Jeremiah 34:8–16

Zedekiah’s Covenant Concerning Slaves

⁸The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh after king Zedekiah made^g a covenant with all the people who were in Jerusalem to proclaim release to them, ⁹to 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^h should enslave his fellow countryman. ¹⁰And all the officials and all the people obeyed, who had entered into the covenant to let go each one his male slave and each one his female slave, not enslaving them again, and they obeyed and they let themⁱ go. ¹¹But afterward^j they turned back and they brought back the male slaves and the female slaves whom they had let go free, and they subdued them as male slaves and female slaves.

¹²And the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,^{k 13}“Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘I made^l a covenant with your ancestors^m on the day of my bringing them out from the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves, saying,^{n 14}“At the end of seven years you must let go each one his fellow countryman, the Hebrew who has been sold to you and who has served you six years, and you must let him go free from you.” But your ancestors^o did not listen to me, and they did not incline their ears.^{p 15}And you turned back recently^q and you did right in my eyes, to proclaim release each one to his neighbor, and you made^r a covenant before me^s in the house that is called by^t my name. ¹⁶But you turned back and you profaned my name when you brought back each one his male slave and each one his female slave, whom you had let go free according to their desire, and you subdued them to be to you as male slaves and as female slaves.’