Jeremiah 34

“The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD , when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the…” Naming Babylon and Jeremiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD …” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Yet hear the word of the LORD , O Zedekiah king of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of thee, Thou shalt not die by the…” Naming Judah and Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“But thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem,” Naming Jeremiah and Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“When the king of Babylon’s army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against…” Naming Judah and Azekah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD , after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free…” Naming Hebrew and Hebrewess keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should let his…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and…” The line’s distinctive content terms include handmaids, servants, caused. Its relationship to verses 10 and 12 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Therefore the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD , saying,” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath…” The number seven makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at…” The line’s distinctive content terms include caused, handmaid, handmaids. Its relationship to verses 15 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Therefore thus saith the LORD ; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land…” Naming Jerusalem and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that…” Naming Babylon and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Behold, I will command, saith the LORD , and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.