Jeremiah 34:5
in Jeremiah 34you will die in peace. As spices were burned for your fathers, the former kings who preceded you, so people will burn spices for you and lament, ‘Alas, O master!’ For I Myself have spoken this word, declares the LORD.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
thou shalt die in peace; and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings that were before thee, so shall they make a burning for thee; and they shall lament thee, saying, Ah Lord! for I have spoken the word, saith Jehovah.
KJV
But thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word, saith the Lord.
⋯
This verse in Jeremiah 34
Commentary
9 notes on this verseBut thou shall die in peace,.... Upon his bed, a natural death, and in good friendship with the king of Babylon; and, it may be, in peace with God; for before his death, some time in his captivity, he might be brought to true repentance for his sins: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee: so shall they burn odours for thee.
This site's exposition
Yet hear the word of the
on Jeremiah 34:4-7
Zedekiah is told, “You will not die by the sword,” and spices will be burned with the lament “Alas, O master!” Jeremiah delivers the word while only “Lachish and Azekah” remain. The mercy is small, since this king will still see his sons killed and have his eyes put out.
This site's exposition
As spices were burned for your fathers
Spices were burned for the former kings, and Barnes explains the burning as wood and spices lit in a king's honor. Burning the dead body was no custom of Judah. Jeremiah 22:18 withholds this lament from Jehoiakim, so Zedekiah is promised a death in peace his brother was denied.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Ah Lord - The Jews in their chronology, give us the form of the lamentation thus. Zedekiah is dead, who drank the dregs of all ages: that is, who was punished for the sins of all former ages.
Zedekiah is dead, who drank the dregs of all the ages that went before him, that is, who suffered for the sins of his ancestors, the measure of iniquity being filled up in his days. They shall thus lament him, saith the Lord, for I have pronounced the word; and what God hath spoken shall without fail be made good. Jeremiah's faithfulness in delivering this message.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
He shall burn it with fire - This was a newly-added circumstance. Among many ancient nations they burned the bodies of the more illustrious dead. Odours were used in the burning: they then gathered the ashes, and put them into an urn or pitcher, sometimes into a strong vessel, and buried them. Many of these have been digged up in different parts of England, where the Romans had stations.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
In peace - See Jer 12:12 note. Burn odors - “Make a burning.” The burning was probably that of piles of wood, and spices were added only as an special honor. It was not a Jewish custom to burn the dead. As these burnings depended upon the estimation in which the dead king was held, the verse implies a prosperous reign, such as Zedekiah might have had as an obedient vassal to BabyIon. I have pronounced the word - I have spoken the word.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The honors here mentioned were denied to Jehoiakim (Jer 22:18). Ah, lord!--The Hebrews in their chronology (Seder Olam) mention the wailing used over him, "Alas! King Zedekiah is dead, drinking the dregs (that is, paying the penalty for the sins) of former ages."
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Thou shalt die in peace - Thou shalt not die a violent death; and at thy death thou shalt have all those funereal solemnities which were usual at the demise of kings. See 2Ch 16:14. So shall they burn odours for thee - Scented wood and other odoriferous substances are placed on the funeral pile of the rich Hindoos, and burned with the body. And they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! - They will recite the funeral dirge that begins with those words. See the note on Jer 22:18 (note).
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בְּשָׁל֣וֹם | beshalom | in peace | H7965 → | 236 times |
| תָּמ֗וּת | tamut | you will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| וּֽכְמִשְׂרְפ֣וֹת | ukhemisrefot | and like [the] burnings of | H4955 → | |
| אֲ֠בוֹתֶיךָ | ʾavoteikha | fathers your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| הַמְּלָכִ֨ים | hamelakhim | the kings | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים | harishonim | <the> former | H7223 → | 182 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָי֣וּ | hayu | they were | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לְפָנֶ֗יךָ | lefaneikha | <to> before you | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| כֵּ֚ן | ken | so | H3651 → | 771 times |
| יִשְׂרְפוּ־ | yisrefu- | people will burn | H8313 → | 117 times |
| לָ֔ךְ | lakh | for <the> you | ||
| וְה֥וֹי | veho | and alas! | H1945 → | 51 times |
| אָד֖וֹן | ʾadon | O lord | H113 → | 333 times |
| יִסְפְּדוּ־ | yispedu- | they will mourn | H5594 → | 30 times |
| לָ֑ךְ | lakh | for <the> you | ||
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| דָבָ֥ר | davar | a promise | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| אֲנִֽי־ | ʾani- | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| דִבַּ֖רְתִּי | dibarti | I have spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| נְאֻם־ | neum- | [the] utterance of | H5002 → | 376 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ ס | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
בְּשָׁל֣וֹםin peace
beshalomH7965 →236 times
תָּמ֗וּתyou will die
tamutH4191 →839 times
וּֽכְמִשְׂרְפ֣וֹתand like [the] burnings of
ukhemisrefotH4955 →
אֲ֠בוֹתֶיךָfathers your
ʾavoteikhaH1 →1212 times
הַמְּלָכִ֨יםthe kings
hamelakhimH4428 →2525 times
הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים<the> former
harishonimH7223 →182 times
אֲשֶׁר־who
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
הָי֣וּthey were
hayuH1961 →3559 times
לְפָנֶ֗יךָ<to> before you
lefaneikhaH6440 →2123 times
כֵּ֚ןso
kenH3651 →771 times
יִשְׂרְפוּ־people will burn
yisrefu-H8313 →117 times
לָ֔ךְfor <the> you
lakh
וְה֥וֹיand alas!
vehoH1945 →51 times
אָד֖וֹןO lord
ʾadonH113 →333 times
יִסְפְּדוּ־they will mourn
yispedu-H5594 →30 times
לָ֑ךְfor <the> you
lakh
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
דָבָ֥רa promise
davarH1697 →1440 times
אֲנִֽי־I
ʾani-H589 →874 times
דִבַּ֖רְתִּיI have spoken
dibartiH1696 →1141 times
נְאֻם־[the] utterance of
neum-H5002 →376 times
יְהוָֽה׃ סYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Kings 22:20‘Therefore I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place.’”…
it leads to
- Psalms 37:37
Consider the blameless and observe the upright, for posterity awaits the man of peace.
- Isaiah 57:1–2
The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are swept away, while no one considers that the righteous are guided from the presence of evil.
- 1 Chronicles 17:11
And when your days are fulfilled and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.
- Psalms 37:37
Through
Daniel 2:46At this, King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, paid homage to Daniel, and ordered that an offering of incense be presented to him.
it leads to
- Acts 10:25
As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him.
- Acts 14:13
The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates, hoping to offer a sacrifice along with the crowds.
- Acts 10:25
Through
2 Chronicles 16:14And he was buried in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier that was full of spices and various blended perfumes;…
it leads to
- Genesis 50:2
And Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So they embalmed him,
- 2 Chronicles 21:19
This continued day after day until two full years had passed. Finally, his intestines came out because of his disease, and he died in severe pain. And his people did not make a fire…
- Genesis 50:2
Through
Ezekiel 17:16‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 12:13
But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans; yet he will not see it, and…
- Ezekiel 12:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.