Jeremiah 34:20

Jeremiah 34:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)I will deliver into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies shall be for meat for the birds of the heaven and the beasts of the earth.
• New Living Translation (NLT)I will give you to your enemies, and they will kill you. Your bodies will be food for the vultures and wild animals.

Context of Jeremiah 34:20

18And 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. And 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. 21And Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials I will give into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives, into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon which has withdrawn from you. 22Behold, I will command, declares the Lord, and will bring them back to this city. And they will fight against it and take it and burn it with fire. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant."

Jeremiah 34:20 word by word

וְנָתַתִּ֤י אוֹתָם֙ בְּיַ֣ד אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְיַ֖ד מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְהָיְתָ֤ה נִבְלָתָם֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל לְע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּלְבֶהֱמַ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I will even giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• them into the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• of their enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
• of them that seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• their lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• and their dead bodiesנְבֵלָהnebêlâh · carcassH5038
• shall be for meatמַאֲכָלma'ăkâl · foodH3978
• unto the fowlsעוֹף‛ôph · birdH5775
• of the heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• and to the beastsבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
• of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776

Cross-references for Jeremiah 34:20

• Jeremiah 4:30And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life.
• Jeremiah 11:21Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, "Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand"—
• Jeremiah 21:7Afterward, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people in this city who survive the pestilence, sword, and famine into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their lives. He shall strike them down with the edge of the sword. He shall not pity them or spare them or have compassion.'
• Jeremiah 22:25and give you into the hand of those who seek your life, into the hand of those of whom you are afraid, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans.
• Jeremiah 38:16Then King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, "As the Lord lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hand of these men who seek your life."
• Jeremiah 44:30Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life, as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and sought his life."
• Jeremiah 49:37I will terrify Elam before their enemies and before those who seek their life. I will bring disaster upon them, my fierce anger, declares the Lord. I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them,
• Jeremiah 7:33And the dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the air, and for the beasts of the earth, and none will frighten them away.
• Jeremiah 16:4They shall die of deadly diseases. They shall not be lamented, nor shall they be buried. They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground. They shall perish by the sword and by famine, and their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth.
• Jeremiah 19:7And in this place I will make void the plans of Judah and Jerusalem, and will cause their people to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life. I will give their dead bodies for food to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the earth.
• 1 Samuel 17:44The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field."
• 1 Kings 14:11Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat, for the Lord has spoken it."'
• 1 Kings 16:4Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat."
• 1 Kings 21:23And of Jezebel the Lord also said, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.'
• 2 Kings 9:34Then he went in and ate and drank. And he said, "See now to this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king's daughter."
• Ezekiel 29:5And I will cast you out into the wilderness, you and all the fish of your streams; you shall fall on the open field, and not be brought together or gathered. To the beasts of the earth and to the birds of the heavens I give you as food.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 34:20

• 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. 2020. I will even give--resuming the sentence begun, but not completed (Jr 34:18), "I will give," &c. seek their life--implacably: satisfied with nothing short of their blood; not content with booty. dead bodies--The breakers of the covenant shall be cut in pieces, as the calf between whose parts they passed.Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 34:20

• Covenant
• Sabbatic Year
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Zedekiah (2)
• 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