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Jeremiah 32-36
New King James Version

Jeremiah Buys a Field

32 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord (A)in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up (B)in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house. 3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, “Why do you (C)prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: (D)“Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; 4 and Zedekiah king of Judah (E)shall not escape from the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him [a]face to face, and see him (F)eye to eye; 5 then he shall (G)lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall be (H)until I visit him,” says the Lord; (I)“though you fight with the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed” ’?”

6 And Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 7 ‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, “Buy my field which is in Anathoth, for the (J)right of redemption is yours to buy it.” ’ 8 Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. 9 So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and (K)weighed out to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver. 10 And I signed the [b]deed and sealed it, took witnesses, and weighed the money on the scales. 11 So I took the purchase deed, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open; 12 and I gave the purchase deed to (L)Baruch the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the (M)witnesses who signed the purchase deed, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison.

13 “Then I charged (N)Baruch before them, saying, 14 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.” 15 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Houses and fields and vineyards shall be (O)possessed again in this land.” ’

Jeremiah Prays for Understanding

16 “Now when I had delivered the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord, saying: 17 ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, (P)You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. (Q)There is nothing too [c]hard for You. 18 You show (R)lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them—the Great, (S)the Mighty God, whose name is (T)the Lord of hosts. 19 You are (U)great in counsel and mighty in [d]work, for Your (V)eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, (W)to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. 20 You have set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, to this day, and in Israel and among other men; and You have made Yourself (X)a name, as it is this day. 21 You (Y)have brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror; 22 You have given them this land, of which You swore to their fathers to give them—(Z)“a land flowing with milk and honey.” 23 And they came in and took possession of it, but (AA)they have not obeyed Your voice or walked in Your law. They have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do; therefore You have caused all this calamity to come upon them.

24 ‘Look, the siege mounds! They have come to the city to take it; and the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of (AB)the sword and famine and pestilence. What You have spoken has happened; there You see it! 25 And You have said to me, O Lord God, “Buy the field for money, and take witnesses”!—yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’ ”

God’s Assurance of the People’s Return

26 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the (AC)God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? 28 Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it. 29 And the Chaldeans who fight against this city shall come and (AD)set fire to this city and burn it, with the houses (AE)on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke Me to anger; 30 because the children of Israel and the children of Judah (AF)have done only evil before Me from their youth. For the children of Israel have provoked Me only to anger with the work of their hands,’ says the Lord. 31 ‘For this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My fury from the day that they built it, even to this day; (AG)so I will remove it from before My face 32 because of all the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke Me to anger—(AH)they, their kings, their princes, their priests, (AI)their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33 And they have turned to Me the (AJ)back, and not the face; though I taught them, (AK)rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction. 34 But they (AL)set their abominations in [e]the house which is called by My name, to defile it. 35 And they built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to (AM)cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to (AN)Molech, (AO)which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.’

36 “Now therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ‘It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: 37 Behold, I will (AP)gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them (AQ)to dwell safely. 38 They shall be (AR)My people, and I will be their God; 39 then I will (AS)give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. 40 And (AT)I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but (AU)I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. 41 Yes, (AV)I will rejoice over them to do them good, and (AW)I will [f]assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.’

42 “For thus says the Lord: (AX)‘Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them. 43 And fields will be bought in this land (AY)of which you say, “It is desolate, without man or beast; it has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.” 44 Men will buy fields for money, sign deeds and seal them, and take witnesses, in (AZ)the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the [g]lowland, and in the cities of the [h]South; for (BA)I will cause their captives to return,’ says the Lord.”

Excellence of the Restored Nation

33 Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still (BB)shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord (BC)who made it, the Lord who formed it to establish it (BD)(the[i] Lord is His name): 3 (BE)‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and [j]mighty things, which you do not know.’

4 “For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah, which have been pulled down to fortify against (BF)the siege mounds and the sword: 5 ‘They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but only to (BG)fill their places with the dead bodies of men whom I will slay in My anger and My fury, all for whose wickedness I have hidden My face from this city. 6 Behold, (BH)I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. 7 And (BI)I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places (BJ)as at the first. 8 I will (BK)cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. 9 (BL)Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall (BM)fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.’

10 “Thus says the Lord: ‘Again there shall be heard in this place—(BN)of which you say, “It is desolate, without man and without beast”—in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, 11 the (BO)voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say:

(BP)“Praise the Lord of hosts,
For the Lord is good,
For His mercy endures forever”—

and of those who will bring (BQ)the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,’ says the Lord.

12 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: (BR)‘In this place which is desolate, without man and without beast, and in all its cities, there shall again be a dwelling place of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. 13 (BS)In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the South, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks shall again (BT)pass under the hands of him who counts them,’ says the Lord.

14 (BU)‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that (BV)I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah:

15 ‘In those days and at that time
I will cause to grow up to David
A (BW)Branch of righteousness;
He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
16 In those days Judah will be saved,
And Jerusalem will dwell safely.
And this is the name by which she will be called:

[k]THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’

17 “For thus says the Lord: ‘David shall never (BX)lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; 18 nor shall the (BY)priests, the Levites, lack a man to (BZ)offer burnt offerings before Me, to [l]kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.’ ”

The Permanence of God’s Covenant

19 And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 20 “Thus says the Lord: ‘If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, 21 then (CA)My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers. 22 As (CB)the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I (CC)multiply the descendants of David My servant and the (CD)Levites who minister to Me.’ ”

23 Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 24 “Have you not considered what these people have spoken, saying, ‘The two families which the Lord has chosen, He has also cast them off’? Thus they have (CE)despised My people, as if they should no more be a nation before them.

25 “Thus says the Lord: ‘If (CF)My covenant is not with day and night, and if I have not (CG)appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth, 26 (CH)then I will (CI)cast away the descendants of Jacob and David My servant, so that I will not take any of his descendants to be rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will cause their captives to return, and will have mercy on them.’ ”

Zedekiah Warned by God

34 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, (CJ)when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army, (CK)all the kingdoms of the earth under his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem and all its cities, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Go and (CL)speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, (CM)I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. 3 And (CN)you shall not escape from his hand, but shall surely be taken and delivered into his hand; your eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon, he shall speak with you (CO)face[m] to face, and you shall go to Babylon.’ ” ’ 4 Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Zedekiah king of Judah! Thus says the Lord concerning you: ‘You shall not die by the sword. 5 You shall die in peace; as in (CP)the ceremonies of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, (CQ)so they shall burn incense for you and (CR)lament for you, saying, “Alas, lord!” For I have pronounced the word, says the Lord.’ ”

6 Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem, 7 when the king of Babylon’s army fought against Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and Azekah; for only (CS)these fortified cities remained of the cities of Judah.

Treacherous Treatment of Slaves

8 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem to proclaim (CT)liberty to them: 9 (CU)that every man should set free his male and female slave—a Hebrew man or woman—(CV)that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage. 10 Now when all the princes and all the people, who had entered into the covenant, heard that everyone should set free his male and female slaves, that no one should keep them in bondage anymore, they obeyed and let them go. 11 But afterward they changed their minds and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection as male and female slaves.

12 Therefore the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 13 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I made a (CW)covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, 14 “At the end of (CX)seven years let every man set free his Hebrew brother, who [n]has been sold to him; and when he has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you.” But your fathers did not obey Me nor incline their ear. 15 Then you [o]recently turned and did what was right in My sight—every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor; and you (CY)made a covenant before Me (CZ)in the house which is called by My name. 16 Then you turned around and (DA)profaned My name, and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves, whom you had set at liberty, at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves.’

17 “Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. (DB)Behold, I proclaim liberty to you,’ says the Lord—(DC)‘to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to (DD)trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth. 18 And I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when (DE)they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it— 19 the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the [p]eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf— 20 I will (DF)give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their (DG)dead bodies shall be for meat for the birds of the heaven and the beasts of the earth. 21 And I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army (DH)which has gone back from you. 22 (DI)Behold, I will command,’ says the Lord, ‘and cause them to return to this city. They will fight against it (DJ)and take it and burn it with fire; and (DK)I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.’ ”

The Obedient Rechabites

35 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, 2 “Go to the house of the (DL)Rechabites, speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of (DM)the chambers, and give them wine to drink.”

3 Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, his brothers and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites, 4 and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, (DN)the keeper of the [q]door. 5 Then I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites bowls full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine.”

6 But they said, “We will drink no wine, for (DO)Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall drink (DP)no wine, you nor your sons, forever. 7 You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, nor have any of these; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, (DQ)that you may live many days in the land where you are sojourners.’ 8 Thus we have (DR)obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, 9 nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; nor do we have vineyard, field, or seed. 10 But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. 11 But it came to pass, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, ‘Come, let us (DS)go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans and for fear of the army of the Syrians.’ So we dwell at Jerusalem.”

12 Then came the word of the Lord to Jeremiah, saying, 13 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Will you not (DT)receive instruction to [r]obey My words?” says the Lord. 14 “The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons, not to drink wine, are performed; for to this day they drink none, and obey their father’s commandment. (DU)But although I have spoken to you, (DV)rising early and speaking, you did not [s]obey Me. 15 I have also sent to you all My (DW)servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, (DX)‘Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will (DY)dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me. 16 Surely the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their (DZ)father, which he commanded them, but this people has not obeyed Me.” ’

17 “Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the doom that I have pronounced against them; (EA)because I have spoken to them but they have not heard, and I have called to them but they have not answered.’ ”

18 And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you, 19 therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to (EB)stand before Me forever.” ’ ”

The Scroll Read in the Temple

36 Now it came to pass in the (EC)fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, that this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: 2 “Take a (ED)scroll of a book and (EE)write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against (EF)all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of (EG)Josiah even to this day. 3 It (EH)may be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them, that everyone may (EI)turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

4 Then Jeremiah (EJ)called Baruch the son of Neriah; and (EK)Baruch wrote on a scroll of a book, [t]at the instruction of Jeremiah, all the words of the Lord which He had spoken to him. 5 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, “I am confined, I cannot go into the house of the Lord. 6 You go, therefore, and read from the scroll which you have written [u]at my instruction, the words of the Lord, in the hearing of the people in the Lord’s house on (EL)the day of fasting. And you shall also read them in the hearing of all Judah who come from their cities. 7 It may be that they will present their supplication before the Lord, and everyone will turn from his evil way. For great is the anger and the fury that the Lord has pronounced against this people.” 8 And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from the book the words of the Lord in the Lord’s house.

9 Now it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the Lord to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem. 10 Then Baruch read from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court at the (EM)entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house, in the [v]hearing of all the people.

The Scroll Read in the Palace

11 When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the book, 12 he then went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber; and there all the princes were sitting—(EN)Elishama the scribe, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, (EO)Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes. 13 Then Michaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read the book in the hearing of the people. 14 Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read in the hearing of the people, and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them. 15 And they said to him, “Sit down now, and read it in our hearing.” So Baruch read it in their hearing.

16 Now it happened, when they had heard all the words, that they looked in fear from one to another, and said to Baruch, “We will surely tell the king of all these words.” 17 And they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us now, how did you write all these words—[w]at his instruction?”

18 So Baruch answered them, “He proclaimed with his mouth all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink in the book.”

19 Then the princes said to Baruch, “Go and hide, you and Jeremiah; and let no one know where you are.”

The King Destroys Jeremiah’s Scroll

20 And they went to the king, into the court; but they stored the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the hearing of the king. 21 So the king sent Jehudi to bring the scroll, and he took it from Elishama the scribe’s chamber. And Jehudi read it in the hearing of the king and in the hearing of all the princes who stood beside the king. 22 Now the king was sitting in (EP)the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning on the hearth before him. 23 And it happened, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe’s knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. 24 Yet they were (EQ)not afraid, nor did they (ER)tear their garments, the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words. 25 Nevertheless Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah implored the king not to burn the scroll; but he would not listen to them. 26 And the king commanded Jerahmeel [x]the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them.

Jeremiah Rewrites the Scroll

27 Now after the king had burned the scroll with the words which Baruch had written [y]at the instruction of Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: 28 “Take yet another scroll, and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned. 29 And you shall say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, ‘Thus says the Lord: “You have burned this scroll, saying, (ES)‘Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and cause man and beast to (ET)cease from here?’ ” 30 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: (EU)“He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be (EV)cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31 I will punish him, his [z]family, and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring on them, on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah all the doom that I have pronounced against them; but they did not heed.” ’ ”

32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it [aa]at the instruction of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And besides, there were added to them many similar words.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 32:4 Lit. mouth to mouth
  2. Jeremiah 32:10 Lit. book
  3. Jeremiah 32:17 difficult
  4. Jeremiah 32:19 deed
  5. Jeremiah 32:34 The temple
  6. Jeremiah 32:41 truly
  7. Jeremiah 32:44 Heb. shephelah
  8. Jeremiah 32:44 Heb. Negev
  9. Jeremiah 33:2 Heb. YHWH
  10. Jeremiah 33:3 inaccessible
  11. Jeremiah 33:16 Heb. YHWH Tsidkenu; cf. Jer. 23:5, 6
  12. Jeremiah 33:18 burn
  13. Jeremiah 34:3 Lit. mouth to mouth
  14. Jeremiah 34:14 Or sold himself
  15. Jeremiah 34:15 Lit. today
  16. Jeremiah 34:19 Or officers
  17. Jeremiah 35:4 Lit. threshold
  18. Jeremiah 35:13 listen to
  19. Jeremiah 35:14 listen to
  20. Jeremiah 36:4 Lit. from Jeremiah’s mouth
  21. Jeremiah 36:6 Lit. from my mouth
  22. Jeremiah 36:10 Lit. ears
  23. Jeremiah 36:17 Lit. with his mouth
  24. Jeremiah 36:26 Or son of Hammelech
  25. Jeremiah 36:27 Lit. from Jeremiah’s mouth
  26. Jeremiah 36:31 Lit. seed
  27. Jeremiah 36:32 Lit. from Jeremiah’s mouth
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Jeremiah 32-36
New International Version

Jeremiah Buys a Field

32 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth(A) year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth(B) year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 The army of the king of Babylon was then besieging(C) Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was confined(D) in the courtyard of the guard(E) in the royal palace of Judah.

3 Now Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him there, saying, “Why do you prophesy(F) as you do? You say, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will capture(G) it. 4 Zedekiah(H) king of Judah will not escape(I) the Babylonians[a](J) but will certainly be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him with his own eyes. 5 He will take(K) Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will remain until I deal with him,(L) declares the Lord. If you fight against the Babylonians, you will not succeed.’”(M)

6 Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: 7 Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is going to come to you and say, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth,(N) because as nearest relative it is your right and duty(O) to buy it.’

8 “Then, just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and said, ‘Buy my field(P) at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. Since it is your right to redeem it and possess it, buy it for yourself.’

“I knew that this was the word of the Lord; 9 so I bought the field(Q) at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels[b] of silver.(R) 10 I signed and sealed the deed,(S) had it witnessed,(T) and weighed out the silver on the scales. 11 I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy— 12 and I gave this deed to Baruch(U) son of Neriah,(V) the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.

13 “In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: 14 ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed(W) and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. 15 For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’(X)

16 “After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch(Y) son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord:

17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord,(Z) you have made the heavens and the earth(AA) by your great power and outstretched arm.(AB) Nothing is too hard(AC) for you. 18 You show love(AD) to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents’ sins into the laps(AE) of their children(AF) after them. Great and mighty God,(AG) whose name is the Lord Almighty,(AH) 19 great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds.(AI) Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind;(AJ) you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve.(AK) 20 You performed signs and wonders(AL) in Egypt(AM) and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown(AN) that is still yours. 21 You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand(AO) and an outstretched arm(AP) and with great terror.(AQ) 22 You gave them this land you had sworn to give their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.(AR) 23 They came in and took possession(AS) of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law;(AT) they did not do what you commanded them to do. So you brought all this disaster(AU) on them.

24 “See how the siege ramps(AV) are built up to take the city. Because of the sword, famine and plague,(AW) the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians who are attacking it. What you said(AX) has happened,(AY) as you now see. 25 And though the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians, you, Sovereign Lord, say to me, ‘Buy the field(AZ) with silver and have the transaction witnessed.(BA)’”

26 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind.(BB) Is anything too hard for me?(BC) 28 Therefore this is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar(BD) king of Babylon, who will capture it.(BE) 29 The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down,(BF) along with the houses(BG) where the people aroused my anger by burning incense on the roofs to Baal and by pouring out drink offerings(BH) to other gods.(BI)

30 “The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth;(BJ) indeed, the people of Israel have done nothing but arouse my anger(BK) with what their hands have made,(BL) declares the Lord. 31 From the day it was built until now, this city(BM) has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove(BN) it from my sight. 32 The people of Israel and Judah have provoked(BO) me by all the evil(BP) they have done—they, their kings and officials,(BQ) their priests and prophets, the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem. 33 They turned their backs(BR) to me and not their faces; though I taught(BS) them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.(BT) 34 They set up their vile images(BU) in the house that bears my Name(BV) and defiled(BW) it. 35 They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom(BX) to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek,(BY) though I never commanded—nor did it enter my mind(BZ)—that they should do such a detestable(CA) thing and so make Judah sin.(CB)

36 “You are saying about this city, ‘By the sword, famine and plague(CC) it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon’; but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 37 I will surely gather(CD) them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger(CE) and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety.(CF) 38 They will be my people,(CG) and I will be their God. 39 I will give them singleness(CH) of heart and action, so that they will always fear(CI) me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. 40 I will make an everlasting covenant(CJ) with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire(CK) them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.(CL) 41 I will rejoice(CM) in doing them good(CN) and will assuredly plant(CO) them in this land with all my heart and soul.(CP)

42 “This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity(CQ) on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised(CR) them. 43 Once more fields will be bought(CS) in this land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate(CT) waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.’ 44 Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds(CU) will be signed, sealed and witnessed(CV) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,(CW) because I will restore(CX) their fortunes,[c] declares the Lord.”

Promise of Restoration

33 While Jeremiah was still confined(CY) in the courtyard(CZ) of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time:(DA) 2 “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth,(DB) the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name:(DC) 3 ‘Call(DD) to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable(DE) things you do not know.’ 4 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege(DF) ramps(DG) and the sword 5 in the fight with the Babylonians[d]: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath.(DH) I will hide my face(DI) from this city because of all its wickedness.

6 “‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal(DJ) my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace(DK) and security. 7 I will bring Judah(DL) and Israel back from captivity[e](DM) and will rebuild(DN) them as they were before.(DO) 8 I will cleanse(DP) them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive(DQ) all their sins of rebellion against me. 9 Then this city will bring me renown,(DR) joy, praise(DS) and honor(DT) before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble(DU) at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’

10 “This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.”(DV) Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted,(DW) inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more 11 the sounds of joy and gladness,(DX) the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings(DY) to the house of the Lord, saying,

“Give thanks to the Lord Almighty,
    for the Lord is good;(DZ)
    his love endures forever.”(EA)

For I will restore the fortunes(EB) of the land as they were before,(EC)’ says the Lord.

12 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate(ED) and without people or animals(EE)—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.(EF) 13 In the towns of the hill(EG) country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,(EH) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand(EI) of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord.

14 “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise(EJ) I made to the people of Israel and Judah.

15 “‘In those days and at that time
    I will make a righteous(EK) Branch(EL) sprout from David’s line;(EM)
    he will do what is just and right in the land.
16 In those days Judah will be saved(EN)
    and Jerusalem will live in safety.(EO)
This is the name by which it[f] will be called:(EP)
    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’(EQ)

17 For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail(ER) to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, 18 nor will the Levitical(ES) priests(ET) ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.(EU)’”

19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 20 “This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day(EV) and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time,(EW) 21 then my covenant(EX) with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites(EY) who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne.(EZ) 22 I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless(FA) as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’”

23 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 24 “Have you not noticed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two kingdoms[g](FB) he chose’? So they despise(FC) my people and no longer regard them as a nation.(FD) 25 This is what the Lord says: ‘If I have not made my covenant with day and night(FE) and established the laws(FF) of heaven and earth,(FG) 26 then I will reject(FH) the descendants of Jacob(FI) and David my servant and will not choose one of his sons to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes[h](FJ) and have compassion(FK) on them.’”

Warning to Zedekiah

34 While Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army and all the kingdoms and peoples(FL) in the empire he ruled were fighting against Jerusalem(FM) and all its surrounding towns, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Go to Zedekiah(FN) king of Judah and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down.(FO) 3 You will not escape from his grasp but will surely be captured and given into his hands.(FP) You will see the king of Babylon with your own eyes, and he will speak with you face to face. And you will go to Babylon.

4 “‘Yet hear the Lord’s promise to you, Zedekiah king of Judah. This is what the Lord says concerning you: You will not die by the sword;(FQ) 5 you will die peacefully. As people made a funeral fire(FR) in honor of your predecessors, the kings who ruled before you, so they will make a fire in your honor and lament, “Alas,(FS) master!” I myself make this promise, declares the Lord.’”

6 Then Jeremiah the prophet told all this to Zedekiah king of Judah, in Jerusalem, 7 while the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah that were still holding out—Lachish(FT) and Azekah.(FU) These were the only fortified cities left in Judah.

Freedom for Slaves

8 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people(FV) in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom(FW) for the slaves. 9 Everyone was to free their Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Hebrew in bondage.(FX) 10 So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free. 11 But afterward they changed their minds(FY) and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.

12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors(FZ) when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.(GA) I said, 14 ‘Every seventh year each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. After they have served you six years, you must let them go free.’[i](GB) Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay attention(GC) to me. 15 Recently you repented and did what is right in my sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to your own people.(GD) You even made a covenant before me in the house that bears my Name.(GE) 16 But now you have turned around(GF) and profaned(GG) my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.

17 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you,(GH) declares the Lord—‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague(GI) and famine.(GJ) I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth.(GK) 18 Those who have violated my covenant(GL) and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces.(GM) 19 The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials,(GN) the priests and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf, 20 I will deliver(GO) into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them.(GP) Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.(GQ)

21 “I will deliver Zedekiah(GR) king of Judah and his officials(GS) into the hands of their enemies(GT) who want to kill them, to the army of the king of Babylon,(GU) which has withdrawn(GV) from you. 22 I am going to give the order, declares the Lord, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, take(GW) it and burn(GX) it down. And I will lay waste(GY) the towns of Judah so no one can live there.”

The Rekabites

35 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord during the reign of Jehoiakim(GZ) son of Josiah king of Judah: 2 “Go to the Rekabite(HA) family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms(HB) of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.”

3 So I went to get Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons—the whole family of the Rekabites. 4 I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God.(HC) It was next to the room of the officials, which was over that of Maaseiah son of Shallum(HD) the doorkeeper.(HE) 5 Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rekabites and said to them, “Drink some wine.”

6 But they replied, “We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab[j](HF) son of Rekab gave us this command: ‘Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine.(HG) 7 Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents.(HH) Then you will live a long time in the land(HI) where you are nomads.’ 8 We have obeyed everything our forefather(HJ) Jehonadab son of Rekab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine 9 or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops.(HK) 10 We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab commanded us. 11 But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded(HL) this land, we said, ‘Come, we must go to Jerusalem(HM) to escape the Babylonian[k] and Aramean armies.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.”

12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: 13 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell(HN) the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘Will you not learn a lesson(HO) and obey my words?’ declares the Lord. 14 ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab ordered his descendants not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather’s command.(HP) But I have spoken to you again and again,(HQ) yet you have not obeyed(HR) me. 15 Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets(HS) to you. They said, “Each of you must turn(HT) from your wicked ways and reform(HU) your actions; do not follow other gods(HV) to serve them. Then you will live in the land(HW) I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you have not paid attention or listened(HX) to me. 16 The descendants of Jehonadab son of Rekab have carried out the command their forefather(HY) gave them, but these people have not obeyed me.’

17 “Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster(HZ) I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen;(IA) I called to them, but they did not answer.’”(IB)

18 Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed the command of your forefather(IC) Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’ 19 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail(ID) to have a descendant to serve(IE) me.’”

Jehoiakim Burns Jeremiah’s Scroll

36 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim(IF) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Take a scroll(IG) and write on it all the words(IH) I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah(II) till now. 3 Perhaps(IJ) when the people of Judah hear(IK) about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, they will each turn(IL) from their wicked ways; then I will forgive(IM) their wickedness and their sin.”

4 So Jeremiah called Baruch(IN) son of Neriah,(IO) and while Jeremiah dictated(IP) all the words the Lord had spoken to him, Baruch wrote them on the scroll.(IQ) 5 Then Jeremiah told Baruch, “I am restricted; I am not allowed to go to the Lord’s temple. 6 So you go to the house of the Lord on a day of fasting(IR) and read to the people from the scroll the words of the Lord that you wrote as I dictated.(IS) Read them to all the people of Judah(IT) who come in from their towns. 7 Perhaps they will bring their petition(IU) before the Lord and will each turn(IV) from their wicked ways, for the anger(IW) and wrath pronounced against this people by the Lord are great.”

8 Baruch son of Neriah did everything Jeremiah the prophet told him to do; at the Lord’s temple he read the words of the Lord from the scroll. 9 In the ninth month(IX) of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, a time of fasting(IY) before the Lord was proclaimed for all the people in Jerusalem and those who had come from the towns of Judah. 10 From the room of Gemariah(IZ) son of Shaphan(JA) the secretary,(JB) which was in the upper courtyard at the entrance of the New Gate(JC) of the temple, Baruch read to all the people at the Lord’s temple the words of Jeremiah from the scroll.

11 When Micaiah son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the scroll, 12 he went down to the secretary’s(JD) room in the royal palace, where all the officials were sitting: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan(JE) son of Akbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials.(JF) 13 After Micaiah told them everything he had heard Baruch read to the people from the scroll, 14 all the officials sent Jehudi(JG) son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, “Bring the scroll(JH) from which you have read to the people and come.” So Baruch son of Neriah went to them with the scroll in his hand. 15 They said to him, “Sit down, please, and read it to us.”

So Baruch read it to them. 16 When they heard all these words, they looked at each other in fear(JI) and said to Baruch, “We must report all these words to the king.” 17 Then they asked Baruch, “Tell us, how did you come to write(JJ) all this? Did Jeremiah dictate it?”

18 “Yes,” Baruch replied, “he dictated(JK) all these words to me, and I wrote them in ink on the scroll.”

19 Then the officials(JL) said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah, go and hide.(JM) Don’t let anyone know where you are.”

20 After they put the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, they went to the king in the courtyard and reported everything to him. 21 The king sent Jehudi(JN) to get the scroll, and Jehudi brought it from the room of Elishama the secretary and read it to the king(JO) and all the officials standing beside him. 22 It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment,(JP) with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. 23 Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll,(JQ) the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire.(JR) 24 The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear,(JS) nor did they tear their clothes.(JT) 25 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah(JU) and Gemariah(JV) urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest(JW) Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the Lord had hidden(JX) them.

27 After the king burned the scroll containing the words that Baruch had written at Jeremiah’s dictation,(JY) the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 28 “Take another scroll(JZ) and write on it all the words that were on the first scroll, which Jehoiakim king of Judah burned up. 29 Also tell Jehoiakim king of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You burned that scroll and said, “Why did you write on it that the king of Babylon would certainly come and destroy this land and wipe from it(KA) both man and beast?”(KB) 30 Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim(KC) king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on the throne of David; his body will be thrown out(KD) and exposed(KE) to the heat by day and the frost by night.(KF) 31 I will punish him and his children(KG) and his attendants for their wickedness; I will bring on them and those living in Jerusalem and the people of Judah every disaster(KH) I pronounced against them, because they have not listened.(KI)’”

32 So Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch son of Neriah, and as Jeremiah dictated,(KJ) Baruch wrote(KK) on it all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned(KL) in the fire. And many similar words were added to them.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 32:4 Or Chaldeans; also in verses 5, 24, 25, 28, 29 and 43
  2. Jeremiah 32:9 That is, about 7 ounces or about 200 grams
  3. Jeremiah 32:44 Or will bring them back from captivity
  4. Jeremiah 33:5 Or Chaldeans
  5. Jeremiah 33:7 Or will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel
  6. Jeremiah 33:16 Or he
  7. Jeremiah 33:24 Or families
  8. Jeremiah 33:26 Or will bring them back from captivity
  9. Jeremiah 34:14 Deut. 15:12
  10. Jeremiah 35:6 Hebrew Jonadab, a variant of Jehonadab; here and often in this chapter
  11. Jeremiah 35:11 Or Chaldean
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