Jeremiah 34:17

KJV

Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

KJV (with Strong's)

Therefore thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}; Ye have not hearkened {H8085} unto me, in proclaiming {H7121} liberty {H1865}, every one {H376} to his brother {H251}, and every man {H376} to his neighbour {H7453}: behold, I proclaim {H7121} a liberty {H1865} for you, saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}, to the sword {H2719}, to the pestilence {H1698}, and to the famine {H7458}; and I will make {H5414} you to be removed {H2189}{H2113} into all the kingdoms {H4467} of the earth {H776}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Therefore here is what ADONAI says: 'You did not heed me and proclaim freedom, each to his brother and each to his neighbor; so now I proclaim for you a freedom,' says ADONAI, 'for sword, plague and famine. I will make you an object of horror to all the kingdoms on earth.

Berean Standard Bible

Therefore this is what the LORD says: You have not obeyed Me; you have not proclaimed freedom, each man for his brother and for his neighbor. So now I proclaim freedom for you, declares the LORD—freedom to fall by sword, by plague, and by famine! I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

American Standard Version

Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Ye have not hearkened unto me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim unto you a liberty, saith Jehovah, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 34:17 delivers a severe divine judgment against the people of Judah and King Zedekiah for their blatant hypocrisy and disobedience. After making a solemn covenant to free their Hebrew slaves in accordance with Mosaic Law, they quickly reneged on their promise, re-enslaving those they had just liberated. In response, the LORD declares an ironic "liberty" for them – not freedom from bondage, but freedom to face the devastating consequences of sword, pestilence, and famine, ultimately culminating in their forced removal and dispersion into all the kingdoms of the earth. This verse powerfully underscores God's unwavering justice in the face of covenant-breaking and social injustice.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Jeremiah 34 is set during the tumultuous final siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian army, a period of immense national crisis for Judah. The immediate preceding verses [Jeremiah 34:1-7](/jeremiah/34-1 "Jeremiah 34:1-7 - Prophecy Against Zedekiah") detail Jeremiah's prophecy to King Zedekiah concerning Jerusalem's fall and Zedekiah's capture. In a desperate attempt to appease God and perhaps gain favor, King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem had made a solemn covenant to free all their Hebrew slaves, a practice aligned with the Mosaic Law concerning the release of servants after six years [Exodus 21:2](/exodus/21-2 "Exodus 21:2 - Law of Hebrew Servants") and [Deuteronomy 15:12](/deuteronomy/15-12 "Deuteronomy 15:12 - Release of Servants"). This act of liberation is recorded in [Jeremiah 34:8-10](/jeremiah/34-8 "Jeremiah 34:8-10 - The Covenant to Free Slaves"). However, as the Babylonian threat temporarily receded, the people swiftly broke their covenant, re-enslaving those they had just freed [Jeremiah 34:11](/jeremiah/34-11 "Jeremiah 34:11 - The Broken Covenant"). Jeremiah 34:17 is God's indignant and severe response to this profound act of hypocrisy and covenant violation, directly linking their failure to grant liberty to His declaration of a different, punitive "liberty."
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Kingdom of Judah was in its death throes, caught between the declining power of Egypt and the rising might of Babylon. Jerusalem was under siege, a common tactic of warfare in the ancient Near East, which often led to famine and disease within the besieged city. The practice of slavery was widespread, but Mosaic Law provided unique protections and provisions for Hebrew slaves, including their release in the seventh year or at the Jubilee [Leviticus 25:10](/leviticus/25-10 "Leviticus 25:10 - The Year of Jubilee"). The covenant made by Zedekiah and the people was an acknowledgement, albeit temporary and self-serving, of these divine commands. Their subsequent re-enslavement of their kin was a grave violation of both the covenant they made with God and the fundamental principles of justice and compassion embedded in the Law, demonstrating a profound spiritual bankruptcy and a lack of genuine repentance.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Jeremiah and the broader Old Testament narrative. It highlights the theme of **Covenant Faithfulness and Breaking**, showcasing God's expectation of obedience to His covenant stipulations and the severe consequences of their violation. The people's failure to "proclaim liberty" to their neighbors directly mirrors their spiritual bondage and rebellion against God. It also underscores the theme of **Divine Justice and Retribution**, as God's response is a direct and ironic consequence of their actions, demonstrating that He holds His people accountable for social injustice and hypocrisy. The "liberty" to sword, pestilence, and famine, culminating in exile, exemplifies the theme of **Consequences of Disobedience** and the **Sovereignty of God** in executing judgment. Finally, it reinforces God's enduring concern for **Social Ethics and Compassion**, particularly for the vulnerable, revealing that true worship involves right relationships with both God and neighbor, as seen in passages like [Micah 6:8](/micah/6-8 "Micah 6:8 - What the LORD Requires").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **liberty (Hebrew, _dᵉrôwr'_):** From an unused root meaning "to move rapidly," this word signifies freedom, spontaneity of outflow, and purity. It is the same term used in [Leviticus 25:10](/leviticus/25-10 "Leviticus 25:10 - The Jubilee Proclamation") to describe the release of slaves and return of land in the Jubilee year, a time of national restoration and freedom. In Jeremiah 34:17, God employs this term with profound irony, transforming a concept of positive, redemptive freedom into a declaration of punitive, destructive freedom – liberty *to* judgment rather than *from* bondage.
* **proclaim (Hebrew, _qârâʼ'_):** A primitive root meaning "to call out to," "address by name," or "to make proclamation." It carries the sense of a public, authoritative declaration. The people were commanded to "proclaim liberty" (a public act of release), but they failed to do so. In response, God Himself "proclaims" a different kind of liberty, emphasizing His divine authority and the certainty of His judgment, which will be publicly and devastatingly enacted upon them.
* **removed (Hebrew, _zᵉvâʻâh'_):** This word, along with its related form _zaʻăvâh_ (H2189), stems from a root meaning "to move rapidly" or "to agitate." It conveys the sense of agitation, fear, trouble, or vexation, leading to being violently "removed" or scattered. Here, it vividly describes the forced displacement and scattering of the people of Judah into exile, a direct consequence of their unfaithfulness. It speaks to the terror and upheaval of being uprooted from their land and dispersed among foreign nations.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour:"** This clause establishes the divine indictment. God, as the ultimate authority, directly confronts His people's disobedience. Their failure to "hearken" (listen and obey) is specifically tied to their refusal to uphold the covenant to free their fellow Israelites. The phrase "every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour" emphasizes the widespread and communal nature of this sin, highlighting their collective disregard for both divine law and their human obligations to kin.
* **"behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine;"** Here, God declares His ironic and punitive "liberty." Because they refused to grant true liberty, God will grant them a "liberty" to the instruments of divine judgment: the sword (warfare, violence), the pestilence (disease, plague), and the famine (starvation). This is a direct, reciprocal judgment, where the consequences precisely fit the crime. The repetition of "saith the LORD" underscores the divine origin and certainty of this pronouncement.
* **"and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth."** This final clause specifies the ultimate and most severe consequence: forced exile and dispersion. Their "liberty" to the instruments of judgment will culminate in their removal from their promised land and scattering "into all the kingdoms of the earth." This is the antithesis of the freedom they denied others, representing a complete loss of national sovereignty, homeland, and identity, fulfilling earlier prophetic warnings of exile for covenant unfaithfulness.

#### Literary Devices
The most prominent literary device in Jeremiah 34:17 is **Irony**. God uses the very word "liberty" (_dᵉrôwr_) that the people failed to extend to their fellow Israelites, but He redefines it in a terrifyingly punitive way. Instead of freedom *from* bondage, it becomes freedom *to* destruction and exile. This sharp contrast highlights the severity of their sin and the precise nature of divine retribution. Additionally, there is **Anthropomorphism**, as God is depicted as actively "proclaiming" liberty, mirroring the human action they failed to perform. The listing of "sword, pestilence, and famine" serves as a **Tricolon**, a rhetorical device using three parallel words or phrases, which emphasizes the comprehensive and inescapable nature of the impending judgment. These three elements are also a form of **Metonymy**, where the instruments of destruction stand in for the calamities themselves: war, disease, and starvation.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 34:17 profoundly illustrates the interconnectedness of covenant obedience, social justice, and divine judgment. The people's failure to honor their covenant with God by extending liberty to their enslaved brethren was not merely a social infraction but a direct affront to God's character and His righteous law. This passage reveals that God's justice is not arbitrary but often mirrors the actions of His people; their refusal to grant freedom leads to their own loss of freedom and security. It underscores the biblical principle that genuine faith is demonstrated through righteous living and compassion for the vulnerable, and that a disregard for these principles invites severe divine consequences.

* [Leviticus 25:10](/leviticus/25-10 "The Jubilee Proclamation of Liberty")
* [Deuteronomy 15:12-15](/deuteronomy/15-12 "The Law of Releasing Servants")
* [Galatians 6:7](/galatians/6-7 "Sowing and Reaping")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 34:17 serves as a stark reminder that God takes our promises and our treatment of others with utmost seriousness. The hypocrisy of the people of Judah, who made a covenant when under duress only to break it when the immediate threat receded, speaks to the danger of superficial repentance and self-serving obedience. For believers today, this passage challenges us to examine the integrity of our own commitments, both to God and to our fellow human beings. Are we truly living out the principles of justice, compassion, and freedom that God calls us to, or are we selectively applying them based on convenience or self-interest? It compels us to consider how our actions, particularly toward the marginalized and vulnerable, reflect our true heart condition before God, and to recognize that a failure to extend mercy and justice can lead to unintended and severe consequences in our own lives, both spiritually and practically.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be making promises or commitments, either to God or to others, that I am not fully honoring?**
* **How does my treatment of the vulnerable or marginalized in society reflect my understanding of God's justice and compassion?**
* **Am I willing to extend "liberty" – grace, forgiveness, or release – to others, even when it costs me something?**
* **What are the potential "swords, pestilences, and famines" (consequences) that might arise in my life if I consistently disregard God's commands and principles of justice?**

### FAQ
**What was the "liberty" the people were supposed to proclaim?**

Answer: The "liberty" the people were commanded to proclaim referred to the release of their Hebrew slaves, as stipulated by Mosaic Law. Specifically, [Deuteronomy 15:12](/deuteronomy/15-12 "Deuteronomy 15:12 - Release of Servants") mandated that Hebrew servants were to be set free after six years of service. This practice was also tied to the concept of the Jubilee year, where all Israelite slaves were to be freed and ancestral lands returned [Leviticus 25:10](/leviticus/25-10 "Leviticus 25:10 - The Jubilee Year"). The people of Judah, under siege from Babylon, had made a covenant to implement this law [Jeremiah 34:8-10](/jeremiah/34-8 "Jeremiah 34:8-10 - The Covenant to Free Slaves"), but then quickly broke it by re-enslaving those they had freed [Jeremiah 34:11](/jeremiah/34-11 "Jeremiah 34:11 - The Broken Covenant").

**How is God's "liberty" to the sword, pestilence, and famine an ironic judgment?**

Answer: God's proclamation of "liberty" is deeply ironic because it uses the very term for a positive, redemptive act (freedom from slavery) to describe a negative, punitive outcome. The people refused to grant true liberty to their fellow humans; therefore, God declares a "liberty" *for them* to face devastating consequences. This "liberty" is not freedom *from* suffering, but freedom *to* experience the full force of divine judgment through war (sword), disease (pestilence), and starvation (famine). It highlights the principle of divine retribution, where the punishment fittingly corresponds to the crime, turning their desired freedom from obligation into a terrifying freedom to destruction and exile.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 34:17, with its stark portrayal of a broken covenant and ironic judgment, finds its ultimate fulfillment and reversal in Jesus Christ. The people of Judah failed to "proclaim liberty" to their brethren, demonstrating their inability to perfectly uphold God's righteous law and their deep-seated sinfulness. This failure led to a "liberty" of judgment, culminating in exile and separation from their land. In contrast, Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled the law and proclaimed true liberty, not just from human bondage but from the spiritual bondage of sin and death. He is the one who truly sets the captives free [Isaiah 61:1](/isaiah/61-1 "Isaiah 61:1 - The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me"), quoted by Jesus in [Luke 4:18-19](/luke/4-18 "Luke 4:18-19 - Jesus Proclaims His Mission"). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Christ bore the "sword, pestilence, and famine" of divine judgment that humanity deserved, offering Himself as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world [John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"). The "removal into all the kingdoms of the earth" for Judah foreshadows the spiritual dispersion of humanity due to sin, but Christ's resurrection and ascension inaugurate a new kingdom, gathering people from every tribe and nation into one body [Revelation 7:9](/revelation/7-9 "Revelation 7:9 - A Multitude from Every Nation"). Thus, where Judah's broken covenant led to a liberty of destruction, Christ's perfect obedience and sacrificial love offer genuine liberty and eternal life to all who believe, bringing them into true fellowship with God and one another [Galatians 5:1](/galatians/5-1 "Galatians 5:1 - Freedom in Christ").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Matthew 7:2

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Galatians 6:7

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Jeremiah 29:18

And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:

Deuteronomy 28:25

The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

Jeremiah 32:24

Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest [it].

Esther 7:10

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

Jeremiah 15:4

And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for [that] which he did in Jerusalem.