Jeremiah 34:18

Jeremiah 34:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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,
• New International Version (NIV)Those who have violated 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 and then walked between its pieces.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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 they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it—
• New Living Translation (NLT)Because you have broken the terms of our covenant, I will cut you apart just as you cut apart the calf when you walked between its halves to solemnize your vows.

Context of Jeremiah 34:18

16but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your slaves. 17"Therefore, thus says the Lord: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the Lord. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. And the men who transgressed my covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant that they made before me, I will make them like the calf that they cut in two and passed between its parts— 19the officials of Judah, the officials of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf. 20And I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives. Their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.

Jeremiah 34:18 word by word

וְנָתַתִּ֣י אֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הָעֹֽבְרִים֙ אֶת־בְּרִתִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־הֵקִ֙ימוּ֙ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י הַבְּרִ֔ית אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּרְת֖וּ לְפָנָ֑י הָעֵ֙גֶל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּרְת֣וּ לִשְׁנַ֔יִם וַיַּעַבְר֖וּ בֵּ֥ין בְּתָרָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And I will giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: makeH5414
• the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• that have transgressedעָבַר‛âbar · to pass: trespassH5674
• my covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
• which have not performedקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
• the wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · word: promisedH1697
• which they had madeכָּרַתkârath · to cut: make(covenant)H3772
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• me, when they cutכָּרַתkârath · to cut: cutH3772
• the calfעֵ֫גֶל‛êgel · calfH5695
• in twainשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• and passedעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• between the partsבֶּ֫תֶרbether · partH1335

Cross-references for Jeremiah 34:18

• Deuteronomy 17:2"If there is found among you, within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing his covenant,
• Joshua 7:11Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.
• Joshua 23:16if you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you."
• Hosea 6:7But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.
• Hosea 8:1Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law.
• Deuteronomy 29:12so that you may enter into the sworn covenant of the Lord your God, which the Lord your God is making with you today,
• Joshua 9:7But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, "Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?"
• Genesis 15:10And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half.
• Psalms 50:1The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 34:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18When they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof - This was the ancient and most solemn way of making a covenant. A calf as sacrifice was offered to God to secure his approbation and support. The victim was then exactly divided from the nose to the rump; the spinal marrow being divided longitudinally, in the most careful manner, that the half of it might remain on each side. These divided parts were laid opposite to each other, a…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8-22Verses 8-22 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-22Verses 8-22 A Jew should not be held in servitude above seven years. This law they and their fathers had broken. And when there was some hope that the siege was raised, they forced the servants they had released into their services again. Those who think to cheat God by dissembled repentance and partial reformation, put the greatest cheat upon their own souls. This shows that liberty to sin, is really only liberty to have the sorest judgments. It is just…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-20Because they broke their covenant, the Lord would separate them from his protection. This expression refers to a covenant ceremony where they killed and cut a calf into two parts from head to tail. Those making a covenant walked between the pieces to show they agreed to be cut apart if they broke the covenant (see Genesis 15:9–18). All classes of people in Judah broke their oath, so they would all receive the punishment they agreed to.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. passed between the parts thereof--The contracting parties in the "covenant" (not here the law in general, but their covenant made before God in His house to emancipate their slaves, Jr 34:8, 9) passed through the parts of the animal cut in two, implying that they prayed so to be cut in sunder (Mt 24:51; Greek, "cut in two") if they should break the covenant (Ge 15:10, 17).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 34:18

• Covenant
• Sabbatic Year
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Alliance
• Calf
• Covenant
• Calf, Golden
• Covenant, in the Old Testament
• Elijah
• Text of the Old Testament
• Zedekiah (2)
• Oath
• Zedekiah

Commentaries on Jeremiah 34

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings