Jeremiah 34:13

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11 But afterward they changed their minds and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection as male and female slaves.

12 Therefore the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

13 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I made a ^acovenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying,

14 “At the end of ^aseven years let every man set free his Hebrew brother, who¹ has been sold to him; and when he has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you.” But your fathers did not obey Me nor incline their ear.

15 Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight—every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor; and you ^amade a covenant before Me ^bin the house which is called by My name.

16 Then you turned around and ^aprofaned My name, and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves, whom you had set at liberty, at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves.’

17 “Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. ^aBehold, I proclaim liberty to you,’ says the Lord—^b‘to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to ^ctrouble among all the kingdoms of the earth.

18 And I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when ^athey cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it—

19 the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the¹ eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf—

Commentaries:

Matthew Henry

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Jeremiah 34:1-22

Zedekiah's death at Babylon foretold. (1-7) The Jews reproved for compelling their poor brethren to return to unlawful bondage. (8-22)

Verses 1-7 Zedekiah is told that the city shall be taken, and that he shall die a captive, but he shall die a natural death. It is better to live and die penitent in a prison, than to live and die impenitent in a palace.

Verses 8-22 A Jew should not be held in servitude above seven years. This law they and their fathers had broken. And when there was some hope that the siege was raised, they forced the servants they had released into their services again. Those who think to cheat God by dissembled repentance and partial reformation, put the greatest cheat upon their own souls. This shows that liberty to sin, is really only liberty to have the sorest judgments. It is just with God to disappoint expectations of mercy, when we disappoint the expectations of duty. And when reformation springs only from terror, it is seldom lasting. Solemn vows thus entered into, profane the ordinances of God; and the most forward to bind themselves by appeals to God, are commonly most ready to break them. Let us look to our hearts, that our repentance may be real, and take care that the law of God regulates our conduct.

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Jeremiah 34:14 >>

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