John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 34:1-2

"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: Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:" — Jeremiah 34:1-2 (ASV)

It is no wonder, nor should it be considered useless, that the Prophet so often repeats the same things, for we know how great was the hardness of the people with whom he had to deal. Here, then, he tells us that he was sent to King Zedekiah when the city was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar and his whole army. The Prophet mentions the circumstances, by which we may understand how formidable that siege was, for Nebuchadnezzar had not brought a small force, but had armed many and various peoples. Therefore, the Prophet here expressly mentions the kingdoms of the earth and the nations who were under his dominion.

Zedekiah was then the king at Jerusalem, and there remained two other cities safe, as we shall see later; but it is evident how ill-equipped he must have been to contend with an army so large and powerful. Nebuchadnezzar was a monarch; the kingdom of Israel had been cut off, which far exceeded in number the kingdom of Judah; and he had subdued all the neighboring nations.

Such a siege then should have immediately taken away from the Jews every hope of deliverance; and yet the Prophet shows that the king was still resolute, and there was still a greater obstinacy among the people. But Zedekiah was not overbearing; we find that he was not as proud and cruel as tyrants usually are. Since, then, he was not of a ferocious disposition, we therefore see how great must have been the pride of the whole people, and also their perverseness against God, when they provoked the king to such anger against the Prophet.

Yet the state of things as described should have subdued his passion; for as ungodly men are elevated by prosperity, so they should be humbled when oppressed with adversity. The king himself, as well as the people, were reduced to the greatest extremities, and yet they would not be admonished by God’s Prophet. Therefore, it is expressly said in 2 Chronicles 36:16, that Zedekiah did not regard the word of the Prophet, though he spoke from the mouth of the Lord, by whom he had been sent.

The sum of this prophecy is as follows: — He first says that the word was given him by Jehovah; and secondly, he points out the time, for the reason we have already stated. For if he had reproved Zedekiah when there was peace and quietness, and when there was no fear of danger, the king might have been easily provoked, as is usual, against the Prophet.

But when he saw the city surrounded on every side by such a large and powerful army—when he saw so many gathered from the kingdoms of the earth, so many nations, that he could hardly muster a thousandth part of his enemies' force—that he still could not and would not, despite all this, submit to God and acknowledge His vengeance as just, this was an instance of extreme blindness. It was also a proof that he had become, as it were, mentally estranged. But God had thus blinded him because His purpose was, as it is said elsewhere, to bring an extreme punishment on the people. The blindness, then, and the madness of the king, were evidence of God’s wrath towards the whole people, for Zedekiah might have appeased God if he had repented. It was then God’s will that he should be of an intractable disposition, so that by such perverseness and obstinacy he might bring utter ruin upon himself.

He mentions Nebuchadnezzar and his whole army; he afterward describes the army more particularly, with all the kingdoms under his dominion, and all nations. When Jerusalem was in this condition, the Prophet was sent to the king. The substance of the message follows: that the city was doomed to destruction because God had resolved to deliver it into the hand of the enemy. This was a very sad message for Zedekiah.

Hypocrites, we know, seek flattery in their calamities. While God spares them, they will not bear to be reproved, and they reject wise counsels, and even become exasperated when God’s Prophets exhort them to repent. But when God begins to strike them, they wish all to partake of their misfortunes; and then they also accuse God’s servants of cruelty, as though they were insulting their misery by setting their sins before them.

This is what we are taught by daily experience. When anyone among the common people, at a time when God does not chasten them either by disease or poverty, or any other adversity, is admonished, the petulant answer is, “What do you mean? In what respect am I worthy of blame? I am conscious of no evil.” Thus hypocrites boast as long as God bears with them, and though His kindness spares them. But when any adversity happens to them—when one is laid on his bed, when another is bereaved of a son or a wife, or is in any way visited with affliction—if then God’s judgment is set before them, they think that a grievous wrong is done to them: “What! Do I not have evils enough without any addition? I expected comfort from God’s servants, but they exaggerate my calamities.” In short, hypocrites are never in a fit condition to receive God’s reproofs.

There is then no doubt that Jeremiah knew that his message would be intolerable to King Zedekiah and to his people. However, he boldly declared, as we shall see, what God had committed to him. And we further perceive how stupid and hardened Zedekiah must have been, for he did not hesitate to cast God’s Prophet into prison, even at the time when the situation had become extreme. It was the same as though God, with an outstretched arm and a drawn sword, had shown Himself to be his enemy; yet Zedekiah did not cease to manifest his rage against God. And as he could do nothing worse, he cast God’s servant into prison. Although he did this not so much from his own impulse as from that of others, he still could not be excused from blame.

Now the Prophet says, Behold, I will deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon. If he had simply said that the city would soon be taken, it would have been a general truth, not effective but cold. It was therefore necessary to add this—that the ruin of the city was a just punishment inflicted by God. And Zedekiah was also thus reminded that even if he were stronger than his enemy, he still could not effectively resist him, for the war was carried on under the authority of God. It was as though God had said, “You think that you contend with men; it would be difficult enough for you, and more than enough, to contend with the eastern monarchy and so many nations and kingdoms. Beyond this, God Himself is your enemy; pay attention to Him, so that you may learn to dread His judgment.” And so that the words might be more forceful, God Himself speaks in His own person, Behold, He says, I will deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire. This last declaration was a dreadful aggravation, for it often happens that cities are taken, and the conquerors are satisfied with the spoils. When, therefore, Nebuchadnezzar came against the city of Jerusalem with such rage that he burned it, it was a proof of the dreadful vengeance of God.