Focused Passage

Jeremiah 34:12-16

Broken Covenant, Re-Enslaved Servants, and the Liberty of Judgment

The chapter moves from a word of judgment and limited mercy to Zedekiah, to the covenant reform releasing Hebrew servants, to Judah's reversal and re-enslavement, to the LORD's indictment, and finally to the judgment of sword, plague, famine, corpse shame, and Babylon's return.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

12Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

13“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your forefathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying:

14Every seventh year, each of you must free his Hebrew brother who has sold himself to you. He may serve you six years, but then you must let him go free. But your fathers did not listen or incline their ear.

15Recently you repented and did what pleased Me; each of you proclaimed freedom for his neighbor. You made a covenant before Me in the house that bears My Name.

16But now you have changed your minds and profaned My name. Each of you has taken back the menservants and maidservants whom you had set at liberty to go wherever they wanted, and you have again forced them to be your slaves.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 12

Original words

Then the wordדְבַר־H1697Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularcameוַיְהִ֤יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶֽל־H413PrepositionJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֔הוּH3414Noun - proper - masculine singular-מֵאֵ֥תH854Preposition-m | Direct object markerfrom the LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsayingלֵאמֹֽר׃H559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 13

Cross-references

Joshua 24:17Classic cross-references Judges 6:8Classic cross-references Leviticus 25:10Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 5:2Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 5:27Classic cross-references

Original words

This is whatכֹּֽה־H3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Godאֱלֹהֵ֣יH430Noun - masculine plural constructof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַ֥רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularIאָנֹכִ֗יH595Pronoun - first person common singularmadeכָּרַ֤תִּֽיH3772Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singulara covenantבְרִית֙H1285Noun - feminine singularwithאֶת־H854Prepositionyour forefathersאֲב֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔םH1Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralwhenבְּי֨וֹםH3117Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructI brought them outהוֹצִאִ֤יH3318Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | first person common singular-אוֹתָם֙H853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralof the landמֵאֶ֣רֶץH776Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructof Egyptמִצְרַ֔יִםH4714Noun - proper - feminine singularout of the houseמִבֵּ֥יתH1004Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructof slaveryעֲבָדִ֖יםH5650Noun - masculine pluralsayingלֵאמֹֽר׃H559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Verse 14

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 15:12Classic cross-references 1 Kings 9:22Classic cross-references 1 Samuel 8:7Classic cross-references 2 Kings 17:13Classic cross-references

Original words

Everyמִקֵּ֣ץH7093Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular constructseventhשֶׁ֣בַעH7651Number - feminine singularyearשָׁנִ֡יםH8141Noun - feminine pluraleachאִישׁ֩H376Noun - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerof you must freeתְּֽשַׁלְּח֡וּH7971Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralhis Hebrewהָעִבְרִ֜יH5680Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularbrotherאָחִ֨יוH251Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularwhoאֲשֶֽׁר־H834Pronoun - relativehas sold himselfיִמָּכֵ֣רH4376Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto youלְךָ֗Preposition | second person masculine singularHe may serveוַעֲבָֽדְךָ֙H5647Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularyou sixשֵׁ֣שׁH8337Number - feminine singular constructyearsשָׁנִ֔יםH8141Noun - feminine pluralbut then you must let him goוְשִׁלַּחְתּ֥וֹH7971Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singularfreeחָפְשִׁ֖יH2670Adjective - masculine singular-מֵֽעִמָּ֑ךְH5973Preposition-m | second person feminine singularBut your fathersאֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙H1Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural. . .אֵלַ֔יH413Preposition | first person common singular. . .וְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particledid notוְלֹֽא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlelistenשָׁמְע֤וּH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralor inclineהִטּ֖וּH5186Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markertheir earאָזְנָֽם׃H241Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural

Verse 15

Cross-references

Jeremiah 34:8Classic cross-references 2 Kings 23:3Classic cross-references Jeremiah 7:10Classic cross-references Nehemiah 10:29Classic cross-references

Original words

Recentlyהַיּ֗וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singularyouאַתֶּ֜םH859Pronoun - second person masculine pluralrepentedוַתָּשֻׁ֨בוּH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine pluraland didוַתַּעֲשׂ֤וּH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerwhat pleasedהַיָּשָׁר֙H3477Article | Adjective - masculine singularMeבְּעֵינַ֔יH5869Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | first person common singulareachאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularof you proclaimedלִקְרֹ֥אH7121Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructfreedomדְר֖וֹרH1865Noun - masculine singularfor his neighborלְרֵעֵ֑הוּH7453Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularYou madeוַתִּכְרְת֤וּH3772Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plurala covenantבְרִית֙H1285Noun - feminine singularbefore Meלְפָנַ֔יH6440Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularin the houseבַּבַּ֕יִתH1004Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularthatאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativebearsנִקְרָ֥אH7121Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularMy Nameשְׁמִ֖יH8034Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular. . .עָלָֽיו׃H5921Preposition | third person masculine singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Leviticus 19:12Classic cross-references Proverbs 21:13Classic cross-references Exodus 20:7Classic cross-references Ezekiel 18:24Classic cross-references Ezekiel 3:20Classic cross-references

Original words

But now you have changed your mindsוַתָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙H7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine pluraland profanedוַתְּחַלְּל֣וּH2490Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMy nameשְׁמִ֔יH8034Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularEach of youאִ֤ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhas taken backוַתָּשִׁ֗בוּH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine pluralthe menservants and maidservantsעַבְדּוֹ֙H5650Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular. . .וְאִ֣ישׁH376Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object marker-שִׁפְחָת֔וֹH8198Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularwhomאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeyou had setשִׁלַּחְתֶּ֥םH7971Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine pluralat libertyחָפְשִׁ֖יםH2670Adjective - masculine pluralto go wherever they wantedלְנַפְשָׁ֑םH5315Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluraland you have again forcedוַתִּכְבְּשׁ֣וּH3533Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine pluralthemאֹתָ֔םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralto beלִֽהְי֣וֹתH1961Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructyourלָכֶ֔םPreposition | second person masculine pluralslavesלַעֲבָדִ֖יםH5650Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural. . .וְלִשְׁפָחֽוֹת׃סH8198Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural

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