TRV
Jeremiah 34:13
Bible Versions
Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying,
"Here is what ADONAI the God of Isra'el says: 'When I brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt, where they lived as slaves, I made this covenant with them:
“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your forefathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying:
Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying,
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Judges 6:8
That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; -
Joshua 24:17
For the LORD our God, he [it is] that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: -
Exodus 24:3
And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. -
Deuteronomy 5:2
The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. -
Deuteronomy 5:3
The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, [even] us, who [are] all of us here alive this day. -
Jeremiah 31:32
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: -
Deuteronomy 5:27
Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear [it], and do [it].
Jeremiah 34:13 (KJV)
Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying,
Commentary
This verse is part of a prophecy given by Jeremiah to King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem during the Babylonian siege. God is reminding them of their history and the basis of His relationship with them.
The passage harks back to the foundational event of Israelite identity: the Exodus from Egypt. God emphasizes that He delivered their ancestors from a state of complete servitude ("house of bondmen") and, immediately after, established a covenant with them at Mount Sinai. This highlights God's sovereign grace and power in their deliverance and the subsequent special relationship He initiated.
The "covenant" referred to is primarily the Mosaic Covenant, detailed in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. This covenant outlined God's laws and promises, contingent upon Israel's obedience. By recalling this, God is contrasting His past faithfulness and the people's original commitment with their current disobedience and failure to uphold the covenant, particularly in their treatment of the poor and enslaved among them, which is the immediate context of Jeremiah 34.
The phrase "house of bondmen" (Hebrew: beyt avadim) powerfully describes their state of slavery. God rescued them from this bondage not just to be free, but to be His own people under a covenant. This underscores the magnitude of God's redemptive act and the responsibilities that came with their freedom.
This verse serves as a reminder that God's relationship with His people is rooted in His historical acts of salvation and the covenants He establishes. It calls for reflection on our own covenant relationship with God, remembering His grace and our corresponding call to faithful obedience.