The Meaning of Jeremiah 34:17 Explained

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.

YLT: Therefore, thus said Jehovah: Ye have not hearkened unto Me to proclaim freedom, each to his brother, and each to his neighbour; lo, I am proclaiming to you liberty -- an affirmation of Jehovah -- unto the sword, unto the pestilence, and unto the famine, and I have given you for a trembling to all kingdoms of the earth.

Darby: Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith Jehovah, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will give you over to be driven hither and thither among all the kingdoms of the earth.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 34:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Because the people had not released their servants, the Lord was going to release them from His protection to experience the sword, disease, and starvation. They would become an awful example to the other kingdoms of the earth. Then there would be no distinction between Hebrew masters and servants; they would all be servants of Nebuchadnezzar.

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 34:17 mean?

Therefore thus says Yahweh You not have obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor Behold I proclaim to you liberty says Yahweh to the sword pestilence and to famine and I will deliver you - to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth
לָכֵן֮ כֹּה־ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָה֒ אַתֶּם֙ לֹֽא־ שְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם אֵלַ֔י לִקְרֹ֣א דְר֔וֹר אִ֥ישׁ לְאָחִ֖יו וְאִ֣ישׁ לְרֵעֵ֑הוּ הִנְנִ֣י קֹרֵא֩ לָכֶ֨ם דְּר֜וֹר נְאֻם־ יְהוָ֗ה אֶל־ הַחֶ֙רֶב֙ הַדֶּ֣בֶר וְאֶל־ הָרָעָ֔ב וְנָתַתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ [לזועה] (לְזַעֲוָ֔ה) לְכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ

כֹּה־  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָה֒  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
שְׁמַעְתֶּ֣ם  have  obeyed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֵלַ֔י  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לִקְרֹ֣א  in  proclaiming 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
דְר֔וֹר  liberty 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דְּרֹור 
Sense: a flowing, free run, liberty.
אִ֥ישׁ  every  one 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
לְאָחִ֖יו  to  his  brother 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
וְאִ֣ישׁ  and  every  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
לְרֵעֵ֑הוּ  to  his  neighbor 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֵעַ  
Sense: friend, companion, fellow, another person.
הִנְנִ֣י  Behold  I 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
קֹרֵא֩  proclaim 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לָכֶ֨ם  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
דְּר֜וֹר  liberty 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דְּרֹור 
Sense: a flowing, free run, liberty.
נְאֻם־  says 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נְאֻם  
Sense: (Qal) utterance, declaration (of prophet).
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הַחֶ֙רֶב֙  the  sword 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
הַדֶּ֣בֶר  pestilence 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דֶּבֶר 
Sense: pestilence, plague.
וְאֶל־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הָרָעָ֔ב  famine 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָעָב  
Sense: famine, hunger.
וְנָתַתִּ֤י  and  I  will  deliver 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
[לזועה]  - 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
(לְזַעֲוָ֔ה)  to  trouble 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: זְוָעָה  
Sense: a horror, an object of terror, a trembling, an object of trembling.
לְכֹ֖ל  among  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מַמְלְכ֥וֹת  the  kingdoms 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
הָאָֽרֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.