Jeremiah 34:9 - Forerunner Commentary

Jeremiah 34:9

7 when the king of Babylon’s army fought against Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and Azekah; for only ^athese fortified cities remained of the cities of Judah.

Treacherous Treatment of Slaves

8 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem to proclaim ^aliberty to them:

9 ^athat every man should set free his male and female slave—a Hebrew man or woman—^bthat no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage.

10 Now when all the princes and all the people, who had entered into the covenant, heard that everyone should set free his male and female slaves, that no one should keep them in bondage anymore, they obeyed and let them go.

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—

Verse Comparison: Jeremiah 34:9

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Jeremiah 34:10 >>

American Standard Version
that every man should let his man-servant, and every man his maid-servant, that is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; that none should make bondmen of them, `to wit', of a Jew his brother.

Amplified® Bible
Every man should let his Hebrew slaves, male and female, go free, so that no one should make a slave of a Jew, his brother.

Contemporary English Version
(SEE 34:8)

Darby English Version
that every man should let his bondman, and every man his bondmaid, the Hebrew and the Hebrewess, go free, that none should exact service of them, [that is,] of a Jew his brother.

Good News Bible
their Hebrew slaves, both male and female, so that no one would have an Israelite as a slave.

King James Version
That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.

New American Standard Bible
that each man should set free his male servant and each man his female servant, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman; so that no one should keep them, a Jew his brother, in bondage.

New International Version
Everyone was to free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Jew in bondage.

New King James Version
that every man should set free his male and female slave—a Hebrew man or woman—that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
that each man should set free his male servant and each man his female servant, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman; so that no one should keep them, a Jew his brother, in bondage.

Revised Standard Version
that every one should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave a Jew, his brother.

Young's Literal Translation
to send out each his man-servant, and each his maid-servant -- the Hebrew and the Hebrewess -- free, so as not to lay service on them, any on a Jew his brother;

New English Translation
Everyone was supposed to free their male and female Hebrew slaves. No one was supposed to keep a fellow Judean enslaved.¹

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Jeremiah 34:10 >>