2 Chronicles 28:10
And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?
2 Chronicles 28:10 · King James Version
Meaning
The verse is a warning and rebuke from the prophet Joel to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. It accuses them of planning to enslave their own brothers and sisters, going against the commandments of God. The prophet questions their actions, reminding them that they too have sinned against the Lord. By seeking to enslave others, the people are not only disobeying God's laws but also demonstrating a lack of compassion and brotherly love towards their own kin. The verse serves as a reminder of the importance of treating others with kindness and fairness, as well as the need to repent for one's own sins before judging and mistreating others.
Theological Overview
When analyzing the theological interpretation of this verse, it is important to note the context in which it appears. The passage discusses the Israelites' intention to make their fellow countrymen from Judah and Jerusalem into bondmen and bondwomen. This act would be a violation of the laws that God had set for His people, as seen in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. The verse questions the Israelites, reminding them of their own sins against the Lord and how they are disobeying His commandments by mistreating their own brethren. The word "sins" in this context refers to a deliberate missing of the mark, a transgression against God's laws. This serves as a cautionary reminder to the Israelites that they should not engage in actions that go against the principles of justice and love that God has outlined for His people.
2 Chronicles 28:10 in other translations
American Standard Version
And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: [but] are there not even with you trespasses of your own against Jehovah your God? [
World English Bible
Now you purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for male and female slaves for yourselves. Aren’t there even with you trespasses of your own against Yahweh your God?
Douay-Rheims
Moreover you have a mind to keep under the children of Juda and Jerusalem for your bondmen and bondwomen, which ought not to be done: for you have sinned in this against the Lord your God.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And nowe ye purpose to keepe vnder the children of Iudah and Ierusalem, as seruants and handmaides vnto you: but are not you such, that sinnes are with you before the Lord your God?