Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.
Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty. Though the Jews had ostensibly emancipated their bond-servants, they virtually did not do so, by revoking the liberty which they had granted. God looks not to outward appearances, but to the sincere intention.
I proclaim a liberty - retribution answering to the offence (Matthew 7:2; Matthew 18:32-33; Galatians 6:7; James 2:13). The Jews who would not give liberty to their brethren shall themselves receive a "liberty" calamitous to them. God will manumit them from His happy and safe service, which is real "liberty" (Psalms 119:45; John 8:36; 2 Corinthians 3:17), only to pass under the terrible bondage of other taskmasters, the "sword," etc. The Jews were the Lord's servants whom He had brought out of Egypt: as therefore it was the master's duty to keep in safe protection his servants, so the Lord had kept the Jews in safety (Psalms 121:3): but now that they are impatient of His blessed service, He will give them their "liberty," but with it His protection of them must come to an end; and so the "liberty" which awaits them is, to be given up "to the sword, pestilence. and famine."
To be removed - the Hebrew х zuwa` (H2112)] expresses agitation (note, Jeremiah 15:4). Compare Deuteronomy 28:25; Deuteronomy 28:48; Deuteronomy 28:64-65, "Among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and fainting of eyes, and sorrow of mind; and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shall have none assurance of thy life:" wherein Moses similarly foretells the restless agitation of the Jews in their ceaseless removals from place to place in their dispersion.