Jeremiah 34:14
‘At the end of seven years each of you must set free the fellow Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you six years; you must set him free from your service.’ But your fathers did not listen to me or incline their ears to me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The passage highlights that this wasn't just a forgotten law, but a deliberate disregard for God's command, with their "fathers" explicitly described as not even inclining their ear, implying a deep-seated, willful defiance that stretched across generations. This refusal to listen wasn't a passive mistake; it was an active closing off of their hearing to God's voice and His principles of justice.
After King Zedekiah made a covenant with the people to proclaim liberty for enslaved Hebrews, they initially complied and released their servants according to God's law. However, they soon reversed their decision, forcing the freed individuals back into servitude, thus profaning God's name and violating their solemn oath. Jeremiah is sent to confront them about this broken covenant and their repeated disobedience to God's commands, which echoes their ancestors' long-standing disregard for the same law.
God’s law wasn’t just about rules; it was about restoring dignity and reflecting His own liberating grace. Why was this specific command so important to Him?
Jeremiah 34:14 reminds us of a specific law given to Israel: Hebrew servants were to be set free after six years of service, at the beginning of the seventh year. This wasn't just a humanitarian gesture; it was a fundamental part of God’s covenant with His people.
A Reflection of God's Freedom
God Himself had delivered Israel from brutal slavery in Egypt. The command to release Hebrew servants was a constant reminder that they, too, were to live as a free people, reflecting the liberation God had shown them. It prevented perpetual servitude among their own people and reinforced their identity as a nation chosen and set free by God.
God’s Covenant in Action
This law was a tangible expression of God’s covenant love. It wasn't merely about contractual obligations but about embodying the principles of justice and mercy that defined their relationship with God and with each other. Neglecting this law was not just a social failing; it was a spiritual betrayal of their covenant vows.
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The people proclaimed liberty, but their hearts remained unchanged. What does it mean when our actions don’t match our words, especially before God?
The people of Judah had a moment where they seemed to do right: they proclaimed liberty for their servants. However, the text quickly reveals this was a superficial act, driven by fear or a fleeting sense of duty, not genuine repentance. Jeremiah points out the deeper issue: 'But your fathers did not listen to me or incline their ears to me.'
A Pattern of Disobedience
This wasn't a new problem. The prophet reminds them that their ancestors had long ignored this very command. Their current action was merely a repeat performance of a generational sin. The problem wasn't just breaking a rule; it was a consistent pattern of refusing to listen to God’s voice and incorporate His ways into their lives.
Profaning God's Name
When they later forced their servants back into bondage, they didn't just betray the oath they made; they profaned God's name. Making a covenant in God's house and then violating it turned a sacred act into a mockery. This highlights that true obedience isn't a one-time event but a continuous orientation of the heart towards God, demonstrated through consistent action.
Understand the original words
šāmaʿ · Hebrew Verb
The act of hearing with the intent to obey or heed. In biblical usage, it implies submission and active response to God's instruction rather than mere auditory perception.
This verse highlights a deep-seated societal injustice where the Israelites repeatedly ignored God's command to free indentured servants after seven years. This failure, rooted in their fathers' disobedience and continued by their own generation, became a critical factor in God's judgment, demonstrating how national decisions are often tied to a long history of covenant unfaithfulness.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, establishing a covenant with them and giving them the Law, which included statutes regarding the treatment and release of Hebrew servants.
c. 1406-1390 BC
Conquest and Division of Canaan
Following Moses' death, Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land. The land is eventually divided among the twelve tribes.
c. 1000 BC
Reign of King David
David establishes Jerusalem as the capital and consolidates the kingdom, ushering in a period of relative peace and prosperity.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrians, and its people are exiled, serving as a stark warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and deports some of its elite, including the prophet Daniel, beginning the Babylonian exile.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon. This marks the culmination of God's judgment on Judah.
c. 590s-580s BC— this verse
Jeremiah's Ministry during Zedekiah's Reign
Jeremiah prophesies to Judah during its final years, warning of impending destruction and calling for repentance amidst political turmoil and societal injustice.
This passage lays out the original law concerning the release of Hebrew servants after six years of service, providing the foundation for the command Jeremiah reiterates.
Deuteronomy 15:12This text also restates the law about setting Hebrew servants free, highlighting God's consistent concern for justice and the proper treatment of those in bondage within Israel.
Nehemiah 5:1-5This passage shows a similar pattern of oppression and disregard for the poor and vulnerable in later Israelite history, where people were being sold into servitude due to debt, mirroring the disobedience Jeremiah addresses.
Isaiah 58:6This verse describes God's acceptable 'fast' as loosing the bonds of wickedness and letting the oppressed go free, directly contrasting with the actions of Zedekiah's people who broke their covenant of liberty.
Luke 12:47-48Jesus' teaching here about the servant who knows his master's will and does not do it being beaten with many blows provides a parallel for the severe judgment that awaits those who, like the Israelites, have clear knowledge of God's commands but willfully disobey.
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…
pooleJeremiah 34:14: "At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear."
This is but a repetition of the law, Exodus 21:2 Deu 15:12 , which concerned such persons as were sold by others, or had sold themselves. God would not have his people take advantage of the sudden and rash acts of their brethren, whic…
The passage highlights that this wasn't just a forgotten law, but a deliberate disregard for God's command, with their "fathers" explicitly described as not even inclining their ear, implying a deep-seated, willful defiance that stretched across generations. This refusal to listen wasn't a passive mistake; it was an active closing off of their hearing to God's voice and His principles of justice.
After King Zedekiah made a covenant with the people to proclaim liberty for enslaved Hebrews, they initially complied and released their servants according to God's law. However, they soon reversed their decision, forcing the freed individuals back into servitude, thus profaning God's name and violating their solemn oath. Jeremiah is sent to confront them about this broken covenant and their repeated disobedience to God's commands, which echoes their ancestors' long-standing disregard for the same law.
After King Zedekiah made a covenant with the people to proclaim liberty for enslaved Hebrews, they initially complied and released their servants according to God's law. However, they soon reversed their decision, forcing the freed individuals back into servitude, thus profaning God's name and violating their solemn oath. Jeremiah is sent to confront them about this broken covenant and their repeated disobedience to God's commands, which echoes their ancestors' long-standing disregard for the same law.
"‘At the end of seven years each of you must set free the fellow Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you six years; you must set him free from your service.’ But your fathers did not listen to me or incline their ears to me." — The passage highlights that this wasn't just a forgotten law, but a deliberate disregard for God's command, with their "fathers" explicitly described as not even inclining their ear, implying a deep-…
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