Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should let his manservant, and every one his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves of them any more, then they obeyed, and let them go.
When all the officials and people who had made this agreement heard that everyone should set their male and female servants free, and that no one should keep them as slaves anymore, they obeyed and let them go.
The people initially obeyed God's command to free their slaves when they heard about the covenant agreement.
📚 Historical Context
During the reign of King Zedekiah in Judah, as the Babylonian army besieged Jerusalem, the people had made a covenant in the temple to release their Hebrew slaves, following the ancient laws in the Torah that required freeing servants after a certain period of service. This covenant was likely an act of repentance to seek God's mercy amid the national crisis and impending judgment. Upon hearing the command, the princes and people initially obeyed and set their servants free, though this obedience was short-lived as described in the surrounding verses.
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