After King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to proclaim libertyKing Zedekiah was the last king of Judah before the Babylonian exile. His reign was marked by political instability and pressure from Babylon. The covenant mentioned here refers to a specific agreement made to release Hebrew slaves, in accordance with the Mosaic Law (
Exodus 21:2-6;
Deuteronomy 15:12-18). This act of proclaiming liberty was likely an attempt to gain divine favor during a time of crisis, as the Babylonian army was besieging Jerusalem. The concept of liberty here is deeply rooted in the Year of Jubilee, a time when debts were forgiven, and slaves were freed (
Leviticus 25:10). This act was meant to reflect God's justice and mercy, reminding the people of their own deliverance from Egypt.
the word came to Jeremiah from the LORD
Jeremiah, known as the "weeping prophet," was called by God to deliver messages of warning and hope to Judah. The phrase "the word came to Jeremiah from the LORD" signifies divine revelation, a common occurrence in the prophetic books. This underscores the authority and authenticity of Jeremiah's message. The prophets often served as intermediaries between God and His people, delivering messages that called for repentance and obedience. In this context, the word from the LORD would address the sincerity and faithfulness of the covenant made by Zedekiah and the people. This phrase also highlights the ongoing communication between God and His chosen messengers, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God's commands.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
King ZedekiahThe last king of Judah, who reigned during the time of the Babylonian siege. He is known for his complex relationship with the prophet Jeremiah and his eventual downfall due to disobedience to God's commands.
2.
JeremiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his messages of warning and hope. He was called by God to deliver messages to the people of Judah and Jerusalem during a time of great turmoil.
3.
CovenantA solemn agreement or promise, often made before God. In this context, it refers to the agreement made by King Zedekiah with the people to release Hebrew slaves, as commanded in the Law of Moses.
4.
JerusalemThe capital city of Judah, significant in biblical history as the center of Jewish worship and the location of the Temple. It was under siege by the Babylonians during this time.
5.
Proclaim LibertyThe act of declaring freedom for Hebrew slaves, as prescribed in the Law of Moses (
Exodus 21:2;
Deuteronomy 15:12). This was a significant act of obedience to God's law, though it was not fully carried out by the people.
Teaching Points
Obedience to God's LawThe covenant to proclaim liberty was an act of obedience to God's commands. As believers, we are called to align our actions with God's Word, even when it is challenging.
The Consequences of DisobedienceAlthough Zedekiah made the covenant, the people did not fully comply, leading to God's judgment. This serves as a reminder of the importance of following through on our commitments to God.
Spiritual LiberationThe physical act of freeing slaves points to the greater spiritual freedom offered through Christ. We are called to live in the freedom from sin that Jesus provides.
Community ResponsibilityThe covenant involved all the people of Jerusalem, highlighting the communal aspect of obedience to God. As a church, we are responsible for supporting one another in living out God's commands.
Repentance and RestorationEven when we fail, God offers opportunities for repentance and restoration. We must be willing to turn back to Him and seek His forgiveness.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Jeremiah 34:8?
2.What was the significance of the covenant made by King Zedekiah in Jeremiah 34:8?
3.How does Jeremiah 34:8 reflect God's desire for justice and freedom?
4.Compare Jeremiah 34:8 with Exodus 21:2 on releasing Hebrew slaves. What similarities exist?
5.How can we apply the principle of honoring commitments from Jeremiah 34:8 today?
6.What lessons on leadership and accountability can we learn from Jeremiah 34:8?
7.What historical context surrounds the covenant made in Jeremiah 34:8?
8.How does Jeremiah 34:8 reflect God's view on slavery?
9.Why did King Zedekiah make a covenant to free the slaves in Jeremiah 34:8?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 34?
11.Jeremiah 34:18–20 – If ancient covenant rituals had such dire consequences, why is there little to no concrete historical record of this specific covenant’s breach and punishment?
12.Jeremiah 34:3 - How could God promise Zedekiah would not die by the sword if 2 Kings 25:7 says Nebuchadnezzar blinded him and took him captive?
13.If Hebrews 8:8-9 refers to Jeremiah 31's prophecy about a new covenant, why does history not clearly document any direct fulfillment of this covenant among the entire house of Israel?
14.Jeremiah 34:8-11 - Why would the Israelites release their slaves, then immediately re-enslave them, if this event was truly a binding covenant?What Does Jeremiah 34:8 Mean
After King Zedekiah had made a covenant• Zedekiah, Judah’s last king (2 Kings 24:17–20), takes a formal, binding step—“a covenant”—before God and the nation, much like earlier covenant renewals (2 Kings 23:3; 2 Chron 34:31).
• A covenant is not a casual promise; it invokes God as witness and judge (Deuteronomy 29:12–15). Breaking it brings serious consequences, something Zedekiah will soon learn (Jeremiah 34:17–22).
• Throughout Scripture, leaders who lead covenant ceremonies are expected to model obedience (Joshua 24:25;Nehemiah 9:38). Zedekiah’s initial action looks commendable—he seems ready to align Judah with God’s law.
with all the people in Jerusalem• The covenant involves “all the people,” indicating corporate responsibility. Everyone—royal officials, priests, common citizens—must respond (Jeremiah 34:10–11).
• When a nation sins together, it must repent together (Jonah 3:5–9;Joel 2:15–17).
• Similar whole-community commitments appear inEzra 10:12 andNehemiah 10:28–29, reminding us that faithfulness is a shared duty, not only an individual one.
to proclaim liberty• “Liberty” (freedom) here refers specifically to releasing Hebrew slaves in the seventh year, as required by God’s law (Exodus 21:2;Deuteronomy 15:12; cf.Jeremiah 34:14).
• The language echoesLeviticus 25:10: “You shall proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants,” the Jubilee principle that reflects God’s heart for justice and mercy.
•Isaiah 61:1 andLuke 4:18 pick up the same phrase, tying physical release to spiritual deliverance. Thus the act symbolized a deeper acknowledgment of God’s redemptive character.
• Sadly, the people later reverse course, re-enslaving those they freed (Jeremiah 34:11), showing how shallow reform can be when hearts remain unchanged (Hosea 6:4).
the word came to Jeremiah from the LORD• God immediately responds to Judah’s action; He is never a passive observer (Jeremiah 1:4; 32:26).
• The timing highlights accountability: once the covenant is made, God’s prophetic evaluation follows. He commends the initial obedience (Jeremiah 34:15) but denounces the quick betrayal (Jeremiah 34:16).
• Every covenant decision invites divine commentary, whether blessing or judgment (Deuteronomy 28:1–2, 15). Jeremiah acts as God’s mouthpiece, reinforcing that true liberty comes only when God’s word is honored consistently (John 8:31–32).
summaryJeremiah 34:8 records a national promise: King Zedekiah and all Jerusalem swear before God to free their Hebrew slaves, an obedience rooted in the Jubilee command. The verse affirms that God notices covenant commitments and speaks into them through His prophet. While the people start well, their later reversal invites judgment, reminding us that genuine freedom and covenant faithfulness require steadfast hearts, not momentary enthusiasm.
(8)
After that the king Zedekiah had made¯ a covenant . . .--The remainder of the chapter brings before us an historical episode of considerable interest. The law of Moses did not allow in the case of a free-born Hebrew more than a temporary bondage of seven years (
Exodus 21:2;
Deuteronomy 15:12-18), extended (but under the form of serfage rather than slavery) in the later regulations of
Leviticus 25:39-40 to the time that might intervene between the date of purchase and the commencement of the next year of jubilee. In
2Kings 4:1 we have an instance of the working of the law, as bringing even the sons of a prophet into this modified slavery. Only if the man preferred his state as a slave to the risks of freedom could his master retain him after the appointed limit (
Exodus 21:5-6). The law had apparently fallen into disuse, and the nobles of Judah, like those of Athens before Solon, and Rome before the institution of the Tribunate, had used the law of debt to bring a large number of their fellow citizens into slavery, just as their successors did after the return from Babylon (
Nehemiah 5:5). Under the pressure of the danger from the Chaldaean invasion, and that he might have the ready service of freemen instead of the forced work of slaves, perhaps also in consequence of the revival of the law, that followed on its discovery, probably in the form of the Book of Deuteronomy, in the days of Josiah (
2Kings 22:8), Zedekiah had been led to promise freedom to all the slave population of this class that were within the walls of Jerusalem, either as a celebration of a Sabbatic year, or jubilee, or, irrespective of any such observance, as a reparation for past neglect. The step was probably not without its influence in giving fresh energy to the defenders of the city. The Chaldaeans, threatened by the approach of an Egyptian army (
Jeremiah 37:5), raised the siege (
Jeremiah 34:21). When the danger was past, however, the princes who had agreed to the emancipation returned to their old policy of oppression (
Jeremiah 34:11), and those who had been liberated were brought under a bondage all the more bitter for the temporary taste of freedom. Against this perfidious tyranny the prophet, stirred by "the word of the Lord," bears his protests. His sympathies, like those of true prophets at all times, were with the poor and the oppressed. The phrase "proclaim liberty" was closely connected with the year of jubilee, as in
Leviticus 25:10,
Isaiah 61:1. . . .
Verse 8. -
A covenant. The scene of this "covenant" was the temple (veto. 15, 18). Solemn agreements of this kind were not uncommon (comp.
2 Chronicles 15:12;
2 Kings 11:17;
2 Kings 23:3;
Nehemiah 10.).
To proclaim liberty unto them. The phrase, a very peculiar one, is taken from the law of jubilee (
Leviticus 25:10), though the prescription on which the covenant was based refers exclusively to the seventh year of the slave's servitude.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Afterאַחֲרֵ֡י(’a·ḥă·rê)Preposition
Strong's 310:The hind or following partKingהַמֶּ֨לֶךְ(ham·me·leḵ)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428:A kingZedekiahצִדְקִיָּ֜הוּ(ṣiḏ·qî·yā·hū)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6667:Zedekiah -- 'Yah is righteousness', six Israeliteshad madeכְּרֹת֩(kə·rōṯ)Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3772:To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenanta covenantבְּרִ֗ית(bə·rîṯ)Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1285:A covenantwithאֶת־(’eṯ-)Preposition
Strong's 854:Nearness, near, with, by, at, amongallכָּל־(kāl-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everythe peopleהָעָם֙(hā·‘ām)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971:A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flockin Jerusalemבִּירֽוּשָׁלִַ֔ם(bî·rū·šā·lim)Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389:Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israelto proclaimלִקְרֹ֥א(liq·rō)Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7121:To call, proclaim, readliberty,דְּרֽוֹר׃(də·rō·wr)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1865:Freedom, spontaneity of outflow, clearthe wordהַדָּבָ֛ר(had·dā·ḇār)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697:A word, a matter, thing, a causecameהָיָ֥ה(hā·yāh)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, betoאֶֽל־(’el-)Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, toJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֖הוּ(yir·mə·yā·hū)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3414:Jeremiah -- 'Yah loosens', the name of a number of Israelitesfromמֵאֵ֣ת(mê·’êṯ)Preposition-m | Direct object marker
Strong's 853:Untranslatable mark of the accusative casethe LORDיְהוָ֑ה(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069:YHWH
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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 34:8 The word that came to Jeremiah (Jer.) 
