Jeremiah 34:13

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,)

Jeremiah 34:13 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 34:13

Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel
The covenant God of Israel, their Creator, Redeemer, and Benefactor: I made a covenant with your fathers;
gave them a system of laws, among which was that of release of servants: in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt;
that is, at that time, quickly after, when they were come to Mount Sinai; this shows what fathers are meant, the Jewish ancestors that came out of Egypt, brought from thence by the mighty hand of God, and indulged with many favours by him, both in the wilderness, and in the land of Canaan, where he brought and settled them: out of the house of bondmen;
where they were bondmen, servants, and slaves: this is mentioned, to put them in mind of their former state and condition; to observe unto them the foundation and ground of the law concerning servants, how equitable and merciful it was, and to aggravate their sin; who though their fathers had been bondmen, and they must have been so too, had they not been released, yet acted such a cruel part to their servants, who were their brethren, in not discharging them in due time: saying;
giving out the following law, as a part of the covenant made with their fathers.

Jeremiah 34:13 In-Context

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,)
14 When seven years be [ful]filled, each man deliver his brother, an Hebrew man, which is sold to him, and he shall serve thee six years, and (then) thou shalt deliver him from thee; and your fathers heard not me, neither bowed [in] their ear. (Every seven years, each person shall let their brother, a Hebrew man, who was sold to him, go free, yea, after that he hath served thee for six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee; but your forefathers did not listen to me, nor bowed in their ears.)
15 And ye be converted today, and ye did that, that is rightful before mine eyes, that ye preached each man freedom to his friend, and ye made (a) covenant in my sight, in the house wherein my name is called to help on that freedom. (And today ye turned, and ye did what was right before my eyes, in that ye preached freedom for each person to their friend, and ye made a covenant in my sight, in the House where my name is called on for help/and ye made a covenant before me, in the House which is called by my name.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.