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,
• 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—
• 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 now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again. 17“Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you, declares the Lord—‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth. 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. 19The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf, 20I 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.

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 17:2If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the Lord gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God in violation of his covenant,
• Joshua 7:11Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.
• Joshua 23:16If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.”
• Hosea 6:7As at Adam, they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me there.
• Hosea 8:1“Put the trumpet to your lips! An eagle is over the house of the Lord because the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.
• Deuteronomy 29:12You are standing here in order to enter into a covenant with the Lord your God, a covenant the Lord is making with you this day and sealing with an oath,
• Joshua 9:7The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?”
• Genesis 15:10Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half.
• Psalms 50:1The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.

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