Jeremiah 34:8-22

Jeremiah 34:8-22

[8] This is the word  that came unto Jeremiah  after  that the king  Zedekiah  had made  a covenant  with all the people  which were at Jerusalem,  to proclaim  liberty  [9] That every man  should let his manservant,  and every man  his maidservant,  being an Hebrew  go  free;  that none should serve  himself of them, to wit, of a Jew  his brother.  [10] 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.  [11] 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.  [12] Therefore the word  of the LORD  came to Jeremiah  from the LORD,  saying,  [13] Thus saith  the LORD,  the God  of Israel;  I made  a covenant  with your fathers  in the day  that I brought them forth  out of the land  of Egypt,  out of the house  of bondmen,  saying,  [14] At the end  of seven  years  let ye go  every man  his brother  an Hebrew,  which hath been sold  unto thee; and when he hath served  thee six  years,  thou shalt let him go  free  from thee: but your fathers  hearkened  not unto me, neither inclined  their ear.  [15] And ye were now  turned,  and had done  right  in my sight,  in proclaiming  liberty  every man  to his neighbour;  and ye had made  a covenant  before  me in the house  which is called  by my name:  [16] But ye turned  and polluted  my name,  and caused every man  his servant,  and every man  his handmaid,  whom ye had set  at liberty  at their pleasure,  to return,  and brought them into subjection,  to be unto you for servants  and for handmaids.  [17] Therefore thus saith  the LORD;  Ye have not hearkened  unto me, in proclaiming  liberty,  every one  to his brother,  and every man  to his neighbour:  behold, I proclaim  a liberty  for you, saith  the LORD,  to the sword,  to the pestilence,  and to the famine;  and I will make  into all the kingdoms  of the earth.  [18] And I will give  that have transgressed  my covenant,  which have not performed  the words  of the covenant  which they had made  before  me, when they cut  the calf  in twain,  and passed  between the parts  [19] The princes  of Judah,  and the princes  of Jerusalem,  the eunuchs,  and the priests,  and all the people  of the land,  which passed  between the parts  of the calf;  [20] I will even give  them into the hand  of their enemies,  and into the hand  of them that seek  their life:  and their dead bodies  shall be for meat  unto the fowls  of the heaven,  and to the beasts  of the earth.  [21] And Zedekiah  king  of Judah  and his princes  will I give  into the hand  of their enemies,  and into the hand  of them that seek  their life,  and into the hand  of the king  of Babylon's  army,  which are gone up  [22] Behold, I will command,  saith  the LORD,  and cause them to return  to this city;  and they shall fight  against it, and take  it, and burn  it with fire:  and I will make  the cities  of Judah  a desolation  without an inhabitant. 

What does Jeremiah 34:8-22 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

This incident happened during the respite in the siege, as did those recorded in Jeremiah 32:1-15; Jeremiah 37-38; and Jeremiah 39:15-18 (cf. Jeremiah 34:21-22). The year was about588 B.C.