The Meaning of Jeremiah 34:11 Explained

Jeremiah 34:11

KJV: But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.

YLT: and they turn afterwards, and cause the men-servants and the maid-servants to return, whom they had sent forth free, and they subdue them for men-servants and for maid-servants.

Darby: But afterwards they turned, and caused the bondmen and the bondmaids whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for bondmen and for bondmaids.

ASV: but afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But afterward  they turned,  and caused the servants  and the handmaids,  whom they had let go  free,  to return,  and brought them into subjection  {08675;03533:08686} for servants  and for handmaids. 

What does Jeremiah 34:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Shortly thereafter, the masters reneged on their promise, broke their covenant, and brought their servants back into subjection. It was a predictable response from people who had long ago and repeatedly demonstrated that they were covenant-breakers. Nebuchadnezzar"s withdrawal may have been the impetus for the peoples" decision to break their promise to their servants. They may have thought that they were safe and that life would return to normal soon.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 34

1  Jeremiah prophesies the captivity of Zedekiah and the city
8  The princes and the people having dismissed their bond-servants,
11  contrary to the covenant of God, re-assume them
12  Jeremiah gives them and Zedekiah into the hands of their enemies

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 34:11 mean?

But they changed their minds afterward afterward and made return - the male and female slaves whom they had set free - and brought them into subjection as male and female slaves -
וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙ אַחֲרֵי־ כֵ֔ן וַיָּשִׁ֗בוּ אֶת־ הָֽעֲבָדִים֙ וְאֶת־ הַשְּׁפָח֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר שִׁלְּח֖וּ חָפְשִׁ֑ים [ויכבישום] (וַֽיִּכְבְּשׁ֔וּם) לַעֲבָדִ֖ים וְלִשְׁפָחֽוֹת ס

וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙  But  they  changed  their  minds 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אַחֲרֵי־  afterward 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
כֵ֔ן  afterward 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
וַיָּשִׁ֗בוּ  and  made  return 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָֽעֲבָדִים֙  the  male 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
הַשְּׁפָח֔וֹת  female  slaves 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: שִׁפְחָה  
Sense: maid, maid-servant, slavegirl.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שִׁלְּח֖וּ  they  had  set 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
חָפְשִׁ֑ים  free 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חָפְשִׁי  
Sense: free.
[ויכבישום]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine plural
(וַֽיִּכְבְּשׁ֔וּם)  and  brought  them  into  subjection 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine plural
Root: כָּבַשׁ  
Sense: to subject, subdue, force, keep under, bring into bondage.
לַעֲבָדִ֖ים  as  male 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
וְלִשְׁפָחֽוֹת  and  female  slaves 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural
Root: שִׁפְחָה  
Sense: maid, maid-servant, slavegirl.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation