Jeremiah 34:11

11 But after that, the people who had slaves changed their minds. So they took back the people they had set free and made them slaves again.

Jeremiah 34:11 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 34:11

But afterwards they turned
From the law of God, and their own agreement, and returned to their former usage of their servants; they changed their minds and measures. This seems to be done, when the king of Babylon, hearing the king of Egypt was coming to break up the siege of Jerusalem, quitted it, and went forth to meet him, as appears from ( Jeremiah 34:21 ) ( 37:5 ) ; the Jews now finding themselves at liberty, and out of danger as they imagined, wickedly rebelled against the law of God; perfidiously broke their own covenant, repenting of what they had done, and returned to their former ways of oppression and cruelty; which shows they were not hearty and sincere in their covenant: 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;
which was done by force, contrary to the will of their servants and handmaids, and in violation of the law of God, and their own solemn oath and covenant.

Jeremiah 34:11 In-Context

9 Everyone was supposed to free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female. No one was to keep a fellow Jew as a slave.

10 All the officers and all the people accepted this agreement; they agreed to free their male and female slaves and no longer keep them as slaves. So all the slaves were set free.

11 But after that, the people who had slaves changed their minds. So they took back the people they had set free and made them slaves again.

12 Then the Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah:

13 "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought your ancestors out of Egypt where they were slaves and made an agreement with them.