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but later they changed their minds and took back the menservants and maidservants they had freed, and they forced them to become slaves again.
Jeremiah 34:11 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB but afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.
  • KJV But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.
  • NKJV But afterward they changed their minds and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection as male and female slaves.
  • NASB But afterward they turned around and took back the male servants and the female servants whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection as male servants and as female servants.
  • NLT but later they changed their minds. They took back the men and women they had freed, forcing them to be slaves again.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Afterward the people reversed course and forced the freed slaves back into bondage. Their repentance proved false and self-serving.

Overview

Once the immediate pressure of the siege eased (cf. v. 21), the slaveholders took back those they had freed, breaking their solemn covenant. This betrayal revealed that their obedience was driven by fear, not faith. It exposes the human tendency toward shallow, reversible repentance that God will judge.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 22

  • 2 Pet 2:20–22If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first.
  • Prov 26:11As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
  • Eccl 8:11When the sentence for a crime is not speedily executed, the hearts of men become fully set on doing evil.
  • Matt 12:43–45When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.
  • Hos 7:16They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.
  • Exod 9:28Pray to the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go; you do not need to stay any longer.”
  • Rom 2:4–5Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
  • Ps 125:5But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel.
  • Exod 8:15When Pharaoh saw that there was relief, however, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.
  • Hos 6:4What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes.
  • Zeph 1:6and those who turn back from following the LORD, neither seeking the LORD nor inquiring of Him.”
  • Exod 9:34–35When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had ceased, he sinned again and hardened his heart—he and his officials.
  • Exod 14:3–9For Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, ‘They are wandering the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in.’
  • Exod 10:17–20Now please forgive my sin once more and appeal to the LORD your God, that He may remove this death from me.”
  • Jer 37:5Pharaoh’s army had left Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem.
  • 1 Sam 19:6–11Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan and swore an oath: “As surely as the LORD lives, David will not be put to death.”
  • Ps 78:34–36When He slew them, they would seek Him; they repented and searched for God.
  • 1 Sam 24:19When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.
  • 1 Sam 26:21Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”
  • Ps 36:3The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and well-doing.
  • Exod 8:8Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people. Then I will let your people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”
  • Jer 34:21And I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials into the hands of their enemies who seek their lives, to the army of the king of Babylon that had withdrawn from you.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Jeremiah videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Jeremiah 34:11YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JeremiahMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.

How Jeremiah 34:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.