Jeremiah 34:11

11 But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them again into subjection as slaves.

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 that all should set free their Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should hold another Judean in slavery.

10 And they obeyed, all the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant that all would set free their slaves, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again; they obeyed and set them free.

11 But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them again into subjection as slaves.

12 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord:

13 Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I myself made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying,