King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 34:20 Mean?

Jeremiah 34:20 in the King James Version says “I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bod... — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 34 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.

Jeremiah 34:20 · KJV


Context

18

And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof,

19

The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf;

20

I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.

21

And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which are gone up from you.

22

Behold, I will command, saith the LORD, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
I will even give them into the hand of their enemies... and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth. The punishment mirrors the covenant ceremony—as they tore animals apart, so God will deliver them to be torn apart. The Hebrew nevelatam ("their dead bodies/corpses") emphasizes disgrace; unburied bodies, food for scavengers, represented ultimate covenant curse (Deuteronomy 28:26). Ancient Near Eastern thought considered proper burial essential for afterlife rest; denial of burial was worse than death itself.

This judgment employs lex talionis (law of retaliation)—the punishment fits the crime. They broke covenant sworn over torn animal bodies; God will make their bodies like those animals. They treated Hebrew brothers as animals to be exploited; God treats them as carrion for literal animals. The prophetic pattern consistently shows God's judgments as poetically fitting—the punishment reveals the crime's inherent nature. They dehumanized covenant brothers; judgment dehumanizes them.

The birds and beasts consuming corpses appear repeatedly in Scripture as covenant curse imagery (1 Samuel 17:44-46; 1 Kings 14:11; Psalm 79:2; Ezekiel 29:5; Revelation 19:17-21). This motif climaxes in Revelation's apocalyptic birds gorging on God's enemies at Christ's return. The covenant curses aren't arbitrary divine vindictiveness—they're the natural outworking of rebellion against the Life-Giver. Rejecting the covenant of life brings death; refusing the God of humanity brings dehumanization.

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Historical & Cultural Context

This prophecy was fulfilled literally. 2 Kings 25:18-21 records Babylon's execution of Judean leaders at Riblah; Lamentations 4:9-10 describes Jerusalem's siege horrors, including bodies left unburied. Josephus (Wars 5.12.3-4) describes similar scenes during Rome's 70 CE destruction—covenant-breaking Israel repeatedly experienced these curses across centuries. Archaeological excavations at Lachish and other Judean sites reveal mass burials and siege destruction layers from this period, confirming the biblical account's historical accuracy.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does understanding that God's judgments fit the crime (measure for measure) reveal His justice rather than arbitrary wrath?
  2. In what ways does exploiting others' humanity ultimately dehumanize the exploiter?
  3. Why is denying Christ's covenant (the gospel) ultimately self-dehumanizing rather than just legally punishable?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 14 words
וְנָתַתִּ֤י1 of 14

I will even give

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

אוֹתָם֙2 of 14
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

וּבְיַ֖ד3 of 14

and into the hand

H3027

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם4 of 14

of their enemies

H341

hating; an adversary

וּבְיַ֖ד5 of 14

and into the hand

H3027

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י6 of 14

of them that seek

H1245

to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after

נַפְשָׁ֑ם7 of 14

their life

H5315

properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment

וְהָיְתָ֤ה8 of 14
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

נִבְלָתָם֙9 of 14

and their dead bodies

H5038

a flabby thing, i.e., a carcase or carrion (human or bestial, often collectively); figuratively, an idol

לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל10 of 14

shall be for meat

H3978

an eatable (including provender, flesh and fruit)

לְע֥וֹף11 of 14

unto the fowls

H5775

a bird (as covered with feathers, or rather as covering with wings), often collectively

הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם12 of 14

of the heaven

H8064

the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r

וּלְבֶהֱמַ֥ת13 of 14

and to the beasts

H929

properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective)

הָאָֽרֶץ׃14 of 14

of the earth

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)


Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 34:20 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 34:20 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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