13 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors(A) when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.(B) I said, 14 ‘Every seventh year each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. After they have served you six years, you must let them go free.’[a](C) Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay attention(D) to me. 15 Recently you repented and did what is right in my sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to your own people.(E) You even made a covenant before me in the house that bears my Name.(F) 16 But now you have turned around(G) and profaned(H) my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.

17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you,(I) declares the Lord—‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague(J) and famine.(K) I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth.(L)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 34:14 Deut. 15:12

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