The Meaning of Jeremiah 34:10 Explained

Jeremiah 34:10

KJV: Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should let his manservant, and every one his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves of them any more, then they obeyed, and let them go.

YLT: and hearken do all the heads, and all the people who have come in to the covenant to send forth each his man-servant and each his maid-servant free, so as not to lay service on them any more, yea, they hearken, and send them away;

Darby: And all the princes and all the people that had entered into the covenant obeyed, every man letting his bondman and every man his bondmaid go free, that none should exact service of them any more: they obeyed, and let them go.

ASV: And all the princes and all the people obeyed, that had entered into the covenant, that every one should let his man-servant, and every one his maid-servant, go free, that none should make bondmen of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now when all the princes,  and all the people,  which had entered  into the covenant,  heard  that every one  should let his manservant,  and every one  his maidservant,  go  free,  that none should serve  themselves of them any more, then they obeyed,  and let [them] go. 

What does Jeremiah 34:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The people of Jerusalem entered into a covenant to free their servants, and they at first followed through with their promise and liberated them. We do not know their precise motives. Perhaps the servants were needed to defend the city along with their masters, or they may have provided too many mouths for their masters to feed. Perhaps this represents repentance on the part of the masters who wanted to honor the Mosaic Covenant (cf. Exodus 21:2-6; Leviticus 25:10; Deuteronomy 15:12-18). If it was repentance, it was short-lived and shallow.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 34

1  Jeremiah prophesies the captivity of Zedekiah and the city
8  The princes and the people having dismissed their bond-servants,
11  contrary to the covenant of God, re-assume them
12  Jeremiah gives them and Zedekiah into the hands of their enemies

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 34:10 mean?

And when heard all the princes and all the people who had entered into the covenant that should set everyone - his male and female slaves free that no one should keep in bondage them anymore and they obeyed and let [them] go
וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ֩ כָל־ הַשָּׂרִ֨ים וְכָל־ הָעָ֜ם אֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֣אוּ בַבְּרִ֗ית לְ֠שַׁלַּח אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־ עַבְדּ֞וֹ וְאִ֤ישׁ שִׁפְחָתוֹ֙ חָפְשִׁ֔ים לְבִלְתִּ֥י עֲבָד־ בָּ֖ם ע֑וֹד וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ וַיְשַׁלֵּֽחוּ

וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ֩  And  when  heard 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
הַשָּׂרִ֨ים  the  princes 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָ֜ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
בָּ֣אוּ  had  entered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בַבְּרִ֗ית  into  the  covenant 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
לְ֠שַׁלַּח  that  should  set 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אִ֣ישׁ  everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עַבְדּ֞וֹ  his  male 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
שִׁפְחָתוֹ֙  female  slaves 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שִׁפְחָה  
Sense: maid, maid-servant, slavegirl.
חָפְשִׁ֔ים  free 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חָפְשִׁי  
Sense: free.
לְבִלְתִּ֥י  that  no  one 
Parse: Preposition-l
Root: בִּלְתִּי  
Sense: not, except adv.
עֲבָד־  should  keep  in  bondage 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
ע֑וֹד  anymore 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ  and  they  obeyed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
וַיְשַׁלֵּֽחוּ  and  let  [them]  go 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.