Old Testament Commentary - Jeremiah 28

During the latter end of the reign of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar had come and subjected Jerusalem unto the Babylonian Empire. Jehoiakim remained Judah's king by swearing alligance to Babylon. For three years did Jehoiahkim serve Babylon before he turned and rebelled. By the time that Nebuchadnezzar had put down the rebellion, installed Jehoiachin, and the again returned to remove him and install Zedekiah, it had been about four (4) years since the first Babylonian subjection of Jerusalem.
In that first year of the reign of King Zedekiah many things occured. Daniel and his fellows had by then obtained their high positions in the Babylonian Empire and all was in place to join Judah unto the great Babylonian Empire peacably and for their greater benefit. According to the manner of his father King Josiah, Zedekiah, supported by the high Jewish hierarchy of the Babylonian Empire (Daniel was secone only unto Nebuchadnezzar), did place the Jews under covenant of the temple to the living of the Law of Moses, calling them unto repentance and subjecting them to the Kingdom of Babylon by an oath in the name of Jehovah. In conjunction with this renewal of the covenant of the Jews unto their God, Zedekiah had commanded that all Hebrew servants be released, for according to the Law of Moses and the lack of adhereing to it during the time of Jehoiakim, it had been well passed seven years for the such release of the Hebrew servants. All of the Jews so complied in the first part of the first year of Zedekiah while he was yet supported by the presence and influence of Nebuchadnezzar. But almost immediately upon the withdrawl of such present influence, such other false prophets of the Jews as Hananiah, the Sarim and the priests did compromise the commanded release of the Hebrew slaves, as they did turn in concert and reclaim all their just released Hebrew servants. They likely did this by a Sarim, Temple Priest and False Prohet supported interpretation of the temple covenant, that it was not expeident for such release to be in effect but for seven more years from the time of the 'NEW' covenant just entered into. Thus the Lord would allow them the rope to hang themselves with. For not until 8 years had past did he then condemn then when even according to their modification of King Zedekiah's command to release the Hebrew servants according to the Law and Covenant of the temple, that had NOT done so (See Jeremiah 34).
It would have been in these first year circumstances, that after the first signs of rebellion by thwarting the command to release the Hebrew slaves that Jeremiah came wearing a yoke about his neck and warning not to throw off the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar. That yoke also was a recognizable protest to the reclaiming of the Hebrew servants, though Jeremiah could not state it directly and openly, least he be found guilty of being an anarchist against the stated law of the Jews, which had been since proclaimed to the effect of reclaiming the Hebrew servants. This turn of events would have been what provoked Lehi unto prayer for the Jews, that they might not be destroyed according to the words of the true prophets. Lehi had seen and lived in the days of righteousness under King Josiah. He had seen the days of wickedness under Jehoiakim. And he would have seen that Zedekiah under the 'Jewish' Babylonian influence had attempted to restore to Jerusalem the days of Josiah. And he would have seen and recognized the failure in the immediate breaking of the Temple Covenants in the reclaiming of all Hebrew servants by such a wicked manipulation of the law. It is here interesting to note that Lehi, contarary to some speculations by some Book of Mormon scholars, would not have any longer held any Hebrew servants upon his journey in the wilderness, though certainly his position of wealth would have placed him in the position to buy back Israelites from their captivity and have them work for him under the Law of Moses until they had established themselve to be freed and independant on their own.