Jeremiah 34:20

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

I will hand them over to their enemies, hand them over to those who seek their lives; and their corpses will become food for birds in the air and wild animals.

Berean Standard Bible:

I will deliver into the hands of their enemies who seek their lives. Their corpses will become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.

American Standard Version:

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 food unto the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the earth.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

I will even give^{H5414} them into the hand^{H3027} of their enemies^{H341}, and into the hand^{H3027} of them that seek^{H1245} their life^{H5315}: and their dead bodies^{H5038} shall be for meat^{H3978} unto the fowls^{H5775} of the heaven^{H8064}, and to the beasts^{H929} of the earth^{H776}.

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Commentary for Jeremiah 34:20

Jeremiah 34:20 is a part of the prophetic book of Jeremiah, which contains the messages and actions of the prophet Jeremiah. This verse is situated within a broader context of God's judgment against Judah for their disobedience and idolatry. In the verses leading up to 34:20, Jeremiah conveys the Lord's message about the impending doom that will befall Judah due to their failure to uphold their covenant with God, specifically their failure to release Hebrew slaves as commanded in the Law (Exodus 21:2-6; Deuteronomy 15:12-18).

The historical context of this verse is set during the reign of King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, around the time of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem (circa 589-586 BCE). Despite temporary compliance with the divine command to free their Hebrew slaves, the people of Judah quickly reneged on their promise, leading to this severe pronouncement of judgment.

In Jeremiah 34:20, the Lord, through the prophet, declares that because of their disobedience and injustice, He will deliver the people of Judah into the hands of their enemies—those seeking their destruction. The verse vividly portrays the consequences of their actions: their corpses will be left exposed on the battlefield, serving as food for scavenging birds and wild animals. This graphic imagery emphasizes the totality of the defeat and the utter disregard for the sanctity of human life that will result from their violation of God's covenant.

The themes present in this verse include divine justice, the consequences of breaking covenantal promises, and the gravity of social injustice, particularly the failure to uphold the rights and dignity of the enslaved. It also reflects the broader biblical theme of God's sovereignty over nations and His use of foreign powers as instruments of judgment. Jeremiah 34:20 serves as a stark warning of the severe repercussions that come with forsaking God's law and highlights the importance of repentance and obedience in the covenant relationship between God and His people.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H5414
   There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָתַן
   Transliteration: nâthan
   Pronunciation: naw-than'
   Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
   
2. Strong's Number: H3027
   There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָד
   Transliteration: yâd
   Pronunciation: yawd
   Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves.
   
3. Strong's Number: H341
   There are 481 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֹיֵב
   Transliteration: ʼôyêb
   Pronunciation: o-yabe'
   Description: or (fully) אוֹיֵב; active participle of אָיַב; hating; an adversary; enemy, foe.
   
4. Strong's Number: H1245
   There are 215 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בָּקַשׁ
   Transliteration: bâqash
   Pronunciation: baw-kash'
   Description: a primitive root; to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after; ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).
   
5. Strong's Number: H5315
   There are 683 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נֶפֶשׁ
   Transliteration: nephesh
   Pronunciation: neh'-fesh
   Description: from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.
   
6. Strong's Number: H5038
   There are 41 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נְבֵלָה
   Transliteration: nᵉbêlâh
   Pronunciation: neb-ay-law'
   Description: from נָבֵל; a flabby thing, i.e. a carcase or carrion (human or bestial, often collectively); figuratively, an idol; (dead) body, (dead) carcase, dead of itself, which died, (beast) that (which) dieth of itself.
   
7. Strong's Number: H3978
   There are 29 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מַאֲכָל
   Transliteration: maʼăkâl
   Pronunciation: mah-ak-awl'
   Description: from אָכַל; an eatable (includ. provender, flesh and fruit); food, fruit, (bake-)meat(-s), victual.
   
8. Strong's Number: H5775
   There are 70 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עוֹף
   Transliteration: ʻôwph
   Pronunciation: ofe
   Description: from עוּף; a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collectively; bird, that flieth, flying, fowl.
   
9. Strong's Number: H8064
   There are 395 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁמַיִם
   Transliteration: shâmayim
   Pronunciation: shaw-mah'-yim
   Description: dual of an unused singular שָׁמֶה; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve); air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).
   
10. Strong's Number: H929
    There are 172 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בְּהֵמָה
    Transliteration: bᵉhêmâh
    Pronunciation: be-hay-maw'
    Description: from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute); properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective); beast, cattle.
    
11. Strong's Number: H776
    There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֶרֶץ
    Transliteration: ʼerets
    Pronunciation: eh'-rets
    Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.