Jeremiah 34:13
“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I myself made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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God reminds them that the very freedom they were created as a nation to enjoy was born out of their own bitter experience as "house of bondmen." This wasn't just a legal detail; it was the bedrock of their covenant relationship with God, meant to shape their hearts to show compassion to others in bondage.
Just prior to this, King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem had made a covenant to free their Hebrew slaves, a commendable act in God's eyes. However, they quickly broke this promise, forcing their former servants back into bondage and profaning God's name. In response, God reminds them of the foundational covenant He made when He rescued their ancestors from slavery in Egypt, highlighting the injustice of their actions.
Why does Jeremiah’s message start by reminding them of Egypt? It’s more than just history; it’s the foundation of their identity and God's law.
Jeremiah 34:13 opens with God declaring, 'I myself made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.' This isn't just a historical recap; it's a profound reminder of their origins. They were not always free. They were once enslaved in Egypt, a 'house of bondmen.' This shared experience of oppression and God's miraculous deliverance is the bedrock of their relationship with Him and the basis for His laws. By invoking their time in Egypt, God is reminding them: 'Remember where you came from. Remember what it felt like to be enslaved. And remember who delivered you.' This memory is meant to shape their present actions, especially how they treat others. The law regarding the release of servants, which they had just violated, was directly tied to this foundational experience of redemption from slavery.
When God speaks of a 'covenant,' what does that really mean? It’s not just a contract; it’s a deep, binding relationship that demands a response.
The word 'covenant' here signifies a solemn, binding agreement between God and His people. It's more than just a set of rules; it's the very foundation of their relationship. God initiates it, demonstrating His faithfulness and grace by bringing them out of slavery. In return, His people are called to faithfulness and obedience. Jeremiah 34:13 emphasizes that this covenant was established the moment God delivered them from Egypt. This act of redemption wasn't just a one-time rescue; it established an ongoing commitment. For the Israelites, obeying the laws within this covenant, like releasing servants after a set period, was not optional. It was a demonstration of their recognition of God's sovereignty and their gratitude for His liberating grace. When they failed to uphold these covenant responsibilities, they weren't just breaking a rule; they were violating the very terms of their relationship with God.
Understand the original words
berît · Hebrew Noun
A binding agreement or promise between two parties, often initiated by God, establishing a formal relationship and obligations. Biblical covenants frequently involve divine blessing for obedience and curses for disobedience.
ʿăbādîm · Hebrew Noun
The condition of being held in bondage, servitude, or restricted freedom under the authority of another. Spiritually, it often refers to the bondage of sin from which God delivers His people.
This verse anchors God's judgment against Judah's broken covenant of release not just in their immediate betrayal of a recent decree, but in a long pattern of disobedience stretching back to the foundational covenant made at their exodus from Egypt.
~1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, initiating a covenant with them at Sinai shortly thereafter, which included laws regarding the treatment and release of Hebrew servants.
c. 1446-587 BC
Repeated Covenant Violations
Over centuries, the people of Israel repeatedly failed to uphold the covenant, including the specific laws about releasing Hebrew servants after six years of service.
c. 590s BC— this verse
King Zedekiah's Covenant
Facing internal and external pressures, King Zedekiah makes a covenant with the people of Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to their Hebrew slaves, attempting to right past wrongs.
c. 590s BC
Servants Re-enslaved
Soon after the covenant of release, the people renege on their promise, forcing the servants and handmaids back into bondage, thus profaning God's name and breaking their oath.
This passage directly connects God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt with the establishment of His law, mirroring Jeremiah's reminder of the covenant made upon their exodus.
Deuteronomy 5:6This echoes the very words spoken to Israel at the covenant, emphasizing God's identity as their deliverer from slavery, a foundational truth Jeremiah invokes.
Deuteronomy 15:12This passage details the specific law regarding the release of Hebrew servants after six years, which is the very law Jeremiah is reminding them of and which they have violated.
Nehemiah 9:17This prayer recounts God's faithfulness in bringing Israel out of Egypt, highlighting their subsequent stubbornness and rebellion, which parallels the disobedience Jeremiah confronts.
Amos 2:6This prophetic indictment condemns Israel for selling the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, showing a pattern of oppressing the vulnerable that Jeremiah is addressing.
barnesJeremiah 34:13: "Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying,"
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.
calvinJeremiah 34:8-17: "This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them;"
Ut dimitteret quisque servum suum, et quisque ancillam suam (vir, vir, ad verbum, sed significat quisque indefinite) Hebraeum vel Hebraeum liberos, ut ne ultra servirent ipsis (vel, transitive, ut alii malunt et bene quadrat, ut non haberent cos servos) inter Judaeos vir fratrem suum.
Now…
God reminds them that the very freedom they were created as a nation to enjoy was born out of their own bitter experience as "house of bondmen." This wasn't just a legal detail; it was the bedrock of their covenant relationship with God, meant to shape their hearts to show compassion to others in bondage.
Just prior to this, King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem had made a covenant to free their Hebrew slaves, a commendable act in God's eyes. However, they quickly broke this promise, forcing their former servants back into bondage and profaning God's name. In response, God reminds them of the foundational covenant He made when He rescued their ancestors from slavery in Egypt, highlighting the injustice of their actions.
Just prior to this, King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem had made a covenant to free their Hebrew slaves, a commendable act in God's eyes. However, they quickly broke this promise, forcing their former servants back into bondage and profaning God's name. In response, God reminds them of the foundational covenant He made when He rescued their ancestors from slavery in Egypt, highlighting the injustice of their actions.
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c. 589 BC
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
The Babylonian army, led by Nebuchadnezzar II, lays siege to Jerusalem, a direct consequence of Judah's repeated unfaithfulness to God and treaty obligations.
587 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonians breach the walls of Jerusalem, destroy the city and the Temple, and carry away many inhabitants into exile, fulfilling the prophecies of judgment.
"“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I myself made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying," — God reminds them that the very freedom they were created as a nation to enjoy was born out of their own bitter experience as "house of bondmen." This wasn't just a legal detail; it was the bedrock of…
