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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)but later they changed their minds. They took back the men and women they had freed, forcing them to be slaves again.

Context of Jeremiah 34:11

9that everyone should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave a Jew, his brother. 10And they obeyed, all the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant that everyone would set free his slave, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again. They obeyed and set them free. But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them into subjection as slaves. 12The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 13"Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I myself made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house 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 34:21And Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials I will give into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives, into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon which has withdrawn from you.
• Jeremiah 37:5The army of Pharaoh had come out of Egypt. And when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.
• Exodus 8:8Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, "Plead with the Lord to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord."
• Exodus 9:28Plead with the Lord, for there has been enough of God's thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer."
• Exodus 10:17Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the Lord your God only to remove this death from me."
• Exodus 14:3For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, 'They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.'
• 1 Samuel 19:6And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, "As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death."
• 1 Samuel 24:19For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.
• 1 Samuel 26:21Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake."
• Psalms 36:3The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
• Psalms 78:34When he killed them, they sought him; they repented and sought God earnestly.
• Psalms 125:5But those who turn aside to their crooked ways the Lord will lead away with evildoers! Peace be upon Israel!
• Proverbs 26:11Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.
• Ecclesiastes 8:11Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.
• Hosea 6:4What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.
• Hosea 7:16They return, but not upward; they are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision 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