¹⁵ But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief,^(A) he hardened his heart^(B) and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.

¹¹ When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes to do wrong.

⁴ he will not listen^(A) to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment^(B) I will bring out my divisions,^(C) my people the Israelites.

¹⁵ As has just been said:

¹¹ “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly^(A) they turned their backs^(B) and covered their ears.^{(C) 12} They made their hearts as hard as flint^(D) and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets.^(E) So the Lord Almighty was very angry.^(F)

⁷ while the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah that were still holding out—Lachish^(A) and Azekah.^(B) These were the only fortified cities left in Judah.

Freedom for Slaves

⁸ The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people^(C) in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom^(D) for the slaves. ⁹ Everyone was to free their Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Hebrew in bondage.^{(E) 10} So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free. ¹¹ But afterward they changed their minds^(F) and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.

⁵ When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled,^(A) Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds^(B) about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!”