Jeremiah 34:12-22 · Bible study
Jeremiah 34:12-22 Commentary: Divine Wrath on a Broken Covenant
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A study of God's judgment when the people freed Hebrew slaves, then re-enslaved them. The ironic liberty of sword, pestilence, and famine.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God punishes a broken covenant to free slaves by giving the people the same 'liberty', to sword, pestilence, and famine.
- Key words: covenant (H1285), liberty (H1865), profaned (H2490), calf (H5695), passed between (H5674).
- Main debate: Whether the covenant in v15 is a renewal of the Mosaic law or a distinct human vow that God adopts as His own.
- Theological theme: Retributive justice: the punishment mirrors the crime; the connection between worship and social ethics.
- Best use: A warning against empty religious reforms and a call to keep vows made in God’s presence.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
12Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
13“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your forefathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying:
14Every 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.
15Recently 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.
16But now you have changed your minds and profaned My name. Each of you has taken back the menservants and maidservants whom you had set at liberty to go wherever they wanted, and you have again forced them to be your slaves.
17Therefore this is what the LORD says: You have not obeyed Me; you have not proclaimed freedom, each man for his brother and for his neighbor. So now I proclaim freedom for you, declares the LORD—freedom to fall by sword, by plague, and by famine! I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
18And those who have transgressed My covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before Me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two in order to pass between its pieces.
19The officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the pieces of the calf,
20I will deliver into the hands of their enemies who seek their lives. Their corpses will become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.
21And I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials into the hands of their enemies who seek their lives, to the army of the king of Babylon that had withdrawn from you.
22Behold, I am going to give the command, declares the LORD, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, capture it, and burn it down. And I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
12Therefore Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,
13“Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying:
14At the end of seven years, every man of you shall release his brother who is a Hebrew, who has been sold to you, and has served you six years. You shall let him go free from you. But your fathers didn’t listen to me, and didn’t incline their ear.
15You had now turned, and had done that which is right in my eyes, in every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor. You had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name;
16but you turned and profaned my name, and every man caused his servant and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return. You brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.’”
17Therefore Yahweh says: “You have not listened to me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim to you a liberty,” says Yahweh, “to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine. I will make you be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth.
18I will give the men who have transgressed my covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before me when they cut the calf in two and passed between its parts:
19the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land, who passed between the parts of the calf.
20I will even give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies will be food for the birds of the sky and for the animals of the earth.
21“I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes into the hands of their enemies, into the hands of those who seek their life and into the hands of the king of Babylon’s army, who has gone away from you.
22Behold, I will command,” says Yahweh, “and cause them to return to this city. They will fight against it, take it, and burn it with fire. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”
KJV King James Version 1769
12Therefore the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
13Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying,
14At 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.
15And 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:
16But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.
17Therefore thus saith the Lord; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the Lord, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.
18And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof,
19The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf;
20I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.
21And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which are gone up from you.
22Behold, I will command, saith the Lord, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
12Therefore the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,
13Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying,
14At the end of seven years ye shall let go every man his brother that is a Hebrew, that hath been sold unto thee, and hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear.
15And ye were now turned, and had done that which is right in mine eyes, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:
16but ye turned and profaned my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had let go free at their pleasure, to return; and ye brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.
17Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Ye have not hearkened unto me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim unto you a liberty, saith Jehovah, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth.
18And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, that have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before me, when they cut the calf in twain and passed between the parts thereof;
19the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, that passed between the parts of the calf;
20I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life; and their dead bodies shall be for food unto the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the earth.
21And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, that are gone away from you.
22Behold, I will command, saith Jehovah, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
12And there is a word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying:
13`Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I--I made a covenant with your fathers in the day of My bringing them forth from the land of Egypt, from a house of servants, saying,
14At the end of seven years ye do send forth each his brother, the Hebrew, who is sold to thee, and hath served thee six years, yea, thou hast sent him forth free from thee: and your fathers hearkened not unto Me, nor inclined their ear.
15`And ye turn back, ye to-day, and ye do that which is right in Mine eyes, to proclaim liberty each to his neighbour, and ye make a covenant before Me in the house over which My name is called.
16And--ye turn back, and pollute My name, and ye cause each his man-servant and each his maid-servant, whom he had sent forth free, (at their pleasure,) to return, and ye subdue them to be to you for men-servants and for maid-servants.
17`Therefore, thus said Jehovah: Ye have not hearkened unto Me to proclaim freedom, each to his brother, and each to his neighbour; lo, I am proclaiming to you liberty--an affirmation of Jehovah--unto the sword, unto the pestilence, and unto the famine, and I have given you for a trembling to all kingdoms of the earth.
18`And I have given the men who are transgressing My covenant, who have not established the words of the covenant that they have made before Me, by the calf, that they have cut in two, and pass through between its pieces--
19heads of Judah, and heads of Jerusalem, the officers, and the priests, and all the people of the land those passing through between the pieces of the calf--
20yea, I have given them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those seeking their soul, and their carcase hath been for food to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth.
21`And Zedekiah king of Judah, and his heads, I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those seeking their soul, and into the hand of the forces of the king of Babylon, that are going up from off you.
22Lo, I am commanding--an affirmation of Jehovah--and have brought them back unto this city, and they have fought against it, and captured it, and burned it with fire, and the cities of Judah I do make a desolation--without inhabitant.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
12And the word of Jehovah came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,
13Thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying,
14At the end of seven years ye shall let go every man his brother, a Hebrew, who hath sold himself unto thee; 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.
15And you, ye had this day 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:
16but ye have turned and profaned my name, and caused every man his bondman, and every man his bondmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and ye have brought them into subjection, to be unto you for bondmen and for bondmaids.
17Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith Jehovah, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will give you over to be driven hither and thither among all the kingdoms of the earth.
18And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, — the calf which they cut in twain, and passed between the parts thereof,
19— the princes of Judah and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, that passed between the parts of the calf;
20them will I give into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of them that seek their life; and their carcases shall be food for the fowl of the heavens and for the beasts of the earth.
21And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which are gone up from you.
22Behold, I command, saith Jehovah, and I will cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
12And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying:
13Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying:
14At the end of seven years, let ye go every man his brother being a Hebrew, who hath been sold to thee, so he shall serve thee six years: and thou shalt let him go free from thee: and your fathers did not hearken to me, nor did they incline their ear.
15And you turned to day, and did that which was right in my eyes, in proclaiming liberty every one to his brother: and you made a covenant in my sight, in the house upon which my name is invocated.
16And you are fallen back, and have defiled my name: and you have brought back again every man his manservant, and every man his maidservant, whom you had let go free, and set at liberty: and you have brought them into subjection to be your servants and handmaids.
17Therefore thus saith the Lord: You have not hearkened to me, in proclaiming liberty every man to his brother and every man to his friend: behold I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the Lord, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine: and I will cause you to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth.
18And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, and have not performed the words of the covenant which they agreed to in my presence, when they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts thereof:
19The princes of Juda, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land that passed between the parts of the calf:
20And I will give them into the hands of their enemies, and into the hands of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat to the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the earth.
21And Sedecias the king of Juda, and his princes, I will give into the hands of their enemies, and into the hands of them that seek their lives, and into the hands of the armies of the king of Babylon, which are gone from you.
22Behold I will command, saith the Lord, and I will bring them again to this city, and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Juda a desolation, without an inhabitant.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 34:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree this passage records a solemn covenant to free Hebrew slaves, its swift reversal, and God’s corresponding judgment. Calvin highlights that the people made a covenant before God in the Temple, but their perjury 'polluted my name' (v16). Clarke emphasizes the retributive justice: 'You proclaimed liberty to your slaves, and afterward resumed your authority; so I proclaim liberty for you, to the sword, pestilence, and famine.' Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, and Cambridge Bible concur that the punishment exactly mirrors the crime: the 'liberty' granted to slaves becomes 'liberty' to destruction. Both Keil & Delitzsch and Matthew Henry note the covenantal foundation: God delivered Israel from Egypt (v13) and required periodic release of Hebrew servants (Ex 21:2; Deut 15:12). The ritual of cutting a calf and passing between its pieces (v18) is interpreted as a self-imprecation (Clarke, Calvin, JFB): the participants invoked a similar dismemberment if they broke the covenant. All sources agree on the historical setting: the Chaldeans withdrew to face Pharaoh’s army (v21), giving Jerusalem false hope, but God would command their return (v22).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Renewal of Mosaic law: The passage opens by citing God’s covenant at Sinai (v13) and the law of release (v14), so the people’s covenant is a renewal of that command.
- Human vow adopted by God: The people initiated the covenant under Zedekiah (v8-11), and God later calls it 'my covenant' (v18), suggesting He adopted their human promise as binding.
- Self‑imprecation as warning: The calf‑cutting ritual (vv18-19) shows the people invoked a fate on themselves; God now holds them to that implicit curse.
What is clear: The people freed Hebrew slaves, then re‑enslaved them, and God responded with a judgment that precisely mirrored their sin: ‘liberty’ to the sword, pestilence, and famine.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the covenant in v15 | It was a solemn covenant made before God in the Temple, involving freeing Hebrew slaves. | Some (Calvin) see it as a renewal of the Mosaic law; others (Gill) emphasize it as a distinct human vow that God adopted as His own. |
| Meaning of the calf‑cutting ritual | It is a self‑imprecation ceremony signaling what should happen to covenant‑breakers. | Whether this rite was uniquely Israelite or borrowed from ancient Near Eastern custom. |
| Historical referent of 'the army that has departed' | Refers to the Chaldeans temporarily lifting the siege to face an Egyptian threat (see Jer 37:5-10). | Some (Gill) say God commanded the withdrawal as a test; others (Clarke) simply note the historical event without theological motive. |
| Theological significance of 'liberty' reversal | The punishment fits the crime, liberty to sword, pestilence, and famine. | Whether this is purely retributive or also meant to bring about repentance. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The passage sits within the final days of Jerusalem’s siege by Nebuchadnezzar. King Zedekiah, pressured by the crisis, induced the people to make a covenant freeing all Hebrew slaves (vv8‑11). This was a revival of the Mosaic law requiring release in the seventh year (Ex 21:2; Deut 15:12). The law was rooted in Israel’s own liberation: 'I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage' (v13; cf. Ex 20:2). The people obeyed temporarily, then reversed course and re‑enslaved those they had freed. The covenant was made in the Temple (v15), 'the house which is called by my name,' lending it special solemnity.
Into this breach comes Jeremiah with a word from Yahweh. The opening formula (v12) emphasizes divine origin: 'Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh.' Gill sees here the word of the Son from the Father. This double naming underlines that the oracle is not human opinion but God’s direct response. Immediately afterward, the Lord recalls His covenant with Israel at Sinai, framing the current betrayal as a breach of that foundational relationship.
Historically, the Chaldean army had temporarily lifted the siege to meet an Egyptian relief force under Pharaoh Hophra (see Jer 37:5‑10). This gave the citizens false confidence. God declares He will 'command' the Babylonian army to return (v22) and finish the destruction. The covenant ritual of cutting a calf and passing between the pieces (vv18‑19) was an ancient Near Eastern self‑imprecation: the parties called a similar fate upon themselves if they violated the agreement (Gen 15:9‑21). By re‑enslaving the servants, the people effectively called down that curse upon themselves.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Jeremiah 34:12‑22. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the translations agree closely on the content of the passage.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition this passage underscored the gravity of the sabbatical‑year laws and the danger of swearing false oaths. Christian interpreters have read it as a warning against religious hypocrisy. The Reformers (Calvin, Luther) cited it to argue that true worship cannot be separated from the treatment of the poor. The Puritan tradition used the passage to illustrate God’s retributive justice and the necessity of keeping vows. Some modern liberation theologians have highlighted the theme of God taking the side of the oppressed slaves. The passage’s structure, covenant, rebellion, matching judgment, has influenced discussions of divine judgment in covenant theology.
Preaching This Verse
Three‑point outline
- The covenant made and broken (vv12‑16). God reminds His people of His deliverance and the law of release. They briefly reform but then profane His name by taking back the freedom they granted.
- The retributive proclamation of liberty (v17). God proclaims 'liberty' to the sword, pestilence, and famine, a punishment that matches the crime.
- The sealed fate and unmasking of false hope (vv18‑22). The calf‑cutting ritual becomes a self‑imprecation that now falls on the covenant‑breakers. The Babylonian army, which had withdrawn, will return and destroy city and land.
Five‑point outline
- God’s foundational act of deliverance (v13). The exodus is the basis for the command to free slaves.
- The law ignored by ancestors (v14). From the beginning, Israel failed to obey this command.
- A brief moment of reform and covenant (v15). Under pressure, the people do right and make a solemn vow in the Temple.
- The shameful reversal and profanation (v16). When the danger seems past, they re‑enslave those they freed, polluting God’s name.
- The divine reversal: judgment on covenant‑breakers (vv17‑22). God declares a matching punishment: liberty becomes destruction; the returned army finishes what it began.
Illustration hooks
- Promise made under pressure then broken when pressure lifts. Like a person who vows to change during an illness but reverts upon recovery.
- The bitter irony of re‑enslaving those you freed. Compare to an employer who gives an employee time off and then demands it back with interest.
- The calf‑cutting ritual as a vow you cannot take back. Today, think of contracts signed or oaths sworn in court that bind us.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God take our promises seriously even if we made them in a crisis?
- How is this different from bargaining with God?
- What does this passage teach about the connection between worship and social justice?
Leading a Discussion
This passage forces us to examine the gap between our religious commitments and our actual obedience. The people of Jerusalem made a solemn covenant in God’s house, freed their slaves, and then took back the freedom. Their punishment, 'liberty' to sword, pestilence, and famine, shows that God sees our actions as a reflection of our faith. Use the questions below to explore the passage together.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What sequence of events does this passage describe? How does the narrative move from freedom to re‑enslavement?
- Interpretation: Why does God call the covenant of v15 'my covenant' (v18)? What does that imply about God’s view of promises made in His presence?
- Interpretation: The ritual of cutting the calf and passing between its pieces (v18) is not described in the Law. How would the original hearers have understood it? What does it add to the seriousness of the vow?
- Application: Where in our own lives might we 're‑enslave' someone, by rescinding mercy, forgiveness, or assistance we once offered?
- Application: How does this passage challenge the idea that we can separate our worship from our treatment of others?
- Theology: The punishment matches the crime: liberty for liberty. What does this teach us about God’s justice?
- Hope: This passage ends in desolation. How does the larger biblical story (the return from exile, Christ’s proclamation of liberty) answer this judgment?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 13:3 | Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Yahweh brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. |
| Exodus 13:14 | It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall tell him, ‘By strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage. |
| Exodus 20:2 | “I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. |
| Exodus 24:3 | Moses came and told the people all Yahweh’s words, and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, “All the words which Yahweh has spoken will we do.” |
| Exodus 24:7 | He took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people, and they said, “We will do all that Yahweh has said, and be obedient.” |
| Exodus 24:8 | Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which Yahweh has made with you concerning all these words.” |
| Deuteronomy 5:2 | Yahweh our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. |
| Deuteronomy 5:3 | Yahweh didn’t make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive today. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the exact match between Judah's sin and its punishment. They broke their covenant to free Hebrew slaves, so God released sword, famine and plague against them. The covenant ritual of dividing a calf and passing between the parts was mirrored in their bodies being given as meat, making the penalty a vivid picture of the crime.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin focuses on the hypocrisy of the Jews who made a solemn covenant in the Temple to free their slaves, then quickly reneged. This profaned God's name and proved their obedience
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes the solemn covenant the people made before God to release their Hebrew servants, sealed with the ritual of cutting a calf in pieces. Their immediate betrayal of that oath is what provokes God's judgment: he ironically proclaims "liberty" for them, giving them up to sword, pestilence, famine, and removal into all kingdoms.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the severe irony in God's judgment: the Jews who refused their slaves the sabbatical freedom would themselves be released into a terrible bondage of sword and exile. Because they broke their solemn covenant made before God, the liberty God proclaims for them is not release but unrest, a restless agitation from place to place, perfectly matching their offense.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlight that God calls Egypt a house of bondmen to underscore the motive for freeing slaves: because Israel was redeemed from bondage, they must not enslave their brethren. When they break this covenant, God uses their own language of proclamation, announcing a liberty for them to sword, famine, and plague, releasing them from His protection.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes the unusual nature of the covenant: the people bound themselves jointly to free servants for the servants' benefit, yet they clearly hoped for personal advantage from the gesture. This self-serving motivation, born from distress during the siege, explains why they reversed course the moment danger lifted, exposing their obedience as hollow and temporary.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes the tragedy of a reformation that looked good but did not last. The people did right in God's sight by freeing their slaves and sealing it with a solemn covenant in the temple. Then they reversed course, dragged the freed people back, and by breaking that covenant they polluted God's own name.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that the Jews cut a calf in pieces and passed between the parts as a self-imprecating oath. They silently agreed to be cut in pieces like that beast if they broke their covenant to free servants. God declares they will face sword, famine, and pestilence, yet promises to turn their hearts.