The Bible Says
Jeremiah 34:6-7 Meaning

In Jeremiah 34:6-7, we see a moment of intense urgency: Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem (v. 6). Jeremiah, speaking as the voice of the LORD, delivers a sobering message to Zedekiah, who reigned from 597 BC to 586 BC as the last king of Judah. Zedekiah’s rule took place at a critical time in Judah’s history, marked by political upheaval and spiritual decline. The prophet’s role was to communicate God’s directive amidst increasing turbulence, showing that God’s counsel had not been abandoned even in the darkest hours.

The mention that Jeremiah spoke all these words specifically "in Jerusalem" (v. 6) captures the heart of the conflicted kingdom. Jerusalem, renowned for its central place in God’s covenant with Israel, was under siege and on the brink of collapse. The city had been a powerful symbol of God’s presence among His people, housing the temple and serving as the epicenter of Judah’s cultural and spiritual life. Yet at this juncture, Zedekiah’s leadership was under Babylon’s threat, highlighting the seriousness of the judgment that was about to fall.

Jeremiah 34:6 underscores God’s pursuit of relationship and repentance. Even while Babylonian forces bore down on the city, Jeremiah’s message offered an opportunity for Zedekiah to remember the covenant with the LORD. From a broader biblical perspective, God often reached out to stubborn or fearful leaders: in the story of King Hezekiah, for instance, God delivered Jerusalem from Assyria (2 Kings 19:32-34). Yet in Zedekiah’s time, prolonged disobedience had severe consequences, and Jeremiah’s words were a last call to humility.

Continuing the account, Jeremiah 34:7 states, when the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the remaining cities of Judah, that is, Lachish and Azekah, for they alone remained as fortified cities among the cities of Judah (v. 7). This verse highlights the rapidly deteriorating political and military situation. The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar II, reigned from 605 BC to 562 BC and led the Babylonians in a fierce conquest of the remaining pockets of resistance in Judah. The attack on the few remaining cities paints a grim picture of the kingdom’s final defenses crumbling.

The cities of Lachish and Azekah stood out as the last fortresses. Lachish, located southwest of Jerusalem, was a significant administrative and military center, known for its strong defenses that had successfully repelled enemies in the past. Azekah, also southwest of Jerusalem, was strategically placed to protect the Shephelah region and the approach to the capital. Their mention here shows that Judah's ability to hold out against Babylon was nearly exhausted, as only these two locations still held firm in the face of the advancing army.

Jeremiah 34:6-7 drives home the sobering truth of Judah’s near fall. Despite years of warnings through multiple prophets, the nation’s persistent refusal to follow God’s decrees led them to this tragic impasse. The siege on these final fortified cities stands as a testament to God’s long-standing patience and the reality of His judgment when the people’s hearts remained resistant. In the later New Testament, Jesus also weeps over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44), lamenting its unwillingness to seek peace and foreshadowing another devastating siege under Rome centuries later.