8. The Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah after King Zedekiah and all the people in Jerusalem promised to free their slaves.
9. Everyone was supposed to free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female. No one was supposed to keep another Jew as a slave.
10. All the officials and all the people agreed and promised to free their male and female slaves and not to keep them as slaves anymore. So they set them free.
11. But afterwards, they changed their minds and took back the men and women they had freed and made them their slaves again.
12. The Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said,
13. “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: I put a condition on the promise I made to your ancestors when I brought them from Egypt, where they were slaves. I said,
14. ‘Every seven years each of you must free any Hebrews who sold themselves to you. When they have served you for six years, you must set them free.’ But your ancestors refused to obey me or listen to me.
15. Recently, you changed and did what I consider right. You agreed to free your neighbors, and you made a promise in my presence, in the temple that is called by my name.
16. Now you have changed again and dishonored me. You brought back the male and female slaves that you had set free to live their own lives. You have forced them to be your male and female slaves again.
17. “This is what the Lord says: You didn’t obey me. You haven’t freed your relatives and neighbors. Now I am going to free you,” declares the Lord. “I will free you to die in wars, plagues, and famines. I will make all the kingdoms of the world horrified at the thought of you.