Isaiæ 34:11

Nova Vulgata

Et conversi sunt deinceps et retraxerunt servos et ancillas suas, quos dimiserant liberos, et subiugaverunt in famulos et in famulas.

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Et possidebunt illam onocrotalus et ericius ; ibis et corvus habitabunt in ea : et extendetur super eam mensura, ut redigatur ad nihilum, et perpendiculum in desolationem.

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
Et conversi sunt deinceps: et retraxerunt servos et ancillas suas quos dimiserant liberos, et subjugaverunt in famulos et famulas.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Jeremiah 34:21, Jeremiah 37:5, Exodus 8:8, Exodus 8:15, Exodus 9:28, Exodus 9:34, Exodus 9:35, Exodus 10:17-20, Exodus 14:3-9, 1 Samuel 19:6-11, 1 Samuel 24:19, 1 Samuel 26:21, Psalms 36:3, Psalms 78:34-36, Psalms 125:5, Proverbs 26:11, Ecclesiastes 8:11, Hosea 6:4, Hosea 7:16, Zephaniah 1:6, Matthew 12:43-45, Romans 2:4, Romans 2:5, 2 Peter 2:20-22

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 34:15 - in proclaiming Jeremiah 34:16 - ye turned

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But afterwards they turned,.... From the law of God, and their own agreement, and returned to their former usage of their servants; they changed their minds and measures. This seems to be done, when the king of Babylon, hearing the king of Egypt was coming to break up the siege of Jerusalem, quitted it, and went forth to meet him, as appears from Jeremiah 34:21; the Jews now finding themselves at liberty, and out of danger as they imagined, wickedly rebelled against the law of God; perfidiously broke their own covenant, repenting of what they had done, and returned to their former ways of oppression and cruelty; which shows they were not hearty and sincere in their covenant:

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; which was done by force, contrary to the will of their servants and handmaids, and in violation of the law of God, and their own solemn oath and covenant.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It is usual with commentators to say that, the laws dealing with the emancipation of the Hebrew slaves, as also that of the land resting during the sabbatical year, were not observed. The narrative teaches us the exact contrary. The manumission of the slaves on the present occasion was the spontaneous act of Zedekiah and the people. They knew of the law, and acknowledged its obligation. The observance of it was, no doubt, lax: the majority let their own selfish interests prevail; but the minority made might give way to right, and Zedekiah supported their efforts though only in a weak way.

Early in January, in the ninth year of Zedekiah, the Chaldaean army approached Jerusalem. The people made a covenant with the king, who appears as the abettor of the measure, to let their slaves go free. Possibly patriotism had its share in this: and as Jerusalem was strongly fortified, all classes possibly hoped that if the slaves were manumitted, they too would labor with a more hearty good-will in resisting the enemy. In the summer of the same year the Egyptians advanced to the rescue, and Nebuchadnezzar withdrew to meet their attack. The Jews with a strange levity, which sets them before us in a most despicable light, at once forced the manumitted slaves back into bondage. With noble indignation Jeremiah rebukes them for their treachery, assures them that the Chaldaean army will return, and warns them of the certainty of the punishment which they so richly merited.

Jeremiah 34:8

As the Chaldaean army swept over the country the wealthier classes would all flee to Jerusalem, taking with them their households. And as the Mosaic Law was probably more carefully kept there than in the country, the presence in these families of slaves who had grown grey in service may have given offence to the stricter classes at the capital.

To proclaim liberty unto them - The words are those of the proclamation of the year of jubile to the people, whereupon it became their duty to set their slaves free.

Jeremiah 34:9

Should serve himself of them - Should make them serve him (see Jeremiah 25:14).

Jeremiah 34:11

They turned, and caused ... to return - But afterward they again made the slaves return.

Jeremiah 34:13

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.

Jeremiah 34:16

At their pleasure - literally, for themselves.

Jeremiah 34:17

I will make you to be removed into - “I will cause you to be a terror unto.” Men would shudder at them.

Jeremiah 34:18

The words ... - The Jews spoke of “cutting” a covenant, because the contracting parties cut a calf in twain and passed between the pieces. Thus cutting a covenant and cutting a calf in twain, meant the same thing.

Jeremiah 34:21

Which are gone up from you - i. e., which have departed for the present, and have raised the siege.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 34:11. But afterward they turned — They had agreed to manumit them at the end of the seventh year; but when the seventh year was ended, they recalled their engagement, and detained their servants. This, I believe, is what is here meant.