Jeremiah 34:11

11 and they were turned afterward, and drew again their servants, and handmaids, which they had let go free, and they made them subject (again) into servants, and into servantesses. (but then afterward, they turned back, and drew again to themselves their servants, and servantesses, whom they had let go free, and they made them subject again into servants, and into servantesses.)

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 each man should deliver his servant, and each man his handmaid, an Hebrew man and an Hebrew woman, free, and that they should not be lords of them, that is, in a Jew, and their brother. (that each person should set free their servants, and their servantesses, yea, any Hebrew man or woman, and that they should not be their lords, that is, of a Jew, their brother, or their sister.)

10 Therefore all the princes and all the people heard, which made covenant, that they should deliver each man his servant, and each man his handmaid, free, and should no more be lords of them; therefore they heard, and delivered (them); (And so when all the leaders and all the people, who had made the covenant, had heard that each person should set their servants, and their servantesses, free, and that they should no more be their lords; yea, when they had heard this, they indeed set them free;)

11 and they were turned afterward, and drew again their servants, and handmaids, which they had let go free, and they made them subject (again) into servants, and into servantesses. (but then afterward, they turned back, and drew again to themselves their servants, and servantesses, whom they had let go free, and they made them subject again into servants, and into servantesses.)

12 And the word of the Lord was made of the Lord to Jeremy, and said, (And so the word of the Lord was made to Jeremiah, and said,)

13 The Lord God of Israel saith these things, I smote a bond of peace with your fathers, in the day in which I led them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of servage; and I said, (The Lord God of Israel saith these things, I struck a covenant with your forefathers, on the day when I led them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude, or of slavery; and I said,)