Jeremiah 34:19

KJV

The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf;

KJV (with Strong's)

The princes {H8269} of Judah {H3063}, and the princes {H8269} of Jerusalem {H3389}, the eunuchs {H5631}, and the priests {H3548}, and all the people {H5971} of the land {H776}, which passed {H5674} between the parts {H1335} of the calf {H5695};

Complete Jewish Bible

the leaders of Y'hudah, the leaders of Yerushalayim, the officials, the cohanim and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf;

Berean Standard Bible

The officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the pieces of the calf,

American Standard Version

the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, that passed between the parts of the calf;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 34:19 meticulously lists the diverse strata of Judean society—from the highest political and religious authorities to the general populace—who participated in a sacred covenant ritual. This solemn oath, enacted by walking between the severed halves of a calf, bound them to release their Hebrew slaves, a promise they later flagrantly and hypocritically violated. The verse serves as a precise indictment, highlighting the widespread complicity in this profound act of covenant-breaking that directly precipitated God's severe judgment upon Jerusalem.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is deeply embedded within the unfolding narrative of Jeremiah 34, which chronicles the climactic period of Jerusalem's final siege by Babylon (588-586 BC). Following an initial, desperate attempt by King Zedekiah and the people to appease God by freeing Hebrew slaves in accordance with Mosaic Law (as detailed in [Jeremiah 34:8-10](/jeremiah/34-8-10 "Jeremiah 34:8-10 - The Covenant to Free Slaves")), the Babylonian army temporarily withdrew. This brief respite exposed the superficiality of their repentance, as the very groups enumerated in verse 19 reneged on their sacred promise, re-enslaving those they had just freed ([Jeremiah 34:11](/jeremiah/34-11 "Jeremiah 34:11 - The People Break Their Covenant")). Jeremiah 34:19 thus functions as a critical indictment, explicitly identifying all parties responsible for this egregious breach of covenant, setting the stage for God's intensified and severe judgment declared immediately thereafter in [Jeremiah 34:17-22](/jeremiah/34-17-22 "Jeremiah 34:17-22 - God's Judgment for Broken Covenant"), where He promises to unleash "the sword, the famine, and the pestilence" upon them.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical setting is the dire final siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar's forces, a period of existential crisis for the kingdom of Judah. Faced with imminent destruction, King Zedekiah and the people entered into this covenant, likely driven by a desperate hope to avert divine wrath and perhaps to free up manpower for military defense. The specific act of freeing Hebrew slaves was a direct, albeit belated, attempt to comply with the long-standing Mosaic Law, particularly the regulations found in [Exodus 21:2](/exodus/21-2 "Exodus 21:2 - Laws for Hebrew Servants") and [Deuteronomy 15:12](/deuteronomy/15-12 "Deuteronomy 15:12 - Release of Hebrew Servants"), which mandated the release of Hebrew servants after six years of service. The ritual of "passing between the parts of the calf" was a deeply significant ancient Near Eastern covenant-making practice (cf. [Genesis 15:9-18](/genesis/15-9-18 "Genesis 15:9-18 - God's Covenant with Abraham")). It symbolized that the covenant breakers would suffer the same fate as the sacrificed animal—being "cut in two." This profound cultural and religious act underscored the absolute gravity and binding nature of the oath, making the subsequent, swift violation all the more heinous and deserving of severe judgment.
* **Key Themes:** Jeremiah 34:19 powerfully underscores several pivotal themes within the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic tradition. Foremost is the theme of **Covenant Faithfulness and Violation**, vividly illustrating the catastrophic consequences when a solemn oath made before God is flippantly disregarded. The comprehensive listing of "the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land" highlights the pervasive theme of **Corporate Guilt and Responsibility**. This widespread participation of all societal strata in the act of covenant-breaking demonstrates that the nation's sin was not isolated to a few individuals but was a collective failure. The hypocrisy inherent in freeing slaves only under duress and then immediately re-enslaving them once the immediate threat subsided (as detailed in [Jeremiah 34:11](/jeremiah/34-11 "Jeremiah 34:11 - The People Break Their Covenant")) reveals a deep-seated **Disobedience and Lack of Integrity** within Judah's heart. Ultimately, this verse contributes significantly to the overarching theme of **Divine Judgment** upon Judah for its persistent rebellion, its failure to uphold God's righteous standards, and its profound spiritual infidelity, foreshadowing the impending exile and the devastating destruction of Jerusalem (as God declares in [Jeremiah 34:22](/jeremiah/34-22 "God's Judgment on Jerusalem")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **princes (Hebrew, _sar'_):** (H8269) This term denotes a head person of any rank or class, including a chief, general, governor, or ruler. Its repetition for both Judah and Jerusalem ("the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem") emphasizes the leadership's primary role and responsibility in both initiating and subsequently breaking the covenant. Their prominence in the verse highlights the top-down nature of the sin, indicating that the nation's spiritual and moral decay permeated its highest echelons.
* **eunuchs (Hebrew, _çârîyç'_):** (H5631) This word refers to a castrated male, who often held positions of significant trust and authority in royal courts, serving as chamberlains or ministers of state. Their inclusion alongside princes and priests signifies the comprehensive involvement of royal officials and those closest to the king, indicating that the broken covenant was not merely a popular movement but had the full endorsement and participation of the royal administration, extending even into the intimate circles of power.
* **passed (Hebrew, _ʻâbar'_):** (H5674) This primitive root means "to cross over" and is used very widely for any transition. In this specific context, it refers to the ceremonial act of walking between the divided parts of the sacrificed calf. This action was the physical embodiment of the covenant oath, a solemn and self-maledictory promise. The act of "passing" made the subsequent violation a direct, public, and egregious affront to the sacred commitment they had ritually undertaken before God.
* **parts (Hebrew, _bether'_):** (H1335) From a root meaning "to cut," this word refers to a section or piece, specifically the two halves of an animal that has been ritually cut in two. In the ancient Near Eastern covenant ceremony, the parties would walk between these "parts," signifying that if they broke the covenant, they would be similarly cut in two. This term underscores the gruesome and binding nature of the oath, making the violation of the covenant a self-invoked curse.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem":** This phrase identifies the highest political leadership of both the broader kingdom of Judah and its capital city, Jerusalem. Their explicit mention signifies their central role in initiating the covenant to free the slaves, underscoring their responsibility and culpability in its subsequent violation. It highlights that the sin was not merely a popular movement but was sanctioned and led by the ruling elite.
* **"the eunuchs, and the priests":** This clause broadens the scope of complicity to include key figures within the royal administration and the religious establishment. "Eunuchs" often held powerful administrative positions in the king's court, while "priests" represented the spiritual authority and moral conscience of the nation. Their participation indicates that the broken covenant was a comprehensive failure involving both secular and sacred leadership, demonstrating a pervasive moral corruption.
* **"and all the people of the land":** This phrase encompasses the general populace, indicating that the covenant-breaking was a widespread national sin, not confined to the elite. It emphasizes the corporate guilt of the entire society. This collective involvement underscores the depth of Judah's spiritual apostasy and its widespread disregard for God's law and justice.
* **"which passed between the parts of the calf;":** This final clause describes the specific, deeply symbolic ritual act that all the aforementioned groups performed. Passing between the severed halves of a calf was an ancient covenant-making ceremony, signifying that the covenant-breakers would suffer the same fate as the animal—being cut in two. This act made their subsequent re-enslavement of the freed individuals a direct, self-invoked curse and a profound act of defiance against God.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 34:19 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of widespread culpability and the gravity of the broken covenant. **Merism** is evident in the comprehensive listing of societal groups ("princes... eunuchs... priests... all the people of the land"), which functions to indicate "everyone" or "all strata of society," emphasizing the totality of the nation's involvement in the covenant and its subsequent violation. This detailed enumeration also serves as a form of **Anaphora** (though not strictly word-for-word repetition, the pattern of listing distinct groups creates a rhythmic emphasis), building a cumulative sense of responsibility. The act of "passing between the parts of the calf" is a powerful **Symbolism**, representing the self-maledictory nature of the oath—the participants implicitly invoked a curse upon themselves if they failed to uphold their promise. This ritual act, deeply ingrained in ancient Near Eastern culture, transforms the abstract concept of a covenant into a visceral, tangible commitment. Furthermore, there is a subtle **Irony** in the fact that those who ritually bound themselves to release others were the very ones who then re-enslaved them, exposing the profound hypocrisy and spiritual bankruptcy of the nation's leadership and people.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 34:19 powerfully illustrates the profound theological concept of covenant and its sacred nature in the biblical worldview. The act of passing between the parts of the calf was not merely a cultural tradition but a solemn oath made before God, invoking divine witness and judgment. The subsequent violation of this covenant, particularly regarding the humane treatment and liberation of fellow Israelites, reveals a deep-seated spiritual sickness within Judah: a disregard for God's law, a lack of genuine repentance, and a preference for self-interest over divine righteousness. This verse emphasizes that God holds both individuals and nations accountable for their promises and actions, especially those made in His name. It underscores that true faith is demonstrated not just by ritual adherence but by righteous living and justice towards others, particularly the vulnerable. The collective nature of the sin highlighted in the verse also points to the concept of corporate responsibility, where the actions of a nation's leaders and people together bring about divine consequences.

* [Genesis 15:9-18](/genesis/15-9-18 "Genesis 15:9-18 - God's Covenant with Abraham")
* [Deuteronomy 15:12-18](/deuteronomy/15-12-18 "Deuteronomy 15:12-18 - Laws for Releasing Servants")
* [Leviticus 26:14-39](/leviticus/26-14-39 "Leviticus 26:14-39 - Consequences of Disobedience")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 34:19 serves as a stark reminder that true faith is not merely a matter of outward ritual or desperate promises made in times of crisis, but a deep-seated commitment to justice, integrity, and obedience to God's commands in all circumstances. The people of Judah, from the highest officials to the common person, engaged in a solemn act of covenant-making, only to quickly abandon their vows when the immediate threat subsided. This exposes the human tendency to seek God's favor for self-preservation without genuine transformation of heart. For us today, this passage challenges us to examine the sincerity of our own commitments—to God, to others, and to justice. Do we honor our promises, particularly when it is inconvenient or costly? Are our acts of worship and declarations of faith matched by our actions, especially in how we treat the vulnerable and marginalized? The corporate nature of Judah's sin also calls us to consider our collective responsibility as communities and nations. Are we complicit in systems or practices that contradict God's righteous standards, even if we are not individually initiating them? This verse urges us to cultivate a faith marked by unwavering integrity, where our words and deeds are consistently aligned with God's character and commands, recognizing that true freedom comes from living justly and faithfully under His covenant.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life do I make promises to God or others that I struggle to keep when circumstances change?**
* **How does my community or nation's collective behavior reflect or contradict God's call for justice and integrity, particularly towards the vulnerable?**
* **What does "passing between the parts of the calf" mean for me today in terms of the gravity of my commitments to God?**
* **How can I cultivate a deeper, more consistent integrity in my faith, moving beyond mere ritual to genuine obedience and righteous action?**

### FAQ
**What was the "calf ritual" mentioned in Jeremiah 34:19, and why was it significant?**

Answer: The "calf ritual" refers to an ancient Near Eastern covenant-making practice where parties to an agreement would cut an animal (in this case, a calf) into two halves and then walk between the severed pieces. This ritual, deeply symbolic, signified that if either party broke the covenant, they would suffer the same fate as the animal—being "cut in two" or destroyed. It was a self-maledictory oath, making the commitment incredibly binding and serious. For the people of Judah, their participation in this ritual (as described in [Jeremiah 34:18](/jeremiah/34-18 "Jeremiah 34:18 - The Covenant Ritual")) meant they were invoking a curse upon themselves if they failed to uphold their promise to free their Hebrew slaves. Their subsequent re-enslavement of these individuals (as detailed in [Jeremiah 34:11](/jeremiah/34-11 "Jeremiah 34:11 - The People Break Their Covenant")) was therefore a direct and profound act of defiance against their own sworn oath and against God, who was the ultimate witness to the covenant.

**Why does Jeremiah 34:19 list so many different groups of people?**

Answer: Jeremiah 34:19 lists "the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land" to emphasize the widespread and comprehensive nature of the nation's sin and complicity in breaking the covenant. By including everyone from the highest political and religious authorities ("princes," "priests") to the royal court officials ("eunuchs") and the general populace ("all the people of the land"), the prophet underscores that the failure to uphold God's law and their solemn oath was not confined to a few individuals or a single segment of society. Instead, it was a collective, national transgression. This highlights the theme of corporate guilt and responsibility, indicating that the moral decay and disobedience had permeated every level of Judahite society, thus warranting a comprehensive divine judgment upon the entire nation, as prophesied throughout [Jeremiah](/jeremiah "The Book of Jeremiah").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 34:19, with its depiction of a broken covenant and a people under judgment for their failure to uphold a solemn oath, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate necessity of a new and better covenant, one that would be perfectly fulfilled by Jesus Christ. The old covenant, though righteous, exposed humanity's inherent inability to maintain faithfulness, as evidenced by Judah's swift and cynical violation of their promises. The ritual of passing between the parts of the calf, invoking a self-maledictory curse, points to the dire consequences of covenant breaking—death. Yet, in Christ, we see the perfect fulfillment of the covenant. He is the one who perfectly kept the law and upheld God's righteous standards, not just for Himself but on behalf of humanity. His sacrifice on the cross is the ultimate "cutting" of a covenant, where He willingly became the one "cut in two" (metaphorically, through death) to bear the curse of our brokenness and sin. Through His shed blood, Jesus inaugurated the [new covenant](/luke/22-20 "Luke 22:20 - The New Covenant in His Blood"), a covenant of grace and forgiveness, not dependent on our fickle obedience but on His perfect faithfulness ([Hebrews 8:6-13](/hebrews/8-6-13 "Hebrews 8:6-13 - A Better Covenant")). Unlike the princes, priests, and people of Judah who failed to release their captives, Christ came to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound ([Isaiah 61:1](/isaiah/61-1 "Isaiah 61:1 - The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me"), quoted in [Luke 4:18-19](/luke/4-18-19 "Luke 4:18-19 - Jesus' Mission Statement")). He is the true deliverer, offering not a temporary release from physical bondage but eternal freedom from the slavery of sin and death ([John 8:34-36](/john/8-34-36 "John 8:34-36 - Truth Sets You Free")). Thus, Jeremiah 34:19, in its stark portrayal of human failure, magnifies the glory of Christ's perfect covenant-keeping and His redemptive work on our behalf.

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

Jeremiah 34:10

Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should let his manservant, and every one his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves of them any more, then they obeyed, and let [them] go.

Zephaniah 3:3

Her princes within her [are] roaring lions; her judges [are] evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

Zephaniah 3:4

Her prophets [are] light [and] treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

Daniel 9:6

Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

Ezekiel 22:27

Her princes in the midst thereof [are] like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, [and] to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.

Ezekiel 22:31

Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

2 Kings 24:15

And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, [those] carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.