Jeremiah 34:17

“Therefore thus saith the Lord, etc.] This being the case, and this their crime, which was provoking to the Lord; ye have not hearkened unto me in proclaiming liberty everyone to his brother, and everyone to his neighbour; for though they did proclaim liberty, they did not act according to it; they did not give the liberty they proclaimed, at least they did not continue so to do; as soon almost as they had granted the favour, they took it away again; and because they did not persevere in well doing, it is reckoned by the Lord as not done at all: behold, I proclaim liberty for you, saith the Lord; or rather against them; he dismissed them from his service, care, and protection, and consigned…”

“not . . . proclaiming liberty--Though the Jews had ostensibly emancipated their bond-servants, they virtually did not do so by revoking the liberty which they had granted. God looks not to outward appearances, but to the sincere intention. I proclaim a liberty--retribution answering to the offense (Mat 7:2; Mat 18:32-33; Gal 6:7; Jam 2:13). The Jews who would not give liberty to their brethren shall themselves receive "a liberty" calamitous to them. God will manumit them from His happy and safe service (Psa 121:3), which is real "liberty" (Psa 119:45; Joh 8:36; Co2 3:17), only to pass under the terrible bondage of other taskmasters, the "sword," &c. to be removed--The Hebrew expresses…”

“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…”

“Behold - You shall perish by the sword, famine and pestilence, and those of you who escape them, shall be slaves, in many nations. Jeremiah 34:18”

“34:17-20 Because of their sin in breaking the terms of their covenant, the Lord would cut them apart and separate them from his protective care. This expression relates to the covenant ceremony of killing and cutting a calf sacrifice into two parts from head to tail. Those making a covenant walked between the laid-out portions to indicate their willingness to be similarly cut apart if they violated the covenant (see Gen 15:9-18). All classes of people in Judah had broken their oath, so they would all receive the punishment to which they had agreed.”

“behold: When they proclaimed liberty to their slaves, God restrained the sword from cutting them off; but now having resumed their authority over them, He proclaimed liberty to these dire judgments to seize upon, and destroy them. Lev 26:34, Lev 26:35; Deu 19:19; Jdg 1:6, Jdg 1:7; Est 7:10; Dan 6:24; Mat 7:2; Luk 6:37, Luk 6:38; Gal 6:7; Jam 2:13; Rev 16:6 to the sword: Jer 15:2, Jer 21:7, Jer 24:10, Jer 32:24, Jer 32:36, Jer 47:6, Jer 47:7; Eze 14:17-21 I will: Jer 15:4, Jer 24:9, Jer 24:10, Jer 29:18; Deu 28:25, Deu 28:64 to be removed: Heb. for a removing, Lam 1:8 \*marg. Jeremiah 34:18”