12-14 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I myself made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, ‘At the end of seven years each of you must set free the fellow Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you six years; you must set him free from your service.’ But your fathers did not listen to me or incline their ears to me.  15-16 You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty, each to his neighbour, and you made a covenant before me in the  house that is called by my name, but then you turned round and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your slaves.

17-20 “Therefore, thus says the Lord: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbour; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the Lord. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. And the men who transgressed my covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant that they made before me, I will make like the calf that they cut in two and passed between its parts - the officials of Judah, the officials of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf. And I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives. Their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.  21 And Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials I will give into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives, into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon which has withdrawn from you.  22 Behold, I will command, declares the  Lord, and will bring them back to this city. And they will fight against it and take it and burn it with fire. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.” Jeremiah 34:12-22 English Standard Version

God gave Israel a commandment concerning people who, due to circumstances, had sold themselves as servants to their fellow Israelites. At the end of seven years the servants were to be set free. (vs 12-14) The Israelites soon ignored that command. But when their cities were surrounded by the Babylonian armies they quickly 'repented' and made a promise to release their servants. But what happened? (vs 15-16)

They quickly went back on their word. The reason is given in vs 21. Because the Babylonians had been themselves confronted by an Egyptian army they withdrew their sieges of Israel's cities. So the Israelites thought they were 'off the hook' and broke the promise they'd made to God about their servants. What was God's response to their false repentance? (vs 17-20)

He was going to bring the Babylonian armies back (vs 22) and Israel would be totally defeated. The verses describe the sort of ritual that took place when a covenant was made. Those who'd performed that ritual falsely would be among the first who the Babylonians would kill.

Jesus told a parable that could relate to this. He said to the Jewish leaders of His day: “What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Go and work today in the vineyard.’ ‘I won't,’ he replied, but later changed his mind and went. The father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he didn't go. Which of the two did what his father wanted? 'The first,' they replied. Jesus said to them, 'Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John (the Baptizer) came to show the way of righteousness, and you didn't believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. Even after you saw this, you didn't repent and believe him.'” (Matthew 21:28-32)

The Bible says that “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret. But worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10) Real repentance for wrong doing should lead to an ongoing change in our life and we will strive each day to keep the commitment we've made to the Lord.