Jeremiah 34:18
“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.”
Jeremiah 34:18 is part of a larger passage (Jeremiah 34:8-22) that focuses on the consequences of breaking a covenant that the people of Judah had made with God. To fully understand this verse, it is helpful to look at the context in which it is situated.
In this chapter, the prophet Jeremiah is delivering a message from God to King Zedekiah of Judah. The people of Judah had made a covenant with God to release all their Hebrew slaves after six years of service, as commanded in the Mosaic Law (Exodus 21:2; Deuteronomy 15:12). However, they later broke this covenant by forcing their Hebrew slaves to remain in servitude.
Jeremiah, as God’s messenger, warns the king and the people about the consequences of their disobedience. In verse 18, God declares that those who have transgressed His covenant and failed to keep their promise will face punishment. The imagery of cutting the calf in twain and passing between its parts refers to a ritual often performed during the making of a covenant in ancient times. This ritual symbolised the severity of the consequences for breaking the covenant.
The passage emphasises the seriousness of keeping one’s word and the consequences of disregarding covenants made before God. It serves as a reminder that God expects His people to honour their commitments, especially when they are made in His name. By breaking their covenant with God, the people of Judah have provoked His anger and invited divine judgment upon themselves.
In the broader context of the book of Jeremiah, this passage also highlights the prophet’s role as a faithful messenger of God’s judgment and the people’s need for repentance and obedience. The message conveyed in this verse and the surrounding verses encourages the people of Judah to turn back to God, acknowledge their wrongdoing, and seek His forgiveness.
Overall, Jeremiah 34:18 serves as a warning against breaking covenants, particularly those made before God, and emphasises the importance of faithfulness and obedience to His commandments.
