing.
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Jeremiah 34:21
「從你們那裏上去的」——即如今暫時撤去、解了圍的。
英文原文
Which are gone up from you - i. e., which have departed for the present, and have raised the siege.
關於這段預言（Jeremiah 34），一般的看法認為它是 Jeremiah 32:3-5 所載敘述的更詳盡記載；但與將它連於 Jeremiah 21:1-14 的看法相比，前者未必更可信。耶利米那時已藉使者告知西底家，耶路撒冷必被攻取；但他仍有可能獲得寬大的條件，於是先知到他那裏，把取捨的抉擇擺在他面前。西底家以弱者所特有的一切頑固選擇繼續作戰，結果失去了國度、視力和自由。