Jeremiah 34:11
◄  Jeremiah 34:11  ►
New International Version (©2011)
But afterward they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.

New Living Translation (©2007)
but later they changed their minds. They took back the men and women they had freed, forcing them to be slaves again.

English Standard Version (©2001)
But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them into subjection as slaves.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
But afterward they turned around and took back the male servants and the female servants whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection for male servants and for female servants.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
But afterward they turned, 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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Afterward, however, they changed their minds and took back their male and female slaves they had freed and forced them to become slaves again.

International Standard Version (©2012)
But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves that they had set free, and they forced them to become male and female slaves.

NET Bible (©2006)
But later they had changed their minds. They had taken back their male and female slaves that they had freed and forced them to be slaves again.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
But afterwards, they changed their minds and took back the men and women they had freed and made them their slaves again.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
But afterward they turned, 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.

American King James Version
But afterward they turned, 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.

American Standard Version
but afterwards they turned, 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.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But afterwards they turned: and brought back again their servants and their handmaids, whom they had let go free, and brought them into subjection as menservants and maidservants.

Darby Bible Translation
But afterwards they turned, and caused the bondmen and the bondmaids whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for bondmen and for bondmaids.

English Revised Version
but afterwards they turned, 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:

Webster's Bible Translation
But afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had liberated, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.

World English Bible
but afterwards they turned, 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.

Young's Literal Translation
and they turn afterwards, and cause the men-servants and the maid-servants to return, whom they had sent forth free, and they subdue them for men-servants and for maid-servants.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

34:8-22 A Jew should not be held in servitude above seven years. This law they and their fathers had broken. And when there was some hope that the siege was raised, they forced the servants they had released into their services again. Those who think to cheat God by dissembled repentance and partial reformation, put the greatest cheat upon their own souls. This shows that liberty to sin, is really only liberty to have the sorest judgments. It is just with God to disappoint expectations of mercy, when we disappoint the expectations of duty. And when reformation springs only from terror, it is seldom lasting. Solemn vows thus entered into, profane the ordinances of God; and the most forward to bind themselves by appeals to God, are commonly most ready to break them. Let us look to our hearts, that our repentance may be real, and take care that the law of God regulates our conduct.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

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; 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.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

11. During the interruption of the siege by Pharaoh-hophra (compare Jer 34:21, 22, with Jer 37:5-10), the Jews reduced their servants to bondage again.

Jeremiah 34:11 Parallel Commentaries

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Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


Freedom for Hebrew Slaves
…10Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should let his manservant, and every one his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves of them any more, then they obeyed, and let them go. 11But afterward they turned, 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. 12Therefore the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, …

Jeremiah 34:10 So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free.
Jeremiah 34:12 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 34:16 But now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.