Jeremiah 32
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“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” — John 5:39
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.
CHAPTER 32
Jr 32:1-14. Jeremiah, Imprisoned for His Prophecy against Jerusalem, Buys a Patrimonial Property (His Relative Hanameel's), IN Order to Certify to the Jews Their Future Return from Babylon.
1. tenth year--The siege of Jerusalem had already begun, in the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah (Jr 39:1; 2Ki 25:1).
2For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house.
2. in ... court of ... prison--that is, in the open space occupied by the guard, from which he was not allowed to depart, but where any of his friends might visit him (Jr 32:12; Jr 38:13, 28). Marvellous obstinacy, that at the time when they were experiencing the truth of Jeremiah's words in the pressure of the siege, they should still keep the prophet in confinement [Calvin]. The circumstances narrated (Jr 32:3-5) occurred at the beginning of the siege, when Jeremiah foretold the capture of the city (Jr 32:1; Jr 34:1-7; 39:1). He was at that time put into free custody in the court of the prison. At the raising of the siege by Pharaoh-hophra, Jeremiah was on the point of repairing to Benjamin, when he was cast into "the dungeon," but obtained leave to be removed again to the court of the prison (Jr 37:12-21). When there he urged the Jews, on the second advance of the Chaldeans to the siege, to save themselves by submission to Nebuchadnezzar (Jr 38:2, 3); in consequence of this the king, at the instigation of the princes, had him cast into a miry dungeon (Jr 38:4-6); again he was removed to the prison court at the intercession of a courtier (Jr 32:7-13), where he remained till the capture of the city (Jr 32:28), when he was liberated (Jr 39:11, &c.; Jr 40:1, &c.).
Time and circumstances of the following revelation. It took place in the tenth year of Zedekiah, the eighteenth of Nebuchadnezzar (comp. Jer_25:1; Jer_52:12). The siege of Jerusalem had Begun in the preceding year (Jer_39:1), but had been temporarily raised on the approach of an Egyptian army (Jer_37:5, Jer_37:11). Jeremiah, who had declared resistance hopeless, had been accused of treason, and imprisoned (Jer_37:13), and in prison he remained till the close of the siege. Like St. Paul at Rome, however, he was allowed free communication with visitors, as appears from verse 8 and Jer_38:1. Jer_38:2-5 are parenthetical (see on Jer_38:6).
In the court of the prison; or, the court of the guard, which adjoined the royal palace (Neh_3:25).
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;
Had shut him up. A brief and general account of the circumstances related more in full in Jer_37:1-21. For the prophecies referred to, see Jer_34:3-5; Jer_37:17; Jer_38:17-23 (the following verse is almost identical with Jer_34:3).
4And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;
4. his eyes shall behold his eyes--that is, only before reaching Babylon, which he was not to see. Jr 39:6, 7 harmonizes this prophecy (Jr 32:4) with the seemingly opposite prophecy, Eze 12:13, "He shall not see."
5And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.
5. visit him--in a good sense (Jr 27:22); referring to the honor paid Zedekiah at his death and burial (Jr 34:4, 5). Perhaps, too, before his death he was treated by Nebuchadnezzar with some favor.
though ye fight ... shall not prosper--(Jr 21:4).
Until I visit him; i.e. until I take notice of him. "To visit" is used in a good (Jer_27:22; Jer_29:10) as well as in a bad sense (Jer_6:15; Jer_49:8), so that no definite announcement is made respecting Zedekiah's future. There was no object to gain by extending the scope of the revelation beyond the immediate present, and Zedekiah's offences did not require such an anticipative punishment as the clear prediction of the details of his fate (Jer_39:6, Jer_39:7; Jer_52:11).
6And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
6. Jeremiah said--resuming the thread of Jr 32:1, which was interrupted by the parenthesis (Jr 32:2-5).
7Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.
7. son of Shallum thine uncle--therefore, Jeremiah's first cousin.
field ... in Anathoth--a sacerdotal city: and so having one thousand cubits of suburban fields outside the wall attached to it (Nu 35:4, 5). The prohibition to sell these suburban fields (Le 25:34) applied merely to their alienating them from Levites to another tribe; so that this chapter does not contravene that prohibition. Besides, what is here meant is only the purchase of the use of the field till the year of jubilee. On the failure of the owner, the next of kin had the right of redeeming it (Le 25:25, &c.; Ru 4:3-6).
The purchase of the field. Jer_32:6 resumes Jer_32:1, after the long parenthesis in Jer_32:2-5.
Hanameel. Another form of Hananeel; comp. Γεσάμ, in the Septuagint = Goshen, Μαδιάμ = Midian. In Jer_31:38 the Authorized Version has Hananeel, and the Septuagint Ἀναμεήλ (of course, the persons referred to are different). The son of Shallum thine uncle. It is strange that Hanameel should be called at once Jeremiah's uncle's son and his uncle; and yet this is the case—the former in verses 8, 9, the latter in verse 12. There is, therefore, no reason why we should deviate (as most commentators do) from the ordinary Hebrew usage, and suppose "thine uncle" in this verse to refer to Shallum, and not rather to Hanameel. But how are we to explain this singular variation in phraseology? Either from the fact that the Hebrew for "uncle" is simply a word expressive of affection (it means "beloved," see e.g. Isa_5:1), and might, therefore, just as well be applied to a cousin as to an uncle: or else. upon the supposition that the word for "son (of)" has fallen out of the text before "mine uncle," both in this verse and in verse 12.
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 word of the LORD.
8. Then I knew--Not that Jeremiah previously doubted the reality of the divine communication, but, the effect following it, and the prophet's experimentally knowing it, confirmed his faith and was the seal to the vision. The Roman historian, Florus (2.6), records a similar instance: During the days that Rome was being besieged by Hannibal, the very ground on which he was encamped was put up for sale at Rome, and found a purchaser; implying the calm confidence of the ultimate issue entertained by the Roman people.
The right of inheritance (or rather, of taking possession) is thine. The right, however, was dependent on the previous right of redeeming the land. Hence the speaker continues: The redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. The Law directs, "If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold" (Le Jer_25:25). Jeremiah's kinsman, however, ascribes to him the right of pre-emption. This is not mentioned in Leviticus; hut, of course, no one would care to purchase a property till he was sure that the next kinsman would not insist on redeeming it. No one, it may be remarked, could purchase land unconditionally—the usufruct of it till the year of jubilee was all that was legally transferable; and even the original occupant had only a life interest in his land, the ownership of which was, strictly speaking, vested in the commune. This seems to Be the necessary inference from a comprehensive view of the passages relative to land in the Old Testament. Then I knew, etc. We may, perhaps, interpret this notice combined with that in verse 6 thus: Jeremiah had had a presentiment, founded, perhaps, upon the distress to which his cousin had been reduced, that the latter would invite him to carry out the provisions of the Law; and his presentiments were generally so ordered by the Divine Spirit of prophecy as to be ratified by the event. Still, he had a measure of uncertainty till Hanameel actually came to him, and so demonstrated "that this had been the word of the Lord." In recording the circumstances, he not unnaturally reflects his later feeling of certitude in his description of the presentiment.
9And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.
9. seventeen shekels of silver--As the shekel was only 2s. 4d.., the whole would be under £2, a rather small sum, even taking into account the fact of the Chaldean occupation of the land, and the uncertainty of the time when it might come to Jeremiah or his heirs. Perhaps the "seven shekels," which in the Hebrew (see Margin) are distinguished from the "ten pieces of silver," were shekels of gold [Maurer].
Seventeen shekels of silver; i.e. about £2 5s. 4d. (taking the shekel at 2s. 8d.). This has been thought a small price. Thirty shekels were paid for the potter's field (Mat_27:7); fifty by David, for Araunah's threshing floor and oxen (2Sa_24:4). The Hebrew has "seven shekels and ten of silver;" hence the Targum increases the price by supplying "minas" before "of silver," bringing up the sum to one hundred and seven shekels. This, however, seems too much. Even if Jeremiah wished to be liberal, he would hardly have been able to go so far (probably) in excess of the market price. Who would have purchased the land on speculation, if Jeremiah had refused? The famine made life, the siege, a continuance of personal liberty, terribly uncertain. And, putting this out of the question, there may have been but a short time to elapse before the year of jubilee, when the land would revert to its original occupant (see above). The singular form of expression in the Hebrew, at which the Targum stumbled, may, perhaps, be the usual style of legal documents.
10And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
10. subscribed--I wrote in the deed, "book of purchase" (Jr 32:12).
weighed--coined money was not in early use; hence money was "weighed" (Ge 23:16).
11So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open:
11. evidence ... sealed ... open--Two deeds were drawn up in a contract of sale; the one, the original copy, witnessed and sealed with the public seal; the other not so, but open, and therefore less authoritative, being but a copy. Gataker thinks that the purchaser sealed the one with his own seal; the other he showed to witnesses that they might write their names on the back of it and know the contents; and that some details, for example, the conditions and time of redemption were in the sealed copy, which the parties might not choose to be known to the witnesses, and which were therefore not in the open copy. The sealed copy, when opened after the seventy years' captivity, would greatly confirm the faith of those living at that time. The "law and custom" refer, probably, not merely to the sealing up of the conditions and details of purchase, but also to the law of redemption, according to which, at the return to Judea, the deed would show that Jeremiah had bought the field by his right as next of kin (Le 25:13-16), [Ludovicus De Dieu].
12And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.
12. Baruch--Jeremiah's amanuensis and agent (Jr 36:4, &c.).
before all--In sales everything clandestine was avoided; publicity was required. So here, in the court of prison, where Jeremiah was confined, there were soldiers and others, who had free access to him, present (Jr 38:1).
13And I charged Baruch before them, saying,
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 open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.
14. in an earthen vessel--that the documents might not be injured by the moisture of the surrounding earth; at the same time, being buried, they could not be stolen, but would remain as a pledge of the Jews' deliverance until God's time should come.
15For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.
15. (Compare Jr 32:24, 25, 37, 43, 44).
The Authorized Version is here so far wrong, on technical terms, that it seems best to retranslate the whole passage: "And I wrote (the circumstances) in the deed, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed the money in the balance. And I took the purchase deed, that which was sealed (containing the offer and the conditions), and that which was open; and I gave the purchase deed unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah (rather, Makhseiah), in the sight of Hanameel my uncle, and in the sight of the witnesses who subscribed the purchase deed, in the sight of all the Jews who were sitting in the court of the guard. And I charged Baruch before them, saying, Thus saith Jehovah Sabaoth, the God of Israel, Take these deeds, this sealed purchase deed, and this open deed; and put them into an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days." The deed was made in two copies, so that if the open one were lost, or suspected of having been tampered with, an appeal might always be made to the sealed copy. The latter was to be placed in an earthen vessel, to preserve it from injury by damp. It ought to be added that the words in verse 11, rendered "containing the offer and the conditions," are difficult. "Containing" is not expressed in the Hebrew, and "offer" is not the ordinary meaning, though etymologically justifiable.
Shall be possessed; rather, shall be bought.
16Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying,
16. Jeremiah, not comprehending how God's threat of destroying Judah could be reconciled with God's commanding him to purchase land in it as if in a free country, has recourse to his grand remedy against perplexities, prayer.
17Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
17. hast made ... heaven--Jeremiah extols God's creative power, as a ground of humility on his part as man: It is not my part to call Thee, the mighty God, to account for Thy ways (compare Jr 12:1).
too hard--In Jr 32:27 God's reply exactly accords with Jeremiah's prayer (Ge 18:14; Zec 8:6; Lu 1:37).
Jeremiah obeys the Divine command, but is so besieged by misgivings that he applies for a further revelation of God's purposes.
Ah, Lord God! rather, Alas! O Lord Jehovah (as Jer_1:6). Too hard for thee. It is the word usually rendered "wonderful," but rather indicating that thing or person lies outside the common order (comp. Gen_18:14).
18Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name,
18. (Ex 34:7; Is 65:6). This is taken from the decalogue (Ex 20:5, 6). This is a second consideration to check hasty judgments as to God's ways: Thou art the gracious and righteous Judge of the world.
Into the bosom, etc. The ample dress of an Eastern rendering a bag or basket unnecessary (comp. Rth_3:15).
19Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:
19. counsel ... work--devising ... executing (Is 28:29).
eyes ... open upon all--(Job 34:21; Pr 5:21).
to give ... according to ... ways--(Jr 17:10).
20Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day;
20. even unto this day--Thou hast given "signs" of Thy power from the day when Thou didst deliver Israel out of Egypt by mighty miracles, down to the present time [Maurer]. Calvin explains it, "memorable even unto this day."
among other men--not in Israel only, but among foreign peoples also. Compare for "other" understood, Psa 73:5.
made thee a name--(Ex 9:16; 1Ch 17:21; Is 63:12).
as at this day--a name of power, such as Thou hast at this day.
Even unto this day. A loose expression. Jeremiah simply means that signs and wonders equal to those wrought in Egypt have continued to the present time. And in Israel; rather, both in Israel.
21And hast brought forth thy people Israel out 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;
21. (Psa 136:11, 12).
Almost identical with Deu_26:8. The great terror which the Israelites inspired is constantly referred to (see Deu_2:25; Exo_23:27; Jos_5:1).
22And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;
22. given ... didst swear--God gave it by a gratuitous covenant, not for their deserts.
a land flowing with milk and honey--(See on Nu 14:8).
23And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them:
23. all ... thou commandedst ... all this evil--Their punishment was thus exactly commensurate with their sin. It was not fortuitous.
24Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given 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.
24. mounts--mounds of earth raised as breastworks by the besieging army, behind which they employed their engines, and which they gradually pushed forward to the walls of the city.
behold, thou seest it--connected with Jr 32:25. Thou seest all this with Thine own eyes, and yet (what seems inconsistent with it) Thou commandest me to buy a field.
Behold the mounts (see as Jer_6:6). Is given. Resistance being hopeless, Jerusalem was virtually in the hands of its besiegers.
25And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
25. for the city, &c.--rather, "though," &c.
For the city is given; rather, whereas. It is a reflection of the prophet's.
26Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,
27Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
27. Jehovah retorts Jeremiah's own words: I am indeed, as thou sayest (Jr 32:17), the God and Creator of "all flesh," and "nothing is too hard for Me"; thine own words ought to have taught thee that, though Judea and Jerusalem are given up to the Chaldeans now for the sins of the Jews, yet it will not be hard to Me, when I please, to restore the state so that houses and lands therein shall be possessed in safety (Jr 32:36-44).
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:
The Divine answer. This falls into two parts. First, Jehovah repeats the burden of so many prophecies, that Israel has only to blame himself for his punishment (Jer_32:26-35); and then a bright future is disclosed beyond the gloomy interval of conquest and captivity—a future when men shall buy fields, and comply with all the legal formalities, precisely as Jeremiah has done (verses 36-44).
I will give; rather, I am on the point of giving (present participle).
29And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.
29. burn ... houses upon whose roofs ... incense unto Baal--retribution in kind. They burnt incense to Baal, on the houses, so the houses shall be burnt (Jr 19:13). The god of fire was the object of their worship; so fire shall be the instrument of their punishment.
to provoke me--indicating the design, not merely the event. They seemed to court God's "anger," and purposely to "provoke" Him.
And burn it. A still more significant prediction to Jewish hearers than to us, for it implies that Jerusalem had become utterly rebellious, and deserved the punishment of the old Canaanitish cities. It was to be made a cherem (Deu_3:6).
30For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD.
30. have ... done--literally, "have been doing"; implying continuous action.
only ... evil ... only provoked me--They have been doing nothing else but evil; their sole aim seems to have been to provoke Me.
their youth--the time when they were in the wilderness, having just before come into national existence.
From their youth (see on Jer_3:24, Jer_3:25; Jer_22:21). The children of Israel, in the first half of the verse, must have a narrower sense than in the second half. The fall of Jerusalem is the climax of the series of punishments which the two separated and yet (in God's sight) united portions of the people of Israel have had to undergo.
31For this city hath been to me as a 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,
31. provocation of mine anger--literally, "for mine anger." Calvin, therefore, connects these words with those at the end of the verse, "this city has been to me an object for mine anger (namely, by reason of the provocations mentioned, Jr 32:30, &c.), that I should remove it," &c. Thus, there will not be the repetition of the sentiment, Jr 32:30, as in English Version; the Hebrew also favors this rendering. However, Jeremiah delights in repetitions. In English Version the words, "that I should remove it," &c., stand independently, as the result of what precedes. The time is ripe for taking vengeance on them (2Ki 23:27).
from the day that they built it--Solomon completed the building of the city; and it was he who, first of the Jewish kings, turned to idolatry. It was originally built by the idolatrous Canaanites.
From the day that they built it. It is useless to tell an impassioned orator that his words are not strictly consistent with primitive history. The Israelites may not have built Jerusalem, but Jeremiah was not to be debarred from the strongest form of expression open to him for such a reason. He means "from the earliest times."
Jer_32:34, Jer_32:35.
Repeated, with slight variations, from Jer_7:30, Jer_7:31. "Baal" and "Molech" are identified as in Jer_19:5 (= Jer_7:31), and even more distinctly.
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 men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
32. priests ... prophets--(Ne 9:32, 34). Hence, learn, though ministers of God apostatize, we must remain faithful.
33And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.
33. (Jr 2:27; 7:13).
34But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it.
34. (Jr 7:30, 31; Eze 8:5-17).
35And they built the high 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 Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
35. cause ... pass through ... fire--By way of purification, they passed through with bare feet (Le 18:21).
Molech--meaning "king"; the same as Milcom (1Ki 11:33).
I commanded ... not--This cuts off from the superstitious the plea of a good intention. All "will-worship" exposes to God's wrath (Col 2:18, 23).
36And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;
36. And now therefore--rather, "But now, nevertheless." Notwithstanding that their guilt deserves lasting vengeance, God, for the elect's sake and for His covenant's sake, will, contrary to all that might have been expected, restore them.
ye say, It shall be delivered into ... king of Babylon--The reprobate pass from the extreme of self-confidence to that of despair of God's fulfilling His promise of restoring them.
And now therefore. This introduces the strange and lovely contrast to the gloomy picture which has gone before. It will be observed that there is no direct reference to Jerusalem, but the capital was only emphasized before as the heart of the nation, and it would, of course, be no comfort to say that Jerusalem's inhabitants (alone) would be restored.
37Behold, I will gather 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 safely:
37. (See on Jr 16:15). The "all" countries implies a future restoration of Israel more universal than that from Babylon.
38And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:
38. (Jr 30:22; 24:7).
39And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
39. one heart--all seeking the Lord with one accord, in contrast to their state when only scattered individuals sought Him (Eze 11:19, 20; Zep 3:9).
for ... good of them--(Psa 34:12-15).
One heart, and one way. Unity is always given as the "note" of the ideal, Messianic period (comp. Zep_3:9; Zec_14:9; Joh_10:16). That they may fear me forever. This reminds us of a phrase in the exhortation in Deu_4:10, as the next clause does of Deu_6:24.
40And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
40. (Jr 31:31, 33; Is 55:3).
not depart from me--never yet fully realized as to the Israelites.
I will not turn away from them ... good--(Is 30:21). Jehovah compares Himself to a sedulous preceptor following his pupils everywhere to direct their words, gestures.
put my fear in ... hearts ... not depart from me--Both the conversion and perseverance of the saints are the work of God alone, by the operation of the Holy Spirit.
An everlasting covenant. It is the "new covenant" of Jer_31:31, etc; which is meant (for the phrase, comp. Isa_55:3; Eze_37:26). That I will not turn … to do them good. The comma in the Authorized Version impairs the sense. The prophet means, "That I will not cease to show them favour" (comp. Isa_54:10).
41Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
41. rejoice over them--(De 30:9; Is 62:5; 65:19; Zep 3:17).
plant ... assuredly--rather, "in stability," that is, permanently, for ever (Jr 24:6; Am 9:15).
Assuredly; literally, with faith. fulness; i.e. with perfect sincerity, without an arriere pensee, as the next words explain it; comp. 1Sa_12:24; Isa_38:3 (Graf).
42For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.
42. (Jr 31:28). The restoration from Babylon was only a slight foretaste of the grace to be expected by Israel at last through Christ.
Like as I have brought, etc. The prophet still has in his mind the thought expressed in Jer_31:28, that the brighter part of his revelations must as surely be accomplished as the darker.
43And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
43. (Jr 32:15).
whereof ye say, It is desolate--(Jr 33:10).
Fields; rather, land; the Hebrew has "the field," i.e. the open country (as Jer_4:17, etc.). We must then continue "in this country," and in Jer_32:44, "men shall buy lands."
44Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, 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.
44. Referring to the forms of contract (Jr 32:10-12):
Benjamin--specified as Anathoth; Jeremiah's place of residence where the field lay (Jr 32:8), was in it.
Subscribe evidences; rather, write (particulars of their purchase)in the deed (as Jer_32:10). In the land of Benjamin, etc. The catalogue of the districts of the Jewish kingdom heightens the realistic effect (see on Jer_17:26). Everywhere the old social system will be reproduced in its entirety. The land of Benjamin is mentioned first, on account of the property of Jeremiah at Anathoth.
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