Jeremiah 34 16

Jeremiah 34:16 kjv

But ye turned and polluted 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 unto you for servants and for handmaids.

Jeremiah 34:16 nkjv

Then you turned around and profaned My name, and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves, whom you had set at liberty, at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves.'

Jeremiah 34:16 niv

But now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.

Jeremiah 34:16 esv

but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your slaves.

Jeremiah 34:16 nlt

But now you have shrugged off your oath and defiled my name by taking back the men and women you had freed, forcing them to be slaves once again.

Jeremiah 34 verses

Jeremiah 34 16 meaning

Jeremiah 34:16 expresses God's severe condemnation of the people of Judah, specifically their King Zedekiah and his officials, for their profound hypocrisy and spiritual rebellion. After making a covenant to free their Hebrew slaves in accordance with the Law, they flagrantly violated this solemn oath by re-enslaving them. This act is denounced as a "profaning" of God's name, signifying a desecration of His character, authority, and covenant promises. It represents a cynical manipulation of divine requirements for self-serving reasons, showing a complete disregard for both divine law and human dignity, directly undermining the sacred trust placed in them.

Jeremiah 34 16 Context

Jeremiah 34 occurs during a critical phase of Judah's history, specifically during the reign of King Zedekiah, shortly before Jerusalem's final fall to the Babylonians. At this time, the Babylonian army, led by Nebuchadnezzar, had laid siege to Jerusalem, a desperate situation for the inhabitants. In a moment of perceived urgency and potential divine judgment, King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem entered into a solemn covenant before the LORD in the Temple. This covenant stipulated the freeing of all Hebrew slaves, both male and female, ensuring that no Israelite should hold another Israelite in bondage, in accordance with the Mosaic Law (Jer 34:8-10; Exod 21:2-11; Deut 15:12-18). The immediate danger of the siege prompted this act of apparent repentance and obedience. However, when the Babylonian army temporarily withdrew—likely to confront an advancing Egyptian force (Jer 37:5, 11)—the people, seeing a reprieve, swiftly went back on their word. They revoked the freedom of their former slaves, forcibly returning them to servitude. This egregious betrayal of their covenant with God and each other, performed immediately after a public vow, drew the severe judgment proclaimed by Jeremiah in verse 16 and the subsequent verses.

Jeremiah 34 16 Word analysis

• But: This adversative conjunction (Hebrew: וַו waw) signals a sharp contrast or turning point, introducing the direct contradiction to the prior covenant made with the Lord. It highlights the stark reversal of their stated intentions and actions.
• you turned around (וַתָּשֻׁבוּ, va-ta-shu-vu): Derived from the root שׁוּב (shuv), meaning "to turn back, return, repent." Here, it signifies a negative turning, an apostasy or reversal of a positive course of action, not repentance toward God but a turning away from the covenant they had just established.
• and profaned (וַתְּחַלְּלוּ, va-te-khal-le-lu): From the root חָלַל (chalal), meaning "to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate." This is a strong theological term, implying treating something sacred as common or worthless. In this context, it signifies their deliberate dishonoring of God's holy character and reputation, specifically through their breaking of an oath made "in My name." It suggests contempt for divine authority.
• My name (אֶת־שְׁמִי, et-sh'mi): Refers not just to a word, but to God's entire being, character, authority, and presence. To profane His name means to disrespect or dishonor Him in a comprehensive way. Their actions brought shame and disgrace upon God's character and His covenant relationship with Israel.
• and each of you took back (וַתָּשִׁבוּ אִישׁ, va-ta-shivu ish): Again from the root שׁוּב (shuv), but here in the Hiphil causative form, "to cause to return," meaning "to bring back." "Each of you" emphasizes the collective individual responsibility in this act of injustice.
• his male and female slaves (אֶת־עַבְדּוֹ וְאִישׁ אֶת־שִׁפְחָתוֹ, et-av-do v'ish et-shiph-kha-to): "Avd" (slave/servant) and "shiphkhah" (female slave/maidservant) refer to human beings, emphasizing the personal property aspect that they were unjustly reasserting. The specific mention highlights the personal impact on the freed individuals.
• whom you had set at liberty (אֲשֶׁר שִׁלַּחְתֶּם חָפְשִׁי, asher shil-lakh-tem hof-shi):
  • set at liberty (שִׁלַּחְתֶּם, shil-lakh-tem): From שָׁלַח (shalach), meaning "to send away, let go, dismiss." Here, in the Piel form, it has the specific nuance of giving release or sending forth.
  • liberty (חָפְשִׁי, khofshi): Adjective meaning "free, liberated, legally emancipated." It underscores the legal and personal status they had briefly granted, which was then revoked.
• to be their own slaves again (לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת, lih-yot la-khem la-av-adim v'lish-fa-chot):
  • to be (לִהְיוֹת, lih-yot): infinitive "to be."
  • their own (לָכֶם, la-khem): Dative "to you," implying that these people were now "to you as slaves," marking a full reversion to their former subjugation. The phrase re-emphasizes the master-slave relationship they forcibly reimposed.
  • slaves again (לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת, la-av-adim v'lish-fa-chot): Plural forms, reiterating the class of people and the state of bondage. The repetition from earlier in the verse underlines the completed cycle of injustice.

Word Groups Analysis:

• "But you turned around and profaned My name": This phrase captures the essence of their apostasy and blasphemy. It links their change of action (turning back from the covenant) directly to the desecration of God's holy character. It indicates that breaking an oath made in God's name, especially when that oath reflects His ethical standards (like justice and freedom for fellow Israelites), is a direct affront to Him. It's a fundamental theological transgression beyond mere legal default.
• "each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set at liberty": This part emphasizes the specific and egregious nature of the social injustice. The prior act of freeing them (a public demonstration of righteousness, perhaps even under duress or perceived spiritual necessity) makes the re-enslavement particularly abhorrent. It shows a complete lack of integrity and an opportunistic view of religious observance, performing righteous acts only when convenient or necessary to avoid immediate danger, then rescinding them once the perceived threat diminished.
• "to be their own slaves again": This conclusive phrase reinforces the complete reversal of justice. It solidifies the cynical and cruel intent, bringing the freed individuals back into a state of chattel-like servitude, nullifying the short-lived freedom and the sacred covenant. It highlights the exploitation and disregard for the well-being and rights of their fellow human beings.

Jeremiah 34 16 Bonus section

The act of profaning God's name by breaking an oath for socio-economic benefit highlights the severe consequences of a faith that is ritualistic or performative rather than truly transformative. The Judahites made an external show of piety (freeing slaves) in a time of crisis, perhaps hoping to manipulate God's favor. Their immediate reversal upon reprieve indicates a profound lack of inward conviction and a transactional approach to their relationship with the divine. This specific transgression violated fundamental tenets of the Israelite covenant:

• Ethical Monotheism: The belief that their God required moral righteousness and justice, not just sacrifice.
• Kinship Solidarity: The principle that Hebrew kinsmen should not oppress each other.
• Covenant Integrity: Oaths made in God's name were inviolable.

The prophetic denunciation through Jeremiah underscores that true obedience manifests in sustained justice and compassion, even when inconvenient or costly. Their failure ultimately signaled the breakdown of their covenant with God and hastened Jerusalem's demise, making them subjects of the very slavery they imposed on others, directly fulfilling the curse of their covenant breach (Lev 26:25; Deut 28:48). The narrative thus serves as a timeless warning against legalism without heart transformation and social injustice masked by outward religious displays.

Jeremiah 34 16 Commentary

Jeremiah 34:16 represents a pinnacle of Judean hypocrisy and faithlessness during a dire national crisis. Faced with Babylonian conquest, the people and King Zedekiah, desperate for divine favor, publicly swore a covenant before God to free their Hebrew slaves, adhering to ancient Mosaic law (Exod 21; Deut 15). This was a crucial test of their commitment to justice and their covenant relationship with Yahweh. However, as soon as the immediate military threat receded, their "repentance" proved shallow and self-serving. They shamelessly rescinded their vows and brutally re-enslaved those they had just freed. This act, going beyond a mere breach of contract, is described as "profaning My name." To profane God's name means to degrade His honor and character, making Him appear unreliable, hypocritical, or ineffective in the eyes of the world. By their actions, they implied that an oath sworn in His presence was meaningless and that His justice could be flouted without consequence. This demonstrates a deep-seated spiritual sickness, prioritizing personal economic gain and social status over divine command and human dignity. God, who consistently champions freedom and justice, viewed this reversal as a direct assault on His integrity and a betrayal of the covenant, leading to an irrevocable judgment mirroring their own actions: bondage and destruction.