Joe: Alright, so what's going on in Jeremiah 34?

Bible Expert: Well Joe, the chapter starts with King Zedekiah of Judah turning to Jeremiah and asking him to pray to God for the people. Zedekiah promises to free all of his Jewish slaves if God will answer Jeremiah’s prayer and bring peace and prosperity to the land.

Joe: Wow, that's really generous of him.

Bible Expert: Indeed, it is. God then answers Jeremiah’s prayer but the people disobey God’s command and refuse to free their slaves. So, God punishes them by sending the Babylonians to take over the city and enslave the people in the process.

Joe: Whoa, that's intense. So, what happens next?

Bible Expert: Well, the King of Babylon orders his people to free the Jewish slaves, which they do. But then, the Jews start to fear the Babylonians and decide to re-enslave their former slaves. God becomes angry and sends Jeremiah to tell the people that if they don’t free their slaves, he will punish them severely.

Joe: Oh man, that's a tough choice.

Bible Expert: It certainly is. In the end, the people choose to obey God and free their slaves. And God rewards them by restoring the city and bringing peace and prosperity back to the land.

Joe: Wow, that's quite a story. So, what's the lesson here?

Bible Expert: The lesson is that obedience to God is always rewarded. God is always ready to forgive and restore those who are willing to obey his commands.