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The NET Bible®

Jeremiah 34:9

Everyone was supposed to free their male and female Hebrew slaves. No one was supposed to keep a fellow Judean enslaved.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Brother;   Constitution;   Covenant;   Emancipation;   King;   Servant;   Thompson Chain Reference - Emancipation;   Liberty-Bondage;   Nebuchadnezzar;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Servants;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Servant;   Zedekiah;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Hebrew;   Jew;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Israel;   Slave, Slavery;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jeremiah;   Jubilee;   Slave;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Hebrew (Descendent of Eber);   Jeremiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Greek Versions of Ot;   Sabbatical Year;   Slave, Slavery;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Sorcery;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Hebrew ;   Zedekiah ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jeremiah (2);   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Hellenists;   Zedekiah;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Covenant, in the Old Testament;   Hebrew;   Jew;   Slave;   Zedekiah (2);   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Slaves and Slavery;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
As a result, each was to let his male and female Hebrew slaves go free, and no one was to enslave his fellow Judean.
Hebrew Names Version
that every man should let his man-servant, and every man his maid-servant, who is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; that none should make bondservants of them, [to wit], of a Yehudi his brother.
King James Version
That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.
English Standard Version
that everyone should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave a Jew, his brother.
New American Standard Bible
that each person was to set his male servant free and each his female servant, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, so that no one would keep them, his Jewish brother or sister, in bondage.
New Century Version
Everyone was supposed to free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female. No one was to keep a fellow Jew as a slave.
Amplified Bible
that every man should let his Hebrew slaves, male and female, go free, so that no one should make a slave of a Jew, his brother.
World English Bible
that every man should let his man-servant, and every man his maid-servant, who is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; that none should make bondservants of them, [to wit], of a Jew his brother.
Geneva Bible (1587)
That euery man should let his seruant go free, and euery man his handmayde, which was an Ebrue or an Ebruesse, and that none should serue himselfe of them, to wit, of a Iewe his brother.
Legacy Standard Bible
that each man should let his male slave go free and each man his female slave, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, so that no one should enslave them, each being a Jew, his brother.
Berean Standard Bible
that each man should free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female, and no one should hold his fellow Jew in bondage.
Complete Jewish Bible
Everyone who had a male or female slave who was Hebrew was to let him go free; none was to keep as his slave a fellow Jew.
Darby Translation
that every man should let his bondman, and every man his bondmaid, the Hebrew and the Hebrewess, go free, that none should exact service of them, [that is,] of a Jew his brother.
Easy-to-Read Version
Everyone was supposed to free their Hebrew slaves. All male and female Hebrew slaves were to be set free. No one was supposed to keep another person from the tribe of Judah in slavery.
George Lamsa Translation
That every man should set free his Hebrew manservant and maidservant, so that no man may enslave a Jew, his brother.
Good News Translation
their Hebrew slaves, both male and female, so that no one would have an Israelite as a slave.
Lexham English Bible
to let go each one his male slave and each one his female slave, the Hebrew and the free Hebrew, so that no one among the Judeans should enslave his fellow countryman.
Literal Translation
that each man should release his male slave, and each man his female slave, if a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, to go free, that not any should enslave a Jew, a man, his brother among them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
so that euery man shulde let fre go his seruaunt and handemayde, Hebrue & Hebruesse & no Iewe to holde his brother as a bonde man.
American Standard Version
that every man should let his man-servant, and every man his maid-servant, that is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; that none should make bondmen of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.
Bible in Basic English
That every man was to let his Hebrew man-servant and his Hebrew servant-girl go free; so that no one might make use of a Jew, his countryman, as a servant:
JPS Old Testament (1917)
that every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, go free; that none should make bondmen of them, even of a Jew his brother;
King James Version (1611)
That euery man should let his man seruant, and euery man his maide seruant, being an Hebrewe, or an Hebrewesse, goe free, that none should serue himselfe of them, to wit, of a Iew his brother.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
So that euery man should let his seruaunt and handmayde go free, Hebrue and Hebruesse, and no Iewe holde his brother as a bondman.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And hearken ye not to your false prophets, nor to them that divine to you, nor to them that foretell events by dreams to you, nor to your auguries, nor your sorcerers, that say, Ye shall by no means work for the king of Babylon:
English Revised Version
that every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and prechide, that ech man schulde delyuere his seruaunt, and ech man his handmaide, an Ebreu man and an Ebru womman fre, and that thei schulden not be lordis of hem, that is, in a Jew, and her brothir.
Update Bible Version
that every man should let his male slave, and every man his female slave, that is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free; that none should make slaves of them, [to wit], of a Jew his brother.
Webster's Bible Translation
That every man should liberate his man-servant, and every man his maid-servant, [being] a Hebrew or a Hebrewess; that none should retain them in service, [to wit], a Jew his brother.
New King James Version
that every man should set free his male and female slave--a Hebrew man or woman--that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage.
New Living Translation
He had ordered all the people to free their Hebrew slaves—both men and women. No one was to keep a fellow Judean in bondage.
New Life Bible
their Hebrew male and female servants so that no one would have a Hebrew servant work for him.
New Revised Standard
that all should set free their Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should hold another Judean in slavery.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
that every man should let his servant and every man his handmaid, being a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free, - so that no man should use them as slaves, to wit a Jew his brother;
Douay-Rheims Bible
That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, go free: and that they should not lord it over them, to wit, over the Jews their brethren.
Revised Standard Version
that every one should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave a Jew, his brother.
Young's Literal Translation
to send out each his man-servant, and each his maid-servant -- the Hebrew and the Hebrewess -- free, so as not to lay service on them, any on a Jew his brother;
New American Standard Bible (1995)
that each man should set free his male servant and each man his female servant, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman; so that no one should keep them, a Jew his brother, in bondage.

Contextual Overview

8 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to grant their slaves their freedom. 9 Everyone was supposed to free their male and female Hebrew slaves. No one was supposed to keep a fellow Judean enslaved. 10 All the people and their leaders had agreed to this. They had agreed to free their male and female slaves and not keep them enslaved any longer. They originally complied with the covenant and freed them. 11 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. 12 That was when the Lord spoke to Jeremiah, 13 "The Lord God of Israel has a message for you. ‘I made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt where they had been slaves. It stipulated, 14 "Every seven years each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. After they have served you for six years, you shall set them free." But your ancestors did not obey me or pay any attention to me. 15 Recently, however, you yourselves showed a change of heart and did what is pleasing to me. You granted your fellow countrymen their freedom and you made a covenant to that effect in my presence in the house that I have claimed for my own. 16 But then you turned right around and showed that you did not honor me. Each of you took back your male and female slaves whom you had freed as they desired, and you forced them to be your slaves again. 17 So I, the Lord , say: "You have not really obeyed me and granted freedom to your neighbor and fellow countryman. Therefore, I will grant you freedom, the freedom to die in war, or by starvation or disease. I, the Lord , affirm it! I will make all the kingdoms of the earth horrified at what happens to you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Hebrew: Genesis 14:13, Genesis 40:15, Exodus 2:6, Exodus 3:18, Deuteronomy 15:12, 1 Samuel 4:6, 1 Samuel 4:9, 1 Samuel 14:11, 2 Corinthians 11:22, Philippians 3:5

serve: Jeremiah 34:10, Jeremiah 25:14, Jeremiah 27:7, Jeremiah 30:8, 1 Corinthians 6:8

Reciprocal: Isaiah 58:3 - exact Jeremiah 34:14 - At the Colossians 4:1 - give

Cross-References

Genesis 6:2
the sons of God saw that the daughters of humankind were beautiful. Thus they took wives for themselves from any they chose.
Genesis 19:14
Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. He said, "Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them.
Genesis 24:3
so that I may make you solemnly promise by the Lord , the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living.
Genesis 27:46
Then Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am deeply depressed because of these daughters of Heth. If Jacob were to marry one of these daughters of Heth who live in this land, I would want to die!"
Deuteronomy 7:3
You must not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, [being] an Hebrew, or an Hebrewess, go free,.... This is the proclamation that was agreed to be made, that every manservant and maidservant, that serve six years an apprenticeship, should be freed from their servitude, according to the law in Exodus 21:1; a law founded upon justice and equity, mercy and compassion; done for the honour of the Jewish nation, that they might be a free people, and in commemoration of their deliverance from their servitude in Egypt. This law, as it seems, had been long neglected, and servants had been retained in bondage beyond their due time, through the oppression and covetousness of their masters, and the neglect of the civil magistrates; who should have took care that such a law was put in execution, and that servants were not oppressed. Some have thought that it was at the beginning of the sabbatical year that this proclamation was made, when, according to the law, there should be a release of servants, Deuteronomy 15:1; but that was not a release of servants, but of debts; for if a servant had not served out his time, the sabbatical year, or year of release, did not discharge him; though the year of jubilee did, according to Maimonides l, who says,

"if the year of release happens in any of the six years, he (the servant) serves in it; but if the year of jubilee happens within the time, even though he has been sold but one year before it, he is free;''

that none should serve himself of them, [to wit], of a Jew his brother; or cause them to serve him, oblige them against their will to continue in his service; or by any means avail himself of them, and receive to himself any profit or advantage by their service, they being Jews and brethren; which seems to be added, both as the reason of the law, because they were brethren of the same nation and religion with them, and to distinguish them from other servants, who notwithstanding this law might be retained as such.

l Hilchot Abadim, c. 2. sect. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It is usual with commentators to say that, the laws dealing with the emancipation of the Hebrew slaves, as also that of the land resting during the sabbatical year, were not observed. The narrative teaches us the exact contrary. The manumission of the slaves on the present occasion was the spontaneous act of Zedekiah and the people. They knew of the law, and acknowledged its obligation. The observance of it was, no doubt, lax: the majority let their own selfish interests prevail; but the minority made might give way to right, and Zedekiah supported their efforts though only in a weak way.

Early in January, in the ninth year of Zedekiah, the Chaldaean army approached Jerusalem. The people made a covenant with the king, who appears as the abettor of the measure, to let their slaves go free. Possibly patriotism had its share in this: and as Jerusalem was strongly fortified, all classes possibly hoped that if the slaves were manumitted, they too would labor with a more hearty good-will in resisting the enemy. In the summer of the same year the Egyptians advanced to the rescue, and Nebuchadnezzar withdrew to meet their attack. The Jews with a strange levity, which sets them before us in a most despicable light, at once forced the manumitted slaves back into bondage. With noble indignation Jeremiah rebukes them for their treachery, assures them that the Chaldaean army will return, and warns them of the certainty of the punishment which they so richly merited.

Jeremiah 34:8

As the Chaldaean army swept over the country the wealthier classes would all flee to Jerusalem, taking with them their households. And as the Mosaic Law was probably more carefully kept there than in the country, the presence in these families of slaves who had grown grey in service may have given offence to the stricter classes at the capital.

To proclaim liberty unto them - The words are those of the proclamation of the year of jubile to the people, whereupon it became their duty to set their slaves free.

Jeremiah 34:9

Should serve himself of them - Should make them serve him (see Jeremiah 25:14).

Jeremiah 34:11

They turned, and caused ... to return - But afterward they again made the slaves return.

Jeremiah 34:13

The house of bondmen - The miserable prison in which, after being worked in the fields all day in gangs, the slaves were shut up at night.

Jeremiah 34:16

At their pleasure - literally, for themselves.

Jeremiah 34:17

I will make you to be removed into - “I will cause you to be a terror unto.” Men would shudder at them.

Jeremiah 34:18

The words ... - The Jews spoke of “cutting” a covenant, because the contracting parties cut a calf in twain and passed between the pieces. Thus cutting a covenant and cutting a calf in twain, meant the same thing.

Jeremiah 34:21

Which are gone up from you - i. e., which have departed for the present, and have raised the siege.


 
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