Jeremiah 34:16
Jeremiah 34:16 in Multiple Translations
But now you have changed your minds and profaned My name. Each of you has taken back the menservants and maidservants whom you had set at liberty to go wherever they wanted, and you have again forced them to be your slaves.
But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.
but ye turned and profaned my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had let go free at their pleasure, to return; and ye brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.
But again you have put shame on my name, and you have taken back, every one his man-servant and his servant-girl, whom you had sent away free, and you have put them under the yoke again to be your servants and servant-girls.
But now you've changed your minds and dishonored me. Each of you took back the male and female slaves you'd set free to do whatever they wanted. You forced them to become your slaves again.
But ye repented, and polluted my Name: for ye haue caused euery man his seruant, and euery man his handmayde, whom ye had set at libertie at their pleasure, to returne, and holde them in subiection to bee vnto you as seruantes and as handmaydes.
And — ye turn back, and pollute My name, and ye cause each his man-servant and each his maid-servant, whom he had sent forth free, (at their pleasure,) to return, and ye subdue them to be to you for men-servants and for maid-servants.
but you turned and profaned my name, and every man caused his servant and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return. You brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.’”
But ye turned and profaned my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom he had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.
And you are fallen back, and have defiled my name: and you have brought back again every man his manservant, and every man his maidservant, whom you had let go free, and set at liberty: and you have brought them into subjection to be your servants and handmaids.
But now you have disregarded what you solemnly promised, and you have shown contempt for what I [MTY] said by taking back the women and men whom you had freed and said they could live wherever they wanted to. Now you have forced them to be your slaves again.
Berean Amplified Bible — Jeremiah 34:16
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Jeremiah 34:16 Interlinear (Deep Study)
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Jeremiah 34:16
Study Notes — Jeremiah 34:16
- Context
- Cross References
- Jeremiah 34:16 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 34:16
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 34:16
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 34:16
- Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 34:16
- Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 34:16
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 34:16
- Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 34:16
- Sermons on Jeremiah 34:16
Context — Freedom for Hebrew Slaves
16But now you have changed your minds and profaned My name. Each of you has taken back the menservants and maidservants whom you had set at liberty to go wherever they wanted, and you have again forced them to be your slaves.
17Therefore this is what the LORD says: You have not obeyed Me; you have not proclaimed freedom, each man for his brother and for his neighbor. So now I proclaim freedom for you, declares the LORD—freedom to fall by sword, by plague, and by famine! I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 18And those who have transgressed My covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before Me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two in order to pass between its pieces.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leviticus 19:12 | You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. |
| 2 | Exodus 20:7 | You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 34:11 | but later they changed their minds and took back the menservants and maidservants they had freed, and they forced them to become slaves again. |
| 4 | Ezekiel 18:24 | But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die. |
| 5 | Ezekiel 3:20 | Now if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die in his sin, and the righteous acts he did will not be remembered. And I will hold you responsible for his blood. |
| 6 | 1 Samuel 15:11 | “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all that night. |
| 7 | Malachi 1:7 | By presenting defiled food on My altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled You ?’ By saying that the table of the LORD is contemptible. |
| 8 | Matthew 18:28–34 | But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt. When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master. Then the master summoned him and declared, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed. |
| 9 | Ezekiel 39:7 | So I will make My holy name known among My people Israel and will no longer allow it to be profaned. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. |
| 10 | Ezekiel 33:12–13 | Therefore, son of man, say to your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man will not deliver him in the day of his transgression; neither will the wickedness of the wicked man cause him to stumble on the day he turns from his wickedness. Nor will the righteous man be able to survive by his righteousness on the day he sins.’ If I tell the righteous man that he will surely live, but he then trusts in his righteousness and commits iniquity, then none of his righteous works will be remembered; he will die because of the iniquity he has committed. |
Jeremiah 34:16 Summary
[This verse is saying that the people had made a promise to God to set their slaves free, but then they went back on their word and took them back, which made God very sad and angry (Jeremiah 34:16). It's like when we promise to do something for God, but then we don't follow through, and it shows that we don't really care about what He wants (Matthew 21:28-32). God wants us to be people who keep our promises and do what is right, even when it's hard, just like He does (Psalm 146:6-7).]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to 'proclaim freedom' in Jeremiah 34:16?
To proclaim freedom, as seen in Jeremiah 34:16, means to release those who are bound or enslaved, just as God commanded the Israelites to do every seventh year (as mentioned in Deuteronomy 15:12-15).
Why did the people take back their servants after setting them free?
The people took back their servants because they changed their minds and chose to disobey God's command, as stated in Jeremiah 34:16, showing a lack of commitment to their covenant with God (Deuteronomy 15:12-15).
What does it mean to 'profane' God's name?
To profane God's name, as mentioned in Jeremiah 34:16, means to treat it as common or unholy, showing disrespect and disobedience to God's commands, similar to what is warned against in Leviticus 22:32.
How does this verse relate to our lives today?
This verse reminds us that our actions have consequences, and disobeying God's commands can lead to negative outcomes, just as it did for the Israelites (Jeremiah 34:17-18), and encourages us to reflect on our own obedience to God's will, as seen in Romans 6:16-17.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways I may be 'taking back' the freedoms or blessings God has given me, and how can I surrender them to Him again?
- How can I ensure that my actions and decisions honor God's name and reflect my commitment to following Him?
- In what areas of my life do I need to 'proclaim freedom' to those around me, whether it's forgiving someone or showing kindness to those in need?
- What are the potential consequences of disobeying God's commands, and how can I learn from the example of the Israelites in Jeremiah 34?
Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 34:16
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 34:16
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 34:16
Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 34:16
Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 34:16
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Jeremiah 34:16
Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 34:16
Sermons on Jeremiah 34:16
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
The Compromising Church by Keith Daniel | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of living a life free from compromise as a Christian. He urges believers to carefully and prayerfully expose their hearts to |
|
Sermon on the Mount: Deceptive Speech by J. Glyn Owen | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of honesty and integrity in the lives of believers. He highlights that as subjects of Christ's rule and kingdom, Christians s |
|
Homily 9 on the Acts of the Apostles by St. John Chrysostom | John Chrysostom preaches about the importance of refraining from swearing oaths, highlighting the seriousness of invoking God as a witness in trivial matters and the need to show r |
|
Humble Thyself by Gbile Akanni | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of humility and avoiding pride in our actions and achievements. He warns against seeking personal glory and attention instead |
|
Jacob by Alan Redpath | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the life of Jacob and his journey from a man who began well but ended up in a state of spiritual degeneration. The preacher emphasizes that t |
|
Kirk Cameron Testimony by Kirk Cameron | The video begins with the speaker introducing a gospel track that serves as an icebreaker and a tool for sharing the gospel message. He explains how the track uses an optical illus |
|
Change Our Heart's - Part 3 by Richard Owen Roberts | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of maintaining God's glory before the people. He warns that neglecting to do so will result in God bringing judgment upon thos |







