Jeremiah 34: God's Opinion Of Slavery?

Critics of the Bible sometimes point out that scripture was used to justify slavery in the United States before the Civil War.  While that charge is true (as well as the fact that the Bible was equally cited in the north in the campaign against slavery), passages like Jeremiah 34 give, I believe, a window into God's opinion of slavery.

"Acceptable" slavery in the Bible was not like that which was practiced in the southern states.  Biblical slavery was not racially based, nor did it connote ownership of one person by another.  It was more akin to the idea of indentured servanthood.  There was a set term, within limits, and justice for slaves was a real concern.

In Jeremiah 34, God expresses His displeasure with Judah that slavery was not being practiced as it had been established in the law by Moses.  Jeremiah tells the people, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I myself made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying, 'Every seventh year each of you must set free any Hebrews who have been sold to you and have served you six years; you must set them free from your service.' But your ancestors did not listen to me or incline their ears to me" (vs. 13-14).

When King Zedekiah led the nation in actually freeing all their slaves, it appears to right to God.  However, this approval does not last because the slaves' freedom did not last.  They were quickly re-enslaved (vs. 11).  This injustice incurred God's wrath.  Jeremiah goes on to say, "You yourselves recently repented and did what was right in my sight by proclaiming liberty to one another, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name; but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back your male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them again into subjection to be your slaves" (vs. 15-16).

Because of this, God says, He is going to grant a "release" to these slave holders.  But it will be a release to the sword, pestilence, and famine!  So angry is the Lord at Judah's sin, He threatens to render them like a calf cut in two during the ceremony of covenant-making (vs. 18).  

God may have tolerated slavery under a set of very specific, humane conditions that resembled more honest employment that vicious enslavement, but rarely is the Bible credited with advancing the basic human rights like those referenced in chapters like Jeremiah 34.