Jeremiah 34:11

Jeremiah 34:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.
• New International Version (NIV)But afterward they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them into subjection as slaves.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Jeremiah 34:11

9As a result, each was to let his male and female Hebrew slaves go free, and no one was to enslave his fellow Judean. 10All the officials and people who entered into covenant to let their male and female slaves go free — in order not to enslave them any longer — obeyed and let them go free. Afterward, however, they changed their minds and took back their male and female slaves they had let go free and forced them to become slaves again. 12Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 13“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery, saying,

Jeremiah 34:11 word by word

וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙ אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיָּשִׁ֗בוּ אֶת־הָֽעֲבָדִים֙ וְאֶת־הַשְּׁפָח֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר שִׁלְּח֖וּ חָפְשִׁ֑ים וַֽיִּכְבְּשׁ֔וּם לַעֲבָדִ֖ים וְלִשְׁפָחֽוֹת׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But afterwardאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• they turnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: turn backH7725
• and caused the servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• and the handmaidsשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
• whom they had let goשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: let goH7971
• freeחׇפְשִׁיchophshîy · freeH2670
• to returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• and brought them into subjectionכָּבַשׁkâbash · to subdueH3533

Cross-references for Jeremiah 34:11

• Jeremiah 34:21I will hand King Zedekiah of Judah and his officials over to their enemies, to those who intend to take their lives, to the king of Babylon’s army that is withdrawing.
• Jeremiah 37:5Pharaoh’s army had left Egypt, and when the Chaldeans, who were besieging Jerusalem, heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem.
• Exodus 8:8Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Appeal to the Lord to remove the frogs from me and my people. Then I will let the people go and they can sacrifice to the Lord.”
• Exodus 9:28Make an appeal to the Lord. There has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t need to stay any longer.”
• Exodus 10:17Please forgive my sin once more and make an appeal to the Lord your God, so that he will just take this death away from me.”
• Exodus 14:3Pharaoh will say of the Israelites: They are wandering around the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in.
• 1 Samuel 19:6Saul listened to Jonathan’s advice and swore an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.”
• 1 Samuel 24:19When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go unharmed? May the Lord repay you with good for what you’ve done for me today.
• 1 Samuel 26:21Saul responded, “I have sinned. Come back, my son David, I will never harm you again because today you considered my life precious. I have been a fool! I’ve committed a grave error.”
• Psalms 36:3The words from his mouth are malicious and deceptive; he has stopped acting wisely and doing good.
• Psalms 78:34When he killed some of them, the rest began to seek him; they repented and searched for God.
• Psalms 125:5But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways, the Lord will banish them with the evildoers. Peace be with Israel.
• Proverbs 26:11As a dog returns to its vomit, so also a fool repeats his foolishness.
• Ecclesiastes 8:11Because the sentence against an evil act is not carried out quickly, the heart of people is filled with the desire to commit evil.
• Hosea 6:4What am I going to do with you, Ephraim? What am I going to do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist and like the early dew that vanishes.
• Hosea 7:16They turn, but not to what is above; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent tongue. They will be ridiculed for this in the land of Egypt.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 34:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11But afterward they turned - They had agreed to manumit them at the end of the seventh year; but when the seventh year was ended, they recalled their engagement, and detained their servants. This, I believe, is what is here meant.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8-22Verses 8-22 It is usual with commentators to say that, the laws dealing with the emancipation of the Hebrew slaves, as also that of the land resting during the sabbatical year, were not observed. The narrative teaches us the exact contrary. The manumission of the slaves on the present occasion was the spontaneous act of Zedekiah and the people. They knew of the law, and acknowledged its obligation. The observance of it was, no doubt, lax: the majority let…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-22Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-22Zedekiah told the people to free their slaves. He wanted to gain favor with God by following the covenant rules about Hebrew slave ownership (Exodus 21:2–4). These rules had been ignored since the time of Moses. However, the order was useless because the people soon broke this new promise. They had also broken their agreement with Nebuchadnezzar (see Ezekiel 21:23–24) and their original covenant with the Lord. The Lord would punish them for their betrayal.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. During the interruption of the siege by Pharaoh-hophra (compare Jr 34:21, 22, with Jr 37:5-10), the Jews reduced their servants to bondage again.Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 34:11

• Constitution
• Covenant
• Emancipation
• King
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Covenant, in the Old Testament
• Handmaid
• Zedekiah (2)
• Zedekiah

Commentaries on Jeremiah 34

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings