Jeremiah 34

13. The last year of Zedekiah was the sabbatical year. How just the retribution, that they who, against God's law and their own covenant, enslaved their brethren, should be doomed to bondage themselves: and that the bond-servants should enjoy the sabbatical freedom at the hands of the foe ( Jeremiah 52:16 ) which their own countrymen denied them!

14. At the end of seven years--that is, not on the eighth year, but within the limit of the seventh year, not later than the end of the seventh year ( Exodus 21:2 , 23:10 , Deuteronomy 15:12 ). So "at the end of three years" ( Deuteronomy 14:28 , 2 Kings 18:10 ), and "after three days, I will rise again" ( Matthew 27:63 ), that is, on the third day (compare Matthew 27:64 ).

15. in the house . . . called by my name--the usual place of making such covenants ( 2 Kings 23:3 ; compare 1 Kings 8:31 , Nehemiah 10:29 ).

16. polluted my name--by violating your oath ( Exodus 20:7 ).

17. not . . . proclaiming liberty--Though the Jews had ostensibly emancipated their bond-servants, they virtually did not do so by revoking the liberty which they had granted. God looks not to outward appearances, but to the sincere intention.
I proclaim a liberty--retribution answering to the offense ( Matthew 7:2 , Matthew 18:32 Matthew 18:33 , Galatians 6:7 , 2:13 ). The Jews who would not give liberty to their brethren shall themselves receive "a liberty" calamitous to them. God will manumit them from His happy and safe service ( Psalms 121:3 ), which is real "liberty" ( Psalms 119:45 , John 8:36 , 2 Corinthians 3:17 ), only to pass under the terrible bondage of other taskmasters, the "sword," &c.
to be removed--The Hebrew expresses agitation Deuteronomy 28:25 Deuteronomy 28:48 Deuteronomy 28:64 Deuteronomy 28:65 , as to the restless agitation of the Jews in their ceaseless removals from place to place in their dispersion.

18. passed between the parts thereof--The contracting parties in the "covenant" (not here the law in general, but their covenant made before God in His house to emancipate their slaves, Jeremiah 34:8 Jeremiah 34:9 ) passed through the parts of the animal cut in two, implying that they prayed so to be cut in sunder ( Matthew 24:51 ; Greek, "cut in two") if they should break the covenant ( Genesis 15:10 Genesis 15:17 ).

20. I will even give--resuming the sentence begun, but not completed ( Jeremiah 34:18 ), "I will give," &c.
seek their life--implacably: satisfied with nothing short of their blood; not content with booty.
dead bodies--The breakers of the covenant shall be cut in pieces, as the calf between whose parts they passed.

21. gone up--that is, raised the siege in order to meet Pharaoh-hophra ( Jeremiah 37:7-10 ). The departure of the Chaldeans was a kind of manumission of the Jews; but as their manumission of their bond-servants was recalled, so God revoked His manumission of them from the Chaldeans.

22. I will command--Nebuchadnezzar, impelled unconsciously by a divine instigation, returned on the withdrawal of the Egyptians.