⁵ So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath^(A) to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath.

Freedom for Slaves

⁸ The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people^(A) in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom^(B) 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.^(A)