Jeremiah 34:15

Recently you repented and did what pleased Me; each of you proclaimed freedom for his neighbor. You made a covenant before Me in the house that bears My Name.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God speaks through Jeremiah to the people of Jerusalem and King Zedekiah immediately after they temporarily obeyed the Sabbath-year slave-release law. This occurs during the Babylonian siege, marking a brief moment of compliance before their subsequent reversal.

The words — The Hebrew וַתָּשֻׁׁבוּ (va.tāšūḇû) literally means "you turned back," indicating a sudden religious and moral reversal. The phrase הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינַי (ha-yāšār be-ʿênay) translates to "the right in my eyes," denoting actions that align with divine approval.

The thread — This covenantal obedience echoes the liberty decree in Jeremiah 34:8 and the pillar covenant in 2 Kings 23:3, while anticipating the law-commitment recorded in Nehemiah 10:29.

Why it lands — It demands immediate verification of temporary religious compliance against sustained obedience. The reader must examine whether their commitments to freedom and justice endure when pressured by circumstance.

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

וַתָּשֻׁ֨בוּva./ta.Shu.vuand/ you turned back אַתֶּ֜ם'a.Temyou הַיּ֗וֹםhai./Yomthis/ day וַתַּעֲשׂ֤וּva./ta.'a.Suand/ you did אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַיָּשָׁר֙hai./ya.Sharthe/ right בְּעֵינַ֔יbe./'ei.Na/iin/ view/ my לִקְרֹ֥אli/k.Ro'by/ proclaiming דְר֖וֹרde.Rorliberty אִ֣ישׁ'isheveryone לְרֵעֵ֑הוּle./re.'E./huto/ neighbor/ his וַתִּכְרְת֤וּva./tikh.re.Tuand/ you made בְרִית֙ve.Rita covenant לְפָנַ֔יle./fa.Na/i<to>/ before/ me בַּבַּ֕יִתba./Ba.yitin the/ house אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which נִקְרָ֥אnik.Ra'it is called שְׁמִ֖יshe.M/iname/ my עָלָֽיו׃'a.La/von/ it

King James Version

And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:

Cross-references

Jeremiah 34:8 After King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim liberty, the word came to Jeremiah from the LORD
2 Kings 23:3 So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.
Nehemiah 10:29 hereby join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath to follow the Law of God given through His servant Moses and to obey carefully all the commandments, ordinances, and statutes of the LORD our Lord.
Jeremiah 7:10 and then come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered, so we can continue with all these abominations’?
1 Kings 21:27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.
2 Kings 10:30 Nevertheless, the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in My sight and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.”
2 Kings 12:2 And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days he was instructed by Jehoiada the priest.
2 Kings 14:3 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done. He did everything as his father Joash had done.
Psalms 76:11 Make and fulfill your vows to the LORD your God; let all the neighboring lands bring tribute to Him who is to be feared.
Psalms 119:106 I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments.