Jeremiah 34:10

Verse

So all the officials and all the people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their menservants and maidservants and no longer hold them in bondage. They obeyed and released them,

American Standard Version (1901)

And all the princes and all the people obeyed, that had entered into the covenant, that every one should let his man-servant, and every one his maid-servant, go free, that none should make bondmen of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go:

Bible in Basic English

And this was done by all the rulers and the people who had taken part in the agreement, and every one let his man-servant and his servant-girl go free, not to be used as servants any longer; they did so, and let them go.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And all the princes, and all the people who entered into the covenant, heard that every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant go free, and should no more have dominion over them: and they obeyed, and let them go free.

Free Bible Version

All the officials and all the people who accepted this agreement did what they said. They freed their male and female slaves, not forcing them to remain slaves any longer. They obeyed and let them go free.

Geneva Bible 1599

Now when all the princes, and all the people which had agreed to the couenant, heard that euery one should let his seruant go free, and euery one his handmaide, and that none should serue them selues of them any more, they obeyed and let them go.

King James (Authorized) Version

Now 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.

Translation for Translators

The officials and the rest of the people had obeyed what the king decreed,

Unlocked Literal Bible

So all the leaders and people entered into the covenant that each person would free his male and female slaves so that they would not be enslaved any longer. They obeyed and set them free.

Noah Webster Bible

Now when all the princes, and all the people who had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should liberate his man-servant, and every one his maid-servant, that none should retain them in service any more, then they obeyed, and let them go.

World English Bible

All the princes and all the people obeyed who had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his male servant and everyone his female servant go free, that no one should make bondservants of them any more. They obeyed and let them go,

Young's Literal Translation

and hearken do all the heads, and all the people who have come in to the covenant to send forth each his man-servant and each his maid-servant free, so as not to lay service on them any more, yea, they hearken, and send them away;

Context

Freedom for Hebrew Slaves

⁹that each man should free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female, and no one should hold his fellow Jew in bondage.¹⁰So all the officials and all the people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their menservants and maidservants and no longer hold them in bondage. They obeyed and released them,¹¹but later they changed their minds and took back the menservants and maidservants they had freed, and they forced them to become slaves again.

Summary

In Jeremiah 34:10, the verse recounts how the people of Judah had made a covenant with God to free their Hebrew slaves. However, they later went back on their promise and enslaved them again. This act of disobedience and unfaithfulness to their covenant with God brought about severe consequences, as God's judgment fell upon them for their betrayal. The verse serves as a reminder of the importance of honoring commitments made to God and others, as well as the repercussions of breaking such agreements.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant,.... The king had made with the people. Here the princes are mentioned, who were not before, but included in the people; they and the rest of the people are here meant, who having agreed to the covenant, heard that everyone should let his manservant, and everyone his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves of them any more; or any longer, which they had done, contrary to law: when they understood that this was the sum of the covenant they had entered into, and this the intent of the proclamation they agreed unto; or when they heard the law read and explained by the prophet, concerning the manumission of the Hebrew servants, when the time of their servitude was expired, then they obeyed, and let them go; dismissed them from their service, in obedience to the law of God, agreeably to their own covenant, and the proclamation of liberty they assented to. The whole might be rendered thus, "and all the princes and all the people obeyed, which had entered into the covenant, to let everyone his manservant, and everyone his maidservant, go free, not to serve themselves of them any more, and they obeyed, I say, to let them go"; so far they did well, and were praiseworthy, that they kept the law of God, and their own covenant.