Jeremiah 34:14

“At the end of seven years, etc.] Not when seven years were elapsed and fully completed; but within the compass of seven years, or as soon as the seventh year was began; for this term of seven years is the term of the seventh year coming in, and not going out, as appears from the law itself, (<022109>Exodus 21:9); and from an after clause in this verse, “when he hath served thee six years”; at the end of which, and the beginning of the seventh: and so Maimonidesf662 interprets this law, “he whom the sanhedrim sold served six years from the day of his sale, and at the beginning of the seventh year he was free:” though the Vulgate Latin version very wrongly renders it, “when seven years are…”

“At the end of seven years--that is, not on the eighth year, but within the limit of the seventh year, not later than the end of the seventh year (Exo 21:2; Exo 23:10; Deu 15:12). So "at the end of three years" (Deu 14:28; Kg2 18:10), and "after three days, I will rise again" (Mat 27:63), that is, on the third day (compare Mat 27:64).”

“It is usual with commentators to say that, the laws dealing with the emancipation of the Hebrew slaves, as also that of the land resting during the sabbatical year, were not observed. The narrative teaches us the exact contrary. The manumission of the slaves on the present occasion was the spontaneous act of Zedekiah and the people. They knew of the law, and acknowledged its obligation. The observance of it was, no doubt, lax: the majority let their own selfish interests prevail; but the minority made might give way to right, and Zedekiah supported their efforts though only in a weak way. Early in January, in the ninth year of Zedekiah, the Chaldaean army approached Jerusalem. The people…”

“At the: Jer 34:8, Jer 34:9; Exo 21:1-4, Exo 23:10, Exo 23:11; Deu 15:12; Kg1 9:22; Ch2 28:10; Isa 58:6; Amo 2:6, Amo 8:6 been sold: or, sold himself, Kg1 21:25; Isa 50:1; Rom 7:14-17, Rom 7:24 but: It appears from this and several other passages, that the sabbatical year had been wholly neglected some centuries before the captivity; and the author of the second book of Chronicles ( Jer 36:21) assigns this as a reason for the captivity, "that the land might enjoy her sabbaths." Now, if we reckon the seventy years' captivity as a punishment for this neglect, it will follow that the law on this subject had been disregarded for about 490 years. Jer 7:25, Jer 7:26, Jer 11:8-10, Jer 32:30; Sa1…”