Jeremiah 34:14

Every seventh year, each of you must free his Hebrew brother who has sold himself to you. He may serve you six years, but then you must let him go free. But your fathers did not listen or incline their ear.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God speaks through Jeremiah to the people of Judah during the Babylonian siege, recalling a covenant command regarding Hebrew slaves. The words — The text centers on מִקֵּץ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים (mi./Ketz She.va' sha.Nim), meaning "at the end of seven years," and תְּשַׁלְּחוּ (te.sha.le.Chu), meaning "you will let go." The thread — This release mandate directly parallels the rule in Deuteronomy 15:12, which commands freeing a Hebrew servant after six years of service. Why it lands — The passage explicitly states the seven-year release requirement, then records that the ancestors refused to listen or incline their ear to it.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

מִקֵּ֣ץmi./Ketzfrom/ [the] end of שֶׁ֣בַעShe.va'seven שָׁנִ֡יםsha.Nimyears תְּֽשַׁלְּח֡וּte.sha.le.Chuyou will let go אִישׁ֩'isheveryone אֶת־'et-<obj.>אָחִ֨יו'a.Chi/vbrother/ his הָעִבְרִ֜יha./'iv.Ri<the>/ Hebrew אֲשֶֽׁר־'a.Sher-who יִמָּכֵ֣רyi.ma.Kherhe will sell himselfלְךָ֗le./Khato <the>/ youוַעֲבָֽדְךָ֙va./'a.va.de./Khaand/ he will serve/ you שֵׁ֣שׁsheshsix שָׁנִ֔יםsha.Nimyears וְשִׁלַּחְתּ֥וֹve./shi.lach.T/oand/ you will let go/ him חָפְשִׁ֖יcha.fe.Shia free [person]מֵֽעִמָּ֑ךְme./'i.Ma/khfrom/ with <the>/ you וְלֹֽא־ve./lo'-and/ not שָׁמְע֤וּsha.me.'Uthey listened אֲבֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙'a.vo.tei./Khemancestors/ your אֵלַ֔י'e.La/ito/ me וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not הִטּ֖וּhi.Tuthey inclined אֶת־'et-<obj.>אָזְנָֽם׃'a.ze.Na/mear/ their

King James Version

At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 15:12 If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you must set him free.
1 Samuel 8:7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.
1 Kings 9:22 But Solomon did not consign any of the Israelites to slavery, because they were his men of war, his servants, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and cavalry.
2 Kings 17:13 Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.”
Exodus 21:1 “These are the ordinances that you are to set before them:
Exodus 23:10 For six years you are to sow your land and gather its produce,
1 Kings 21:25 (Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel.
2 Chronicles 28:10 And now you intend to reduce to slavery the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty before the LORD your God?
2 Chronicles 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.
Nehemiah 9:30 You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit admonished them through Your prophets. Yet they would not listen, so You gave them into the hands of the neighboring peoples.