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. 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.

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. 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. 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)

Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: 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.’

“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; 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.”

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

32 Ang salita na dumating kay Jeremias na mula sa Panginoon nang ikasangpung taon ni Sedechias na hari sa Juda na siyang ikalabing walong taon ni Nabucodonosor.

Nang panahon ngang yao'y ang hukbo ng hari sa Babilonia ay kumubkob sa Jerusalem, at si Jeremias na propeta ay nakulong sa looban ng bantayan, na nasa bahay ng hari sa Juda.

Sapagka't kinulong siya ni Sedechias na hari sa Juda, na sinasabi, Bakit ka nanghuhula, at nagsasabi, Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon, Narito, ibibigay ko ang bayang ito sa kamay ng hari sa Babilonia, at kaniyang sasakupin:

At si Sedechias na hari sa Juda ay hindi makatatanan sa kamay ng mga Caldeo, kundi tunay na mabibigay sa kamay ng hari sa Babilonia, at makikipagusap sa kaniya ng bibig, at ang kaniyang mga mata ay titingin sa kaniyang mga mata;

At kaniyang dadalhin si Sedechias sa Babilonia, at siya'y doroon hanggang sa dalawin ko siya, sabi ng Panginoon: bagaman kayo'y magsilaban sa mga Caldeo, hindi kayo magsisiginhawa?

At sinabi ni Jeremias, Ang salita ng Panginoon, ay dumating sa akin, na nagsasabi:

Narito, si Hanamel na anak ni Sallum na iyong amain ay paroroon sa iyo, na magsasabi, Bilhin mo ang parang ko na nasa Anathoth: sapagka't ang matuwid ng pagtubos ay ukol sa iyo upang bilhin.

Sa gayo'y si Hanamel na anak ng aking amain ay naparoon sa akin sa looban ng bantayan ayon sa salita ng Panginoon, at sinabi sa akin, Bilhin mo ang aking parang, isinasamo ko sa iyo, na nasa Anathoth, na nasa lupain ng Benjamin; sapagka't ang matuwid ng pagmamana ay ukol sa iyo, at ang pagtubos ay ukol sa iyo; bilhin mo para sa iyong sarili. Nang magkagayo'y nakilala ko na ito'y salita ng Panginoon.

At binili ko ang parang na nasa Anathoth kay Hanamel na anak ng aking amain, at tinimbang ko sa kaniya ang salapi, na labing pitong siklong pilak.

10 At ako'y naglagda ng pangalan sa katibayan, at aking tinatakan, at tumawag ako ng mga saksi, at tinimbang ko sa kaniya ang salapi sa timbangan.

11 Sa gayo'y kinuha ko ang katibayan ng pagkabili, ang natatatakan, yaong ayon sa kautusan at kaugalian, at ang bukas:

12 At ibinigay ko ang katibayan ng pagkabili kay Baruch na anak ni Nerias, na anak ni Maasias, sa harapan ni Hanamel na anak ng aking amain, at sa harap ng mga saksi na naglagda ng pangalan sa katibayan ng pagkabili, sa harap ng lahat na Judio na nakaupo sa looban ng bantayan.

13 At ibinilin ko kay Baruch sa harap nila, na aking sinasabi,

14 Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon ng mga hukbo, ng Dios ng Israel, Iyong kunin ang mga katibayang ito, ang katibayang ito ng pagkabili, ang natatatakan, at gayon din itong katibayang bukas, at iyong isilid sa sisidlang lupa; upang tumagal ng maraming araw.

15 Sapagka't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon ng mga hukbo, ng Dios ng Israel, Mga bahay, at mga parang, at mga ubasan ay mangabibili pa uli sa lupaing ito.

16 Pagkatapos nga na aking maibigay ang katibayan ng pagkabili kay Baruch na anak ni Nerias, dumalangin ako sa Panginoon, na aking sinabi,

17 Ah Panginoong Dios! narito, iyong ginawa ang langit at ang lupa sa pamamagitan ng iyong malaking kapangyarihan, at sa pamamagitan ng iyong unat na kamay; walang bagay na totoong napakahirap sa iyo:

18 Na ikaw ay nagpapakita ng kagandahang-loob sa mga libolibo, at iyong ginaganti ang kasamaan ng mga magulang sa sinapupunan ng kanilang mga anak pagkamatay nila; ang dakila, na makapangyarihang Dios, ang Panginoon ng mga hukbo ay kaniyang pangalan.

19 Dakila sa payo at makapangyarihan sa gawa; na ang mga mata ay dilat sa lahat ng mga lakad ng mga anak ng tao, upang bigyan ang bawa't isa ng ayon sa kaniyang mga lakad, at ayon sa bunga ng kaniyang mga gawa,

20 Na naglagay ng mga tanda at mga kababalaghan sa lupain ng Egipto, hanggang sa araw na ito, sa Israel at gayon din sa gitna ng ibang mga tao; at magtaglay ka ng pangalan, gaya sa araw na ito;

21 At iyong inilabas ang iyong bayang Israel sa lupain ng Egipto sa pamamagitan ng mga tanda at ng mga kababalaghan, at ng malakas na kamay, at ng unat na kamay, at ng malaking kakilabutan,

22 At ibinigay mo sa kanila ang lupaing ito na iyong isinumpa sa kanilang mga magulang na ibibigay sa kanila, lupain na binubukalan ng gatas at pulot,

23 At sila'y pumasok, at kanilang inari; nguni't hindi dininig ang itong tinig, o lumakad man sa iyong kautusan; sila'y hindi nagsigawa ng anoman sa lahat na iyong iniutos sa kanila na gawin: kaya't iyong pinapangyari ang buong kasamaang ito sa kanila.

24 Narito, ang mga bunton, nagsisidating sa bayan upang sakupin; at ang bayan ay nabigay sa kamay ng mga taga Caldea na nagsisilaban doon, dahil sa tabak, at sa kagutom, at sa salot: at kung ano ang iyong sinalita ay nangyayari; at, narito, iyong nakikita.

25 At iyong sinabi sa akin, Oh Panginoong Dios, iyong bilhin ng salapi ang parang, at ikaw ay tumawag ng mga saksi; yamang ang bayan ay ibinibigay sa kamay ng mga Caldeo.

26 Nang magkagayo'y dumating ang salita ng Panginoon kay Jeremias, na nagsasabi,

27 Narito, ako ang Panginoon, ang Dios ng lahat na tao; may anomang bagay baga na totoong mahirap sa akin?

28 Kaya't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon, Narito, aking ibibigay ang bayang ito sa kamay ng mga Caldeo, at sa kamay ni Nabucodonosor na hari sa Babilonia, at kaniyang sasakupin,

29 At ang mga Caldeo, na nagsisilaban sa bayang ito, magsisiparito at susulsulan ang bayang ito, at susunugin, sangpu ng mga bahay na ang mga bubungan ay kanilang pinaghandugan ng kamangyan kay Baal, at pinagbuhusan ng mga inuming handog sa mga ibang dios, upang mungkahiin ako sa galit.

30 Sapagka't ang ginawa lamang ng mga anak ni Israel, at ng mga anak ni Juda ay ang masama sa aking paningin mula sa kanilang kabataan, sapagka't minungkahi lamang ako ng mga anak ni Israel sa galit ng gawa ng kanilang mga kamay, sabi ng Panginoon.

31 Sapagka't ang bayang ito ay naging kamungkahian sa aking galit at sa aking pagaalab ng loob mula sa araw na kanilang itinayo hanggang sa araw na ito; upang aking mailayo sa aking mukha.

32 Dahil sa lahat ng kasamaan ng mga anak ni Israel at ng mga anak ni Juda, na kanilang ginawa upang mungkahiin ako sa galit, sila, ng kanilang mga hari, ng kanilang mga prinsipe, ng kanilang mga saserdote, at ng kanilang mga propeta, at ng mga tao ng Juda, at ng mga nananahan sa Jerusalem.

33 At kanilang tinalikdan ako, at hindi ako hinarap: bagaman aking tinuruan sila, na bumabangon ako ng maaga at tinuturuan ko sila, gayon ma'y hindi sila nangakinig na magsitanggap ng turo.

34 Kundi kanilang inilagay ang kanilang mga kasuklamsuklam sa bahay na tinawag sa aking pangalan, upang lapastanganin.

35 At kanilang itinayo ang mga mataas na dako ni Baal, na nasa libis ng anak ni Hinnom, upang paraanin sa apoy ang kanilang mga anak na lalake at babae kay Moloch; na hindi ko iniutos sa kanila o nasok man sa aking pagiisip, na kanilang gawin ang kasuklamsuklam na ito; na pinapagkasala ang Juda.

36 At ngayon ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon, ng Dios ng Israel, tungkol sa bayang ito, na inyong sinasabi, Nabigay sa kamay ng hari sa Babilonia sa pamamagitan ng tabak, at ng kagutom, at ng salot:

37 Narito, aking pipisanin sila mula sa lahat ng lupain, na aking pinagtabuyan sa kanila sa aking galit, at sa aking kapusukan at sa malaking poot, at dadalhin ko sila uli sa dakong ito, at akin silang patatahaning tiwasay.

38 At sila'y magiging aking bayan, at ako'y magiging kanilang Dios:

39 At bibigyan ko sila ng isang puso at ng isang daan, upang sila'y matakot sa akin magpakailan man; sa ikabubuti nila, at ng kanilang mga anak pagkamatay nila:

40 At ako'y makikipagtipan ng walang hanggan sa kanila, na hindi ako hihiwalay sa kanila, upang gawan ko sila ng mabuti: at sisidlan ko sa puso ng takot sa akin, upang huwag silang magsihiwalay sa akin.

41 Oo, ako'y magagalak sa kanila upang gawan ko sila ng mabuti, at aking tunay na itatatag sila sa lupaing ito ng aking buong puso at ng aking buong kaluluwa.

42 Sapagka't ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon, Kung paanong aking dinala ang lahat na malaking kasamaang ito sa bayang ito, gayon dadalhin ko sa kanila ang lahat na mabuti na aking ipinangako sa kanila.

43 At mga parang ay mabibili sa lupaing ito, na iyong sinasabi, Sira, na walang tao o hayop man; nabigay sa kamay ng mga Caldeo.

44 Bibilhin nga ng mga tao ng salapi ang mga parang at mangaglalagda ng pangalan sa mga katibayan, at mga tatatakan, at magsisitawag ng mga saksi, sa lupain ng Benjamin, at sa mga dako na palibot ng Jerusalem, at sa mga bayan ng Juda, at sa mga bayan ng lupaing maburol, at sa mga bayan ng mababang lupain, at sa mga bayan ng Timugan: sapagka't aking ibabalik sila mula sa kanilang pagkabihag, sabi ng Panginoon.

32 The following message came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah (which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign). At this time Jeremiah was imprisoned in the dungeon beneath the palace,[a] while the Babylonian army was besieging Jerusalem. King Zedekiah had put him there for continuing to prophesy that the city would be conquered by the king of Babylon, and that King Zedekiah would be caught and taken as a prisoner before the king of Babylon for trial and sentencing.

“He shall take you to Babylon and imprison you there for many years until you die. Why fight the facts? You can’t win! Surrender now!” Jeremiah had told him again and again.

6-7 Then this message from the Lord came to Jeremiah: Your cousin Hanamel (son of Shallum) will soon arrive to ask you to buy the farm he owns in Anathoth, for by law you have a chance to buy before it is offered to anyone else.

So Hanamel came, as the Lord had said he would, and visited me in the prison. “Buy my field in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin,” he said, “for the law gives you the first right to purchase it.” Then I knew for sure that the message I had heard was really from the Lord.

So I bought the field, paying Hanamel seventeen pieces of silver. 10 I signed and sealed the deed of purchase before witnesses, weighed out the silver, and paid him. 11 Then I took the sealed deed containing the terms and conditions and also the unsealed copy, 12 and publicly, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and the witnesses who had signed the deed, and as the prison guards watched, I handed the papers to Baruch (son of Neriah, who was the son of Mahseiah). 13 And I said to him as they all listened:

14 “The Lord, God of Israel, says: Take both this sealed deed and the copy and put them into a pottery jar to preserve them for a long time. 15 For the Lord, God of Israel, says: In the future these papers will be valuable.[b] Someday people will again own property here in this country and will be buying and selling houses and vineyards and fields.”

16 Then after I had given the papers to Baruch I prayed: 17 “O Lord God! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power; nothing is too hard for you! 18 You are loving and kind to thousands, yet children suffer for their fathers’ sins; you are the great and mighty God, the Lord Almighty. 19 You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles; for your eyes are open to all the ways of men, and you reward everyone according to his life and deeds. 20 You have done incredible things in the land of Egypt—things still remembered to this day. And you have continued to do great miracles in Israel and all around the world. You have made your name very great, as it is today.

21 “You brought Israel out of Egypt with mighty miracles and great power and terror. 22 You gave Israel this land that you promised their fathers long ago—a wonderful land that ‘flows with milk and honey.’ 23 Our fathers came and conquered it and lived in it, but they refused to obey you or to follow your laws; they have hardly done one thing you told them to. That is why you have sent all this terrible evil upon them. 24 See how the siege mounds have been built against the city walls, and the Babylonians shall conquer the city by sword, famine, and disease. Everything has happened just as you said—as you determined it should! 25 And yet you say to buy the field—paying good money for it before these witnesses—even though the city will belong to our enemies.”

26 Then this message came to Jeremiah: 27 I am the Lord, the God of all mankind; is there anything too hard for me? 28 Yes, I will give this city to the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon; he shall conquer it. 29 And the Babylonians outside the walls shall come in and set fire to the city and burn down all these houses, where the roofs have been used to offer incense to Baal and to pour out libations to other gods, causing my fury to rise! 30 For Israel and Judah have done nothing but wrong since their earliest days; they have infuriated me with all their evil deeds. 31 From the time this city was built until now, it has done nothing but anger me; so I am determined to be rid of it.

32 The sins of Israel and Judah—the sins of the people, of their kings, officers, priests, and prophets—stir me up. 33 They have turned their backs upon me and refused to return; day after day, year after year, I taught them right from wrong, but they would not listen or obey. 34 They have even defiled my own Temple by worshiping their abominable idols there. 35 And they have built high altars to Baal in the valley of Hinnom. There they have burnt their children as sacrifices to Molech—something I never commanded and cannot imagine suggesting. What an incredible evil, causing Judah to sin so greatly!

36 Now therefore the Lord God of Israel says concerning this city that it will fall to the king of Babylon through warfare, famine, and disease, 37 but I will bring my people back again from all the countries where in my fury I will scatter them. I will bring them back to this very city and make them live in peace and safety. 38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 39 And I will give them one heart and mind to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants.

40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, promising never again to desert them but only to do them good. I will put a desire into their hearts to worship me, and they shall never leave me. 41 I will rejoice to do them good and will replant them in this land with great joy. 42 Just as I have sent all these terrors and evils upon them, so will I do all the good I have promised them.

43 Fields will again be bought and sold in this land now ravaged by the Babylonians, where men and animals alike have disappeared. 44 Yes, fields shall once again be bought and sold—deeds signed and sealed and witnessed—in the country of Benjamin and here in Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah and in the hill country, in the Philistine Plain and in the Negeb too, for some day I will restore prosperity to them.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 32:2 in the dungeon beneath the palace, literally, “in the court of the prison in the palace.”
  2. Jeremiah 32:15 In the future these papers will be valuable, implied.