Jeremiah Chapter 32
1 A Message from the LORD to Jeremiah
in the Tenth Year of Zedekiah, King of Judah
(Eighteenth Year of Nebuchadnezzar)
Jeremiah Buys a Field
2-3 Babylon’s army was laying siege to Jerusalem. Zedekiah had shut Jeremiah up in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace, and said,
“Why do you prophesy that the LORD says, ‘I’m about to give the city to the king of Babylon. 4 Zedekiah won’t escape; the king of Babylon will speak to him face to face. 5 He’ll take him to Babylon till I visit him. If you fight the Babylonians, you’ll lose’?”
6 Jeremiah said,
“A message from the LORD came to me, 7‘Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is coming to tell you to buy his field in Anathoth; you have first-right to redeem it.’”
8 He did come to me in the courtyard of the guard like the LORD said, and told me, “Buy my field at Anathoth in Benjamin. It’s yours to redeem.”
Jer 32:1-8a
Then I knew it was a message from the LORD. 9 I bought the field from my cousin and weighed out 6.8 oz 17 shekels of silver for him. 10 I called in witnesses, signed and sealed the deed, and weighed out the silver on the scales. 11 I took the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, and the unsealed copy, 12 and gave them to Baruch son of Neriah son of Mahseiah in front of Hanamel and the witnesses who signed it in the presence of the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard. 13 In front of them I told Baruch,
Jer 32:18b-13
14 “The LORD of Hosts says, ‘Take the sealed deed of purchase and the unsealed copy and put them in a clay jar to preserve them a long time. 15 People will buy houses, fields, and vineyards in this land again.’”
Jeremiah’s Prayer
16 After I gave Baruch the deed, I prayed, 17 “Lord GOD, you made earth and sky by your great power! There’s nothing’s you can’t do. 18 You show enduring love to thousands, but pay the consequences of one generations’ sins on the next, great powerful God. Your name is Yahveh of Hosts. 19 You’re great in counsel and powerful in deed. You see everything people do and repay them accordingly. 20 You showed signs and wonders in Egypt, in our time in Israel, and elsewhere. You’ve made a name for yourself. 21 You brought your people out of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand, outstretched arm, and great terror. 22 You gave them this land you swore to their ancestors you’d give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23 They took possession of it, but they didn’t obey your Law; so you brought this catastrophe on them. 24 Siege mounds have come up to take it by sword, famine, and disease. You’ll give it to the Babylonians. What you said has happened. 25 Lord GOD, you told me to buy the field and call witnesses, even though you’re giving the city to the Babylonians.’”
Jer 32:14-25
26 A Message from the LORD to Jeremiah
27 “I’m the LORD God of all people. Is there anything I can’t do? 28 I’m about to give this city to the Babylonians, to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. 29 They’ll come in and set it on fire and burn down the houses where people made me angry by offering incense to Baal on the roofs and pouring out liquid offerings to other gods. 30 From the beginning, Israel and Judah have been doing everything I’ve forbidden. 31 This city has been provoking me ever since they built it. I’m going to put it out of my sight 32 because of the sinful things the kings, leaders, priests, prophets, and people in Judah and Jerusalem have done. 33 They turned their back on me. Though I taught them over and over, they wouldn’t accept my instruction. 34 With the detestable things they put in it, they defiled the Temple that wears my name. 35 They built high places to Baal in the Valley of (Ben)Hinnom and sacrificed their sons and daughters as burnt offerings to Molech. I didn’t command that! It never entered my mind that they would do something so detestable.
Jer 32:26-35
36 So this is what the LORD God of Israel says about this city he has given over to sword, famine, and disease: 37 “I’ll gather them out of the lands where I drive them in my anger, wrath, and great indignation, and bring them back here to live safely. 38 They’ll be my people and I’ll be their God. 39 I’ll give them one heart and one way so they’ll always respect me for the good of them and their descendants. 40 I’ll make an everlasting covenant not to abandon them and to put respect for me in their hearts so they won’t abandon me. 41 With all my heart and soul, I’ll enjoy doing them good and faithfully planting them in this land. 42 Just as I brought this catastrophe on them, I’ll bring on them all the good I’m promising. 43 People will buy fields in this land that you say is ‘a waste without people or animals,’ a land lost to the Babylonians. 44 They’ll call witnesses and seal deeds in Benjamin, in Jerusalem, in the towns in Judah, the hill country, the western foothills, and the Negev. I’ll restore their fortunes.”
Jer 32:36-44