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

9He had ordered all the people to free their Hebrew slaves—both men and women. No one was to keep a fellow Judean in bondage. 10The officials and all the people had obeyed the king’s command, but later they changed their minds. They took back the men and women they had freed, forcing them to be slaves again. 12So the Lord gave them this message through Jeremiah: 13“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors long ago when I rescued them from their slavery in Egypt.

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 34:21“I will hand over King Zedekiah of Judah and his officials to the army of the king of Babylon. And although they have left Jerusalem for a while,
• Jeremiah 37:5At this time the army of Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt appeared at the southern border of Judah. When the Babylonian army heard about it, they withdrew from their siege of Jerusalem.
• Exodus 8:8Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and begged, “Plead with the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people. I will let your people go, so they can offer sacrifices to the Lord.”
• Exodus 9:28Please beg the Lord to end this terrifying thunder and hail. We’ve had enough. I will let you go; you don’t need to stay any longer.”
• Exodus 10:17“Forgive my sin, just this once, and plead with the Lord your God to take away this death from me.”
• Exodus 14:3Then Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness!’
• 1 Samuel 19:6So Saul listened to Jonathan and vowed, “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.”
• 1 Samuel 24:19Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today.
• 1 Samuel 26:21Then Saul confessed, “I have sinned. Come back home, my son, and I will no longer try to harm you, for you valued my life today. I have been a fool and very, very wrong.”
• Psalms 36:3Everything they say is crooked and deceitful. They refuse to act wisely or do good.
• Psalms 78:34When God began killing them, they finally sought him. They repented and took God seriously.
• Psalms 125:5But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O Lord. Take them away with those who do evil. May Israel have peace!
• Proverbs 26:11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.
• Ecclesiastes 8:11When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong.
• Hosea 6:4“O Israel and Judah, what should I do with you?” asks the Lord. “For your love vanishes like the morning mist and disappears like dew in the sunlight.
• Hosea 7:16They look everywhere except to the Most High. They are as useless as a crooked bow. Their leaders will be killed by their enemies because of their insolence toward me. Then the people of Egypt will laugh at them.

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