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You will die a peaceful death. They will burn incense at your burial just as they did at the burial of your ancestors, the former kings who preceded you.[a] They will mourn for you, saying, “Alas, master!”[b] Indeed, you have my own word on this.[c] I, the Lord, affirm it!’”[d]

The prophet Jeremiah told all these things to King Zedekiah of Judah in Jerusalem. He did this while the army of the king of Babylon was attacking Jerusalem and the cities of Lachish and Azekah. He was attacking these cities because they were the only fortified cities of Judah that were still holding out.[e]

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 34:5 tn Heb “And like the burning [of incense] for your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so will they burn [incense] for you.” The sentence has been reversed for easier style and the technical use of the terms interpreted.sn For the custom referred to compare 2 Chr 16:14 and 21:19.
  2. Jeremiah 34:5 sn The intent of this oracle may have been to contrast the fate of Zedekiah with that of Jehoiakim, who was apparently executed, went unmourned, and was left unburied (contrast Jer 22:18-19).
  3. Jeremiah 34:5 tn Heb “For [or Indeed] I myself have spoken [this] word.”
  4. Jeremiah 34:5 tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”
  5. Jeremiah 34:7 tn Heb “And the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the cities of Judah that were left, [namely] against Lachish and Azekah, for they alone were left of the cities of Judah as fortified cities.” The intent of this sentence is to serve as a circumstantial sentence to v. 6 (= “while the army…”). That thought is picked up by “he did this while….” The long, complex sentence in v. 7 has been divided in two, with qualifying material moved to create shorter English sentences in conformity with contemporary style.