⁴ I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you^[a] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you,^(A) and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

⁷ Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is going to come to you and say, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth,^(A) because as nearest relative it is your right and duty^(B) 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^(C) 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^(D) at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels^[a] of silver.^{(E) 10} I signed and sealed the deed,^(F) had it witnessed,^(G) 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^(H) son of Neriah,^(I) 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.

²⁵ “‘If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative^(A) is to come and redeem^(B) what they have sold. ²⁶ If, however, there is no one to redeem it for them but later on they prosper^(C) and acquire sufficient means to redeem it themselves, ²⁷ they are to determine the value for the years^(D) since they sold it and refund the balance to the one to whom they sold it; they can then go back to their own property.^{(E) 28} But if they do not acquire the means to repay, what was sold will remain in the possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned^(F) in the Jubilee, and they can then go back to their property.^(G)

²⁹ “‘Anyone who sells a house in a walled city retains the right of redemption a full year after its sale. During that time the seller may redeem it.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

²¹ For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.^(A)

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil.^(A) Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.^(B)

¹⁸ to Abraham as his property^(A) in the presence of all the Hittites^(B) who had come to the gate^(C) of the city.