Explore the Bible Online

Jeremiah 34:8-10

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

8. [This is] the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which [were] at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them; 9. That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, [being] an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, 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.

Jeremiah 34:8-10 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Jeremiah 34:8

Theological / Devotional

To proclaim liberty. While the Mosaic law permitted the Israelites to be placed only under a limited time bondage (see on Ex. 21:2), many masters had exceeded their rights. The nobles of Judah, like those of Athens before Solon, applied the law of debt so as to place a large number of their fellows in slavery. Now, under the pressing danger of the Babylonian attack, either to assure his receiving the willing cooperative service of freemen instead of the forced help of slaves, or for some other reason, Zedekiah promised freedom to all those in slavery in Jerusalem.

By SdaBc