Jeremiah 34:12-16
Breaking covenant justice reveals a deeper disregard for the God who redeemed His people from slavery.
12 Therefore Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,
13 “Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying,
14 At the end of seven years, every man of you shall release his brother who is a Hebrew, who has been sold to you, and has served you six years. You shall let him go free from you; but your fathers didn’t listen to me, and didn’t incline their ear.
15 You had now turned, and had done that which is right in my eyes, in every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor. You had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name;
16 but you turned and profaned my name, and every man caused his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return. You brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.’ ”
Breaking covenant justice reveals a deeper disregard for the God who redeemed His people from slavery.
To confront Judah for breaking the covenant to release Hebrew slaves and to remind them that God had long commanded such justice because He Himself redeemed Israel from slavery.
Jeremiah 34:12–16 continues the narrative introduced in 34:8–11. After describing the temporary release of Hebrew slaves and the people’s reversal of that decision, the Lord now speaks through Jeremiah to expose the covenant violation and remind Judah of the original command given in the Torah.
Jeremiah delivers God’s rebuke to Judah after the people reversed their covenant decision to free Hebrew slaves during the Babylonian siege.
Broken Covenant, Re-Enslaved Servants, and the Liberty of Judgment
Judah's leaders proclaimed freedom to Hebrew servants and then re-enslaved them, so the LORD declares freedom for Judah to sword, plague, famine, and Babylonian judgment.