Yaram'Yahu (Jeremiah) — 34

A Warning for Zadakyahu 

1 King Nabuchadnazzar of Babylun came with all the armies from the kingdoms he ruled, and he fought against Yahushalam and the towns of Yahudah, at that time this message came to Yaramyahu from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH: 

2 “Go to King Zadakyahu of Yahudah, and tell him, ‘This is what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL Dabar: I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylun, and he will burn it down. 

3 You will not escape his grasp but will be captured and taken to meet the king of Babylun face to face, Then you will be exiled to Babylun.

4 “‘But listen to this promise from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, O Zadakyahu, king of Yahudah. This is what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar: You will not be killed in war 

5 but will die in Shalum, People will burn incense in your memory, just as they did for your ancestors, the kings who preceded you. They will mourn for you, crying, “Alas, our master is dead!” This I have decreed, says 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.’”

6 So Yaramyahu the Nabym delivered the message to King Zadakyahu of Yahudah. 

7 At this time the Babylunian army was besieging Yahushalam, Lachish, and Azakah, the only fortified cities of Yahudah not yet captured.

Freedom for Abaryt (Hebrew) Slaves

8 This message came to Yaramyahu from 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH after King Zadakyahu made a covenant with the people, proclaiming freedom for the slaves. 

9 He had ordered all the people to free their Abaryt (Hebrew) slaves both men and women, no one was to keep a fellow Yahudym in bondage. 

10 The officials and all the people had obeyed the king’s command, 

11 but later they changed their minds, they took back the men and women they had freed, forcing them to be slaves again.

12 So 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH gave them this message through Yaramyahu: 

13 “This is what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL Dabar: I made a covenant with your ancestors long ago when I rescued them from their slavery in Mitzraym. 

14 I told them that every Abaryt slave must be freed after serving six years, But your ancestors paid no attention to me. 

15 Recently you repented and did what was right, following my command, You freed your slaves and made a solemn covenant with me in the Temple that bears my Name. 

16 But now you have shrugged off your oath and defiled my Name by taking back the men and women you had freed, forcing them to be slaves once again.

17 “Therefore, this is what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar: Since you have not obeyed me by setting your countrymen free, I will set you free to be destroyed by war, disease, and famine, you will be an object of horror to all the nations of the Arath. 

18 Because you have broken the terms of our covenant, I will cut you apart just as you cut apart the calf when you walked between its halves to solemnize your vows. 

19 Yes, I will cut you apart, whether you are officials of Yahudah or Yahushalam, court officials, Kuhanym, or common people, for you have broken your oath. 

20 I will give you to your enemies, and they will kill you, your bodies will be food for the vultures and wild animals.

21 “I will hand over King Zadakyahu of Yahudah and his officials to the army of the king of Babylun, and although they have left Yahushalam for a while, 

22 I will call the Babylunian armies back again, they will fight against this city and will capture it and burn it down, I will see to it that all the towns of Yahudah are destroyed, with no one living there.”