Bondage to the enemy (1–7). When the enemy finally broke through the city wall, King Zedekiah would try to escape but would fail (2 Kings 25:1–7). Jeremiah told the king to submit to Babylon, but he would not obey. Therefore, the king would be captured, bound and blinded, and taken to Babylon where he would die. His bondage to sin led to bondage to the enemy. He destroyed himself.
Bondage to the brethren (8–22). The Jews were not to enslave their brethren; and every seven years, their servants were to be set free (Exod. 21:1–11; Deut. 15:12–18). The people in Jerusalem obeyed this law during the siege; but when the Babylonian army retreated because of the Egyptian army (v. 21; 37:5–10), the people took their slaves back again! The owners had obeyed when things were difficult, hoping to appease the Lord; but when things got better, they changed their minds (Ps. 66:13–14).
Obedience must come from devotion within us (Eph. 6:6) and not depend on circumstances around us. These masters were in greater slavery than their servants because they did not seek to please the Lord.
