1Jeremiah, imprisoned by Zedekiah for foretelling the taking of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, 6by God's direction buyeth Hanameel's field. 13Baruch is charged to keep the evidences safe, as tokens of the people's return. 16Jeremiah in prayer reasoneth earnestly with God. 26God confirmeth his threats against Judah for their sins, 36and his promise of a gracious return.
1THE 1word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.
1 This is related in the 7th verse.
2For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the 2court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house.
2 Also verses 8 and 12; Jer. 33:1; 37:21. Compare Neh. 12:39. This was an easier, larger and freer prison than the prison (in the house of Jonathan, the scribe). See Jer. 37:15, 18, 20, 21.
3For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;
4And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the 3Chaldeans, but shalla4surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him 5mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;
3 Babylonians.
a Jer. 34:3.
4 Hebr. being delivered be delivered.
5 That is, they shall speak with one another mouth to mouth, or verbally (as they say). Compare with Jer. 34:3, 4, and see the fulfillment in Jer. 39:5, etc.; 52:9.
5And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he 6be until I 7visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.
6 That is, remain, as Jer. 27:22.
7 That is, show mercy on him that he perish not by the sword, but die in peace, and be honorably buried. See Gen. 21 on verse 1; Jer. 34:4, 5.
6¶And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
7Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my 8field that is in 9Anathoth: for the right of 10redemption is thine to 11buy it.
8 Of the fields of the Levites see Num. 35 on verse 2.
9 See Jer. 1:1.
10 See Ruth 2 on verse 20.
11 Understand hereby God’s command to Jeremiah to buy that field from him at that time, as the sequel shows.
8So Hanameel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the 12word of the LORD.
12 That is, that this was done according to the word of the Lord.
9And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's son, that was in Anathoth, and 13weighed him the money, even seventeen 14shekels of silver.
13 See Gen. 23 on verse 16.
14 Hebr. seven shekels and ten of silver; of the silver shekel see Gen. 20 on verse 16.
10And I 15subscribed the 16evidence, and sealed it, and took 17witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
15 Hebr. properly: I wrote in a letter, that is, subscribed, signed it, as appears in verse 12.
16 Namely, the bill of sale and purchase, as follows.
17 Namely, by subscription or signature, as verse 12. Also verses 25 and 44; for which we use to say to take witnesses.
11So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was 18open:
18 As verse 14. Whereby some understand a copy or transcript, extraction of the letter of purchase; others, a patent of ratification or public decree of the magistrate serving to the confirmation of this sale in all its circumstances. Others understand it of a letter, which serves to give notice to every one of the sale that was made.
12And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto 19Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle’s 20son, and in the presence of the witnesses that 21subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that 22sat in the court of the prison.
19 The scribe and servant of the prophet Jeremiah. See Jer. 36:4, 5, etc.
20 This word is here inserted from verses 7, 8 and 9. Other, my cousin; since the Hebrew word dod is sometimes also taken in a wider sense, even for a beloved and a very loving friend, as appears in The Song of Solomon.
21 Hebr. that had written in the book of purchase, as verse 10.
22 Or, dwelt.
13¶And I charged Baruch before 23them, saying,
23 That is, in their presence, as above often.
14Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is 24open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they 25may continue many days.
24 See on verse 11.
25 That is, in order that they may last long.
15For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards 26shall be possessed 27again in this land.
26 From this it appears what God intended by this unusual action, at the time of the siege of Jerusalem, namely, to assure His people that the Babylonian captivity would have an end, and that they would come again into their own country, and possess it, etc. See verses 43 and 44.
27 Or, yet.
16¶Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying,
17Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and 28stretched out arm, and there is nothing 29too hard for thee:
28 As Exod. 6:5, etc.
29 Namely, to do. Also verse 27. Hebr. properly: more wonderful than thou, that is, so wonderful as that Thou wouldest not be able to do it as Thou hast promised it; nothing is impossible unto Thee. Compare Gen. 18:14 with the annotation; Mat. 19:26; Luke 1:37. This refers to the deliverance out of the Babylonian captivity, which seemed to be a thing impossible with men. Compare Ezek. 37:3, 11, 12, etc.
18Thoub shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the 30bosom of their 31children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his 32name,
b Exod. 34:7.
30 See Psalm 79 on verse 12.
31 Who are partakers of the sins of their fathers, and do follow their footsteps. See Exod. 20:5, 6.
32 As Jer. 31:35. See 1 Kings 18 on verse 15.
19Great in counsel,c and mighty in work: for thine 33eyesdare open upon all the 34ways of the sons of men: to givee every one according to his ways, and according to the 35fruit of his doings:
c Isa. 28:29.
33 This signifies sometimes God’s special provision, as 1 Kings 8 on verse 29; Psalm 32 on verse 8; sometimes God’s Providence and supervision on all that comes to pass, as here. Compare Prov. 5:21; 15:3. Likewise 2 Chron. 16 on verse 9.
d Job 34:11; Prov. 5:21; Jer. 16:17.
34 See Gen. 6 on verse 12.
e Jer. 17:10.
35 See Jer. 17 on verse 10.
20Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even 36unto this day, and in Israel, and among other 37men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day;
36 Of which remembrance continues unto this day.
37 Hebr. man, that is, men, as often.
21And hast brought forth thy people Israel outf of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;
f Exod. 6:6; 2 Sam. 7:23; 1 Chron. 17:21.
22And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land 38flowing with milk and honey;
38 See Exod. 3 on verse 8.
23And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done 39nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this 40evil to come upon them:
39 Hebr. all that thou, etc., they have not done, that is, they have done nothing of what Thou hadst commanded them. See 1 Kings 11 on verse 34.
40 Of punishment.
24Behold the 41mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is 42given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.
41 Mounts, trenches, bulwarks, fortresses, and other works raised by the enemy, outside the city. See 2 Sam. 20 on verse 15. Some understand other warlike instruments, set up and serving to break and batter down walls and great, strong buildings, or out of and from them to annoy and hurt the enemy with all manner of offensive weapons. Compare Jer. 33:4.
42 Also verses 25, 36 and 43; that is, it is as good (as we say) as given, it shall be assuredly given; the affairs are as such within the city, that a man may tangibly perceive that Thy word is true in everything, and consequently shall be performed.
25And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; 43for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
43 As if he said: This is a strange and wonderful thing to man’s ingenuity.
26¶Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,
27Behold, I am the LORD, the Godg of all 44flesh: is there any thing 45too hard for me?
g Num. 16:22.
44 See Gen. 6 on verse 2; Num. 16 on verse 22.
45 See on verse 17.
28Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:
29And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burnh it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and 46poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to 47anger.
h Jer. 21:10.
46 As Jer. 7:18.
47 Or, wrath. Also in the sequel.
30For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have 48only done evil before me from their 49youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD.
48 That is, done nothing else but, etc.
49 See Jer. 2 on verse 2.
31For this city hath been to me as 50a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,
50 That is, this city has done nothing else, but what served to provoke Mine anger and fury. This has been all their practice, all their study. Other, in mine anger, that is, I have been angry with them, etc.
32Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the 51men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
51 Hebr. man, as Jer. 4:3.
33And they have turned unto me the 52back,i and not the face: though I taught them, rising up 53earlyj and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive 54instruction.
52 See Jer. 2:27.
i Jer. 2:27; 7:24.
53 See Jer. 7 on verse 13.
j Jer. 7:13, 25; 25:3; 26:5; 29:19.
54 See Prov. 1 on verse 2, etc.
34But they set their 55abominations in the 56house, 57which is called by my name, to defile it.
55 See Jer. 4 on verse 1.
56 The temple.
57 As Jer. 7:31.
3558And they built the highk places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto 59Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it 60into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
58 See Jer. 7:10, with the annotation.
k Jer. 19:5.
59 That is, to the service and honor of this idol. See Lev. 18 on verse 21.
60 See Jer. 7:31.
36¶And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be 61delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;
61 As verse 24.
37Behold, I will 62gatherl them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell 63safely:
62 Namely, My people.
l Jer. 23:3; 29:14; 31:10.
63 Hebr. in safety, or, in confidence, that is, quietly, safely, securely, as elsewhere often.
38Andm they shall be my 64people, and I will be their God:
m Jer. 24:7; 30:22; 31:1, 33.
64 As Jer. 30:22; 31:1.
39And I will give them 65one heart, and one 66way, that they may fear me for ever, for the 67good of them, and of their children after them:
65 I will work by My Spirit in the hearts of Mine elect as such that they shall be knit and united to one another in love by one faith and one manner of worship.
66 That is, one manner of worship or religion, one manner or way of faith and life. See Isa. 30:21; 35:8; Jer. 6:16; Mat. 22:16; Acts 9:2; 18:25, 26, etc.
67 That is, for their benefit, health and salvation.
40And I will 68make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away 69from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
68 As Jer. 31:31, etc.
69 That is, that I will never forsake them, but will continually dwell with them and follow them with My mercy and lovingkindness. See Jer. 31 on verse 33, and compare further Rom. 8:30; 1 Peter 1:5, 9; 1 John 2:19, 20, 27; 3:9; 5:18.
41Yea, 70I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plantn them in this land 71assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
70 Compare Deut. 30:9.
n Jer. 24:6; Amos 9:15.
71 Hebr. in or with faithfulness or truth.
42For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great 72evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have 73promised them.
72 Namely, of punishment, that is, misery, mishap, adversity.
73 That is, their promise, or have promised them.
43And 74fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye 75say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is 76given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
74 Hebr. a field shall, etc., that is, fields, as in the next verse.
75 That is, then ye shall say, when it shall be made desolate. Also Jer. 33:10.
76 As verse 24.
44Men 77shall buy fields for money, and 78subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of 79Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.
77 Hebr. they shall, etc., as often.
78 See verses 10 and 12.
79 Compare Jer. 17:26.