Isaiæ 34:14

Nova Vulgata

Cum completi fuerint septem anni, dimittat unusquisque fratrem suum Hebraeum, qui venditus est ei, et serviet tibi sex annis, et dimittes eum a te liberum, et non audierunt patres vestri me nec inclinaverunt aurem suam.

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Et occurrent d�monia onocentauris, et pilosus clamabit alter ad alterum ; ibi cubavit lamia, et invenit sibi requiem.

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
Cum completi fuerint septem anni, dimittat unusquisque fratrem suum Hebr�um, qui venditus est ei: et serviet tibi sex annis, et dimittes eum a te liberum: et non audierunt patres vestri me, nec inclinaverunt aurem suam.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

At the: Jeremiah 34:8, Jeremiah 34:9, Exodus 21:1-4, Exodus 23:10, Exodus 23:11, Deuteronomy 15:12, 1 Kings 9:22, 2 Chronicles 28:10, Isaiah 58:6, Amos 2:6, Amos 8:6

been sold: or, sold himself, 1 Kings 21:25, Isaiah 50:1, Romans 7:14-17, Romans 7:24

but: It appears from this and several other passages, that the sabbatical year had been wholly neglected some centuries before the captivity; and the author of the second book of Chronicles - Jeremiah 36:21 assigns this as a reason for the captivity, "that the land might enjoy her sabbaths." Now, if we reckon the seventy years' captivity as a punishment for this neglect, it will follow that the law on this subject had been disregarded for about 490 years. Jeremiah 7:25, Jeremiah 7:26, Jeremiah 11:8-10, Jeremiah 32:30, 1 Samuel 8:7, 1 Samuel 8:8, 2 Kings 17:13, 2 Kings 17:14, 2 Chronicles 36:16, Nehemiah 9:30, Ezekiel 20:4, Ezekiel 20:8, Zechariah 7:11, Zechariah 7:12

Reciprocal: Leviticus 25:39 - be sold 2 Kings 4:1 - the creditor 2 Chronicles 28:11 - deliver Job 31:13 - the cause Jeremiah 13:10 - evil Jeremiah 31:32 - Not

Gill's Notes on the Bible

At the end of seven years,.... Not when seven years were elapsed and fully completed; but within the compass of seven years, or as soon as the seventh year was began; for this term of seven years is the term of the seventh year coming in, and not going out, as appears from the law itself, Exodus 21:9; and from an after clause in this verse, "when he hath served thee six years"; at the end of which, and the beginning of the seventh: and so Maimonides m interprets this law,

"he whom the sanhedrim sold served six years from the day of his sale, and at the beginning of the seventh year he was free:''

though the Vulgate Latin version very wrongly renders it, "when seven years are completed"; which version Sanctius takes a good deal of pains to reconcile to the original law. A Hebrew might sell himself for more years than six; he might sell himself for ten or twelve, as the above Jewish writer says, and nothing could release him but the year of jubilee; and that would do it, if he had served but one year n;

let ye go every man his brother, an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; or, "hath sold himself unto thee" o; to be a servant; for money was not given with apprentices to their masters, as is usual with us; but masters gave money for their servants, and bought them either of themselves, or of the magistrates; hence it is said, "if thou buy an Hebrew servant", c. Exodus 21:2. A Hebrew servant was sold either against his will, or with it if a man committed a theft, and he had not wherewith to make restoration, the sanhedrim or magistrates said him: if he was exceeding poor, the law gave him liberty to sell himself; but he might not sell himself as long as he had anything left, even a covering; and after that was gone, he might sell himself; and he was bought with silver or the value of silver or by contract or bond p;

and when he hath served thee six years, thou shall let him go free from thee; or "from with thee" q; from being with thee, from being in thy house, as well as from being in thy service; he was to be dismissed, so as to go where he pleased, and work for himself, or another, as he thought fit;

but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear; to obey the laws of God, and particularly this concerning servants. This is not to be understood of the fathers with whom the covenant was first made, and to whom this law was first given; but their posterity in later times, who yet lived long before the present generation, and so might with great propriety be called their fathers; and by which it appears that this law had been long neglected.

m Hilchot Abadim, c. 2. sect. 2. n Ibid. o ימכר לך "se ventdiderit tibi", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. p Hilchot Abadim, c. 1. sect. 1, 2. & c. 2. sect. 1. q מעמך "acuta te", Schmidt.

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.