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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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—
• 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—

Context of Jeremiah 34:18

16But then you turned right around and showed that you did not honor me. Each of you took back your male and female slaves whom you had freed as they desired, and you forced them to be your slaves again. 17So I, the Lord, say: “You have not really obeyed me and granted freedom to your neighbor and fellow countryman. Therefore, I will grant you freedom, the freedom to die in war, or by starvation or disease. I, the Lord, affirm it! I will make all the kingdoms of the earth horrified at what happens to you. I will punish those people who have violated their covenant with me. I will make them like the calf they cut in two and passed between its pieces. I will do so because they did not keep the terms of the covenant they made in my presence. 19I will punish the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests, and all the other people of the land who passed between the pieces of the calf. 20I will hand them over to their enemies who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.

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 17:2Suppose a man or woman is discovered among you – in one of your villages that the Lord your God is giving you – who sins before the Lord your God and breaks his covenant
• Joshua 7:11Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenantal commandment! They have taken some of the riches; they have stolen them and deceitfully put them among their own possessions.
• Joshua 23:16If you violate the covenantal laws of the Lord your God which he commanded you to keep, and follow, worship, and bow down to other gods, the Lord will be very angry with you and you will disappear quickly from the good land which he gave to you.”
• Hosea 6:7At Adam they broke the covenant; Oh how they were unfaithful to me!
• Hosea 8:1Sound the alarm! An eagle looms over the temple of the Lord! For they have broken their covenant with me, and have rebelled against my law.
• Deuteronomy 29:12so that you may enter by oath into the covenant the Lord your God is making with you today.
• Joshua 9:7The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us. So how can we make a treaty with you?”
• Genesis 15:10So Abram took all these for him and then cut them in two and placed each half opposite the other, but he did not cut the birds in half.
• Psalms 50:1El, God, the Lord speaks, and summons the earth to come from the east and west.

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