The Meaning of Jeremiah 34:1 Explained

Jeremiah 34:1

KJV: The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying,

YLT: The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah -- and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his force, and all kingdoms of the land of the dominion of his hand, and all the peoples are fighting against Jerusalem, and against all its cities -- saying:

Darby: The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth under his dominion, and all the peoples, fought against Jerusalem and against all the cities thereof, saying,

ASV: The word which came unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion, and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The word  which came unto Jeremiah  from the LORD,  when Nebuchadnezzar  king  of Babylon,  and all his army,  and all the kingdoms  of the earth  of his dominion,  and all the people,  fought  against Jerusalem,  and against all the cities  thereof, saying, 

What does Jeremiah 34:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The following message came to Jeremiah when Nebuchadnezzar and his large army were besieging Jerusalem (cf. Jeremiah 21:1-10). Zedekiah"s rebellion against Babylon in589 B.C. had prompted the siege ( 2 Kings 24:18 to 2 Kings 25:1; Ezekiel 17:11-21). This incident antedates the events recorded in chapters32-33 , however, because Jeremiah was not yet imprisoned. The vassal nations under Nebuchadnezzar"s suzerainty were bound to supply troops to assist him in his wars against his enemies, which they had done (cf. 2 Kings 24:2). [1]
"This verse underscores that the Nebuchadrezzar who now invades Judah is the same Nebuchadrezzar to whom the LORD, the creator, had granted authority over "all nations," and even the wild animals, for a time ( Jeremiah 27:6-7)." [2]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 34

1  Jeremiah prophesies the captivity of Zedekiah and the city
8  The princes and the people having dismissed their bond-servants,
11  contrary to the covenant of God, re-assume them
12  Jeremiah gives them and Zedekiah into the hands of their enemies

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 34:1 mean?

The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh and when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion under his dominion the people fought against Jerusalem and all its cities saying
הַדָּבָ֛ר אֲשֶׁר־ הָיָ֥ה אֶֽל־ יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֑ה וּנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר מֶֽלֶךְ־ בָּבֶ֣ל ׀ וְכָל־ חֵיל֡וֹ מַמְלְכ֣וֹת אֶרֶץ֩ מֶמְשֶׁ֨לֶת יָד֜וֹ הָעַמִּ֗ים נִלְחָמִ֧ים עַל־ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֛ם וְעַל־ כָּל־ עָרֶ֖יהָ לֵאמֹֽר

הַדָּבָ֛ר  The  word 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הָיָ֥ה  came 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ  Jeremiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִרְמְיָה 
Sense: the major prophet, son of Hilkiah of the priestly family in Anathoth; author of the prophetic book bearing his name.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וּנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר  and  when  Nebuchadnezzar 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר 
Sense: the great king of Babylon who captured Jerusalem and carried Judah captive.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בָּבֶ֣ל ׀  of  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
חֵיל֡וֹ  his  army 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
מַמְלְכ֣וֹת  the  kingdoms 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
אֶרֶץ֩  of  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מֶמְשֶׁ֨לֶת  that  were  under  his  dominion 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מֶמְשָׁלָה  
Sense: rule, dominion, realm.
יָד֜וֹ  under  his  dominion 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
הָעַמִּ֗ים  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
נִלְחָמִ֧ים  fought 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
עַל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֛ם  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
עָרֶ֖יהָ  its  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
לֵאמֹֽר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.