Jeremiah 32
Christian Standard Bible
Jeremiah’s Land Purchase
32 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of King Zedekiah(A) of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.(B) 2 At that time, the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem,(C) and the prophet Jeremiah was imprisoned in the guard’s courtyard(D) in the palace of the king of Judah. 3 King Zedekiah of Judah had imprisoned him, saying, “Why are you prophesying as you do? You say, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look, I am about to hand this city over to Babylon’s king, and he will capture it. 4 King Zedekiah of Judah will not escape from the Chaldeans; indeed, he will certainly be handed over to Babylon’s king. They will speak face to face[a] and meet eye to eye.(E) 5 He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will stay until I attend to him—this is the Lord’s declaration. For you will fight the Chaldeans, but you will not succeed.’”(F)
6 Jeremiah replied, “The word of the Lord came to me: 7 Watch! Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, is coming to you to say, ‘Buy my field in Anathoth(G) for yourself, for you own the right of redemption(H) to buy it.’
8 “Then, as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel came to the guard’s courtyard and urged me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for you own the right of inheritance and redemption. Buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. 9 So I bought the field in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and I weighed out the silver to him(I)—seventeen shekels[b] of silver. 10 I recorded it on a scroll,(J) sealed it, called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales. 11 I took the purchase agreement—the sealed copy with its terms and conditions and the open copy— 12 and gave the purchase agreement to Baruch(K) son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah. I did this in the sight of my cousin[c] Hanamel, the witnesses who had signed the purchase agreement, and all the Judeans sitting in the guard’s courtyard.
13 “I charged Baruch in their sight, 14 ‘This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Take these scrolls—this purchase agreement with the sealed copy and this open copy—and put them in an earthen storage jar so they will last a long time. 15 For this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’(L)
16 “After I had given the purchase agreement to Baruch, son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord:(M) 17 Oh, Lord God! You yourself made the heavens and earth(N) by your great power(O) and with your outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for you!(P) 18 You show faithful love to thousands but lay the fathers’ iniquity on their sons’ laps after them,(Q) great and mighty God(R) whose name is the Lord of Armies, 19 the one great in counsel and powerful in action. Your eyes are on all the ways of the children of men[d] in order to reward each person according to his ways and as the result of his actions.(S) 20 You performed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt(T) and still do today, both in Israel and among all mankind. You made a name(U) for yourself, as is the case today. 21 You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror.(V) 22 You gave them this land you swore to give to their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.(W) 23 They entered and possessed it, but they did not obey you or live according to your instructions.(X) They failed to perform all you commanded them to do,(Y) and so you have brought all this disaster on them. 24 Look! Siege ramps(Z) have come against the city to capture it, and the city, as a result of the sword, famine, and plague, has been handed over to the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What you have spoken has happened. Look, you can see it! 25 Yet you, Lord God, have said to me, ‘Purchase the field and call in witnesses’—even though the city has been handed over to the Chaldeans!”
26 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 “Look, I am the Lord, the God over every creature.(AA) Is anything too difficult for me?(AB) 28 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I am about to hand this city over to the Chaldeans,(AC) to Babylon’s king Nebuchadnezzar, and he will capture it. 29 The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will come and set this city on fire. They will burn it, including the houses where incense has been burned to Baal on their rooftops and where drink offerings have been poured out to other gods to anger me.(AD) 30 From their youth, the Israelites and Judeans have done nothing but what is evil in my sight! They have done nothing but anger me by the work of their hands”(AE)—this is the Lord’s declaration— 31 “for this city has caused my wrath and fury from the day it was built until now. I will therefore remove it from my presence(AF) 32 because of all the evil the Israelites and Judeans have done to anger me—they, their kings,(AG) their officials, their priests, and their prophets, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. 33 They have turned their backs to me and not their faces.(AH) Though I taught them time and time again,[e](AI) they do not listen and receive discipline. 34 They have placed their abhorrent things(AJ) in the house that bears my name and have defiled it. 35 They have built the high places of Baal in Ben Hinnom Valley to sacrifice their sons and daughters in the fire[f] to Molech(AK)—something I had not commanded them. I had never entertained the thought[g] that they do this detestable act causing Judah to sin!
36 “Now therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to this city about which you said, ‘It has been handed over to Babylon’s king through sword, famine, and plague’: 37 I will certainly gather them from all the lands where I have banished them in my anger, fury, and intense wrath, and I will return them to this place and make them live in safety.(AL) 38 They will be my people, and I will be their God.(AM) 39 I will give them integrity of heart(AN) and action[h] so that they will fear me always, for their good and for the good of their descendants after them.
40 “I will make a permanent covenant with them:(AO) I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put fear of me in their hearts so they will never again turn away from me.(AP) 41 I will take delight in them to do what is good for them, and with all my heart and mind I will faithfully plant them in this land.(AQ)
42 “For this is what the Lord says: Just as I have brought all this terrible disaster on these people,(AR) so am I about to bring on them all the good I am promising them. 43 Fields will be bought in this land about which you are saying,(AS) ‘It’s a desolation(AT) without people or animals; it has been handed over to the Chaldeans!’ 44 Fields will be purchased, the transaction written on a scroll and sealed,(AU) and witnesses will be called on in the land of Benjamin,(AV) in the areas surrounding Jerusalem, and in Judah’s cities—the cities of the hill country, the cities of the Judean foothills, and the cities of the Negev—because I will restore their fortunes.”[i]
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Footnotes
- 32:4 Lit His mouth will speak with his mouth
- 32:9 About seven ounces
- 32:12 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read uncle
- 32:19 Or Adam
- 32:33 Lit them, rising up early and teaching
- 32:35 Lit to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire
- 32:35 Lit them, and it did not arise on my heart
- 32:39 Lit give them one heart and one way
- 32:44 Or will end their captivity
Jeremiah 32
New American Standard Bible
Jeremiah Imprisoned
32 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the (A)tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 Now at that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was imprisoned in the (B)courtyard of the guard, which was at the house of the king of Judah, 3 because Zedekiah king of Judah had (C)imprisoned him, saying, “Why do you (D)prophesy, saying, ‘(E)This is what the Lord says: “Behold, I am going to (F)hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will take it; 4 and Zedekiah king of Judah will (G)not escape from the hand of the Chaldeans, but he will certainly be handed over to the king of Babylon, and he will (H)speak with him [a]face to face and see him eye to eye. 5 Then he will (I)take Zedekiah to Babylon, and he will be there until I visit him,” declares the Lord. “If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will (J)not succeed”’?”
6 And Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 7 ‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle is coming to you, saying, “Buy for yourself my field which is at (K)Anathoth, for you have the (L)right of redemption to buy it.”’ 8 Then my uncle’s son Hanamel came to me in the (M)courtyard of the guard in accordance with the word of the Lord and said to me, ‘Buy my field, please, that is at (N)Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin; for you have the right of possession and the redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the (O)word of the Lord.
9 “So I bought the field which was in Anathoth from Hanamel my uncle’s son, and I (P)weighed out the silver for him, seventeen (Q)shekels of silver. 10 And I [b](R)signed and (S)sealed the deed, and (T)called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales. 11 Then I took the deeds of purchase, both the sealed copy containing the (U)terms and conditions and the open copy; 12 and I gave the deed of purchase to (V)Baruch the son of (W)Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of Hanamel my uncle’s son and in the sight of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, in the sight of all the Jews who were sitting in the courtyard of the guard. 13 And I commanded Baruch in their sight, saying, 14 ‘This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Take these deeds, this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, so that they may [c]last a long time.” 15 For this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “(X)Houses and fields and vineyards will again be purchased in this land.”’
Jeremiah Prays and God Explains
16 “After giving the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I (Y)prayed to the Lord, saying, 17 ‘(Z)Oh, Lord [d]God! Behold, You Yourself have (AA)made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! (AB)Nothing is too difficult for You, 18 who (AC)shows mercy to thousands, but (AD)repays the wrongdoing of fathers into the laps of their children after them, (AE)great and (AF)mighty God. The (AG)Lord of armies is His name; 19 (AH)great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose (AI)eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of mankind, (AJ)giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds; 20 who has (AK)accomplished signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and even to this day both in Israel and among mankind; and You have (AL)made a name for Yourself, as at this day. 21 You (AM)brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and with wonders, and with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror; 22 and You gave them this land, which You (AN)swore to their forefathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23 They (AO)came in and took possession of it, but they (AP)did not obey Your voice or (AQ)walk in Your Law; they did not do [e]anything that You commanded them to do; therefore You have made (AR)all this disaster happen to them. 24 Behold, the (AS)assault ramps have reached the city to take it; and the city has been (AT)handed over to the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the (AU)sword, the famine, and the plague; and what You have spoken has (AV)come to pass; and behold, You see it. 25 Yet You have said to me, Lord [f]God, “Buy for yourself the field with money and call in witnesses”—although the city has been handed over to the Chaldeans.’”
26 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the (AW)God of all flesh; is anything (AX)too difficult for Me?” 28 Therefore this is what the Lord says: “Behold, I am going to (AY)hand this city over to the Chaldeans and to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it. 29 And the Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will enter and (AZ)set this city on fire and burn it, with the (BA)houses where people have offered incense to Baal on their roofs and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke Me to anger. 30 For the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been doing only (BB)evil in My sight since their youth; for the sons of Israel have been only (BC)provoking Me to anger by the work of their hands,” declares the Lord. 31 “Indeed this city has been to Me a (BD)provocation of My anger and My wrath since the day that they built it, even to this day, so that it should be (BE)removed from My sight, 32 because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their (BF)kings, their leaders, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33 They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, (BG)teaching again and again, they would not listen to accept discipline. 34 But they (BH)put their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it. 35 They built the (BI)high places of Baal that are in the Valley of Ben-hinnom to make their sons and their daughters pass through the fire to (BJ)Molech, which I had not commanded them, nor had it [g]entered My mind that they should do this abomination, to mislead Judah to sin.
36 “Now therefore the Lord God of Israel says the following concerning this city of which you say, ‘It has been (BK)handed over to the king of Babylon by sword, by famine, and by plague’: 37 Behold, I am going to (BL)gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath, and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and (BM)have them live in safety. 38 They shall be (BN)My people, and I will be their God; 39 and I will (BO)give them one heart and one way, so that they will fear Me always, for their own (BP)good and for the good of their children after them. 40 I will make an (BQ)everlasting covenant with them that I will (BR)not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will (BS)put the fear of Me in their hearts, so that they will not turn away from Me. 41 I will (BT)rejoice over them to do them good and will [h]faithfully (BU)plant them in this land with (BV)all My heart and all My soul. 42 For this is what the Lord says: ‘(BW)Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to (BX)bring on them all the good that I am promising them. 43 And (BY)fields will be purchased in this land of which you say, “(BZ)It is a desolation, without man or animal; it has been handed over to the Chaldeans.” 44 People will buy fields for money, [i](CA)sign and seal [j]deeds, and call in witnesses in the (CB)land of Benjamin, in the areas surrounding Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the [k]Negev; for I will (CC)restore their fortunes,’ declares the Lord.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 32:4 Lit mouth with mouth
- Jeremiah 32:10 Lit wrote...on and
- Jeremiah 32:14 Lit stand many days
- Jeremiah 32:17 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Jeremiah 32:23 Or all that
- Jeremiah 32:25 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Jeremiah 32:35 Lit come up on My heart
- Jeremiah 32:41 Or truly
- Jeremiah 32:44 Lit write on...and
- Jeremiah 32:44 Lit the document
- Jeremiah 32:44 I.e., South country
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
