Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem,

JEREMIAH 34:6KJV
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Jeremiah 34:6 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 34:6 mean?

Jeremiah 34:6 describes how the prophet Jeremiah delivered God’s message to King Zedekiah of Judah while they were both in Jerusalem. The verse simply records that Jeremiah spoke all the words he had received from God directly to the king.

In this scene, Jeremiah is acting as a messenger, faithfully passing on a specific message from God to the ruler of Judah, Zedekiah. This moment sets the stage for the following verses, where the content of Jeremiah’s message becomes important. The verse emphasizes Jeremiah’s obedience and the seriousness of the communication between God’s prophet and the king during a time of crisis.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 34:6

  • יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirmeyahu, "Jeremiah"): This is the prophet’s Hebrew name, highlighting his role as God’s spokesperson.
  • נָבִיא (navi’, "prophet"): This word means a person who speaks on behalf of God, showing Jeremiah’s authority and responsibility in delivering the message.
  • דִּבֶּר (dibber, "spake"): This verb often carries the sense of declaring or proclaiming, not just casual conversation, which underlines the seriousness of Jeremiah’s words.
  • זִדְקִיָּה (Tzidqiyyahu, "Zedekiah"): The king’s Hebrew name is used, reminding the reader that this is a real historical figure in Judah’s final days.

Why Jeremiah 34:6 matters

  • Jeremiah 34:6 clarifies that Jeremiah did not hold back or alter God’s message but delivered it fully and directly to the king, emphasizing his faithfulness as a prophet.
  • The verse highlights the personal confrontation between God’s messenger and the highest authority in Judah, setting up the tension and gravity of the situation in the chapters that follow.
  • By mentioning Jerusalem, the verse grounds the event in a specific place and time, connecting it to the historical context of Judah’s last days before the Babylonian conquest.

Where else these words appear

“Zedekiah” Hebrew H6667 · used in 62 verses

  • 1 Kings 22:11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
  • Jeremiah 27:12 I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.
  • Jeremiah 38:14 Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.

“Jeremiah” Hebrew H3414 · used in 133 verses

  • 2 Kings 23:31 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
  • Jeremiah 28:15 Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.
  • Jeremiah 38:9 My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.