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Commentary on Jeremiah 32 verses 1–15
It appears by the date of this chapter that we are now coming very nigh to that fatal year which completed the desolations of Judah and Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. God's judgments came gradually upon them, but, they not meeting him by repentance in the way of his judgments, he proceeded in his controversy till all was laid waste, which was in the eleventh year of Zedekiah; now what is here recorded happened in the tenth. The king of Babylon's army had now invested Jerusalem and was carrying on the siege with vigour, not doubting but in a little time to make themselves masters of it, while the besieged had taken up a desperate resolution not to surrender, but to hold out to the last extremity. Now,
I. Jeremiah prophesies that both the city and the court shall fall into the hands of the king of Babylon. He tells them expressly that the besiegers shall take the city as a prize, for God, whose city it was in a peculiar manner, will give it into their hands and put it out of his protection (Jer 32:3), - that, though Zedekiah attempt to make his escape, he shall be overtaken, and shall be delivered a prisoner into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, shall be brought into his presence, to his great confusion and terror, he having made himself so obnoxious by breaking his faith with him, he shall hear the king of Babylon pronounce his doom, and see with what fury and indignation he will look upon him (His eyes shall behold his eyes, Jer 32:4), - that Zedekiah shall be carried to Babylon, and continue a miserable captive there, until God visit him, that is, till God put an end to his life by a natural death, as Nebuchadnezzar had long before put an end to his days by putting out his eyes. Note, Those that live in misery may be truly said to be visited in mercy when God by death takes them home to himself. And, lastly, he foretels that all their attempts to force the besiegers from their trenches shall be ineffectual: Though you fight with the Chaldeans, you shall not prosper; how should they, when God did not fight for them? Jer 32:5. See Jer 34:2, Jer 34:3.
II. For prophesying thus he is imprisoned, not in the common goal, but in the more creditable prison that was within the verge of the palace, in the king of Judah's house, and there not closely confined, but in custodia libera - in the court of the prison, where he might have good company, good air, and good intelligence brought him, and would be sheltered from the abuses of the mob; but, however, it was a prison, and Zedekiah shut him up in it for prophesying as he did, Jer 32:2, Jer 32:3. So far was he from humbling himself before Jeremiah, as he ought to have done (Ch2 36:12), that he hardened himself against him. Though he had formerly so far owned him to be a prophet as to desire him to enquire of the Lord for them (Jer 21:2), yet now he chides him for prophesying (Jer 32:3), and shuts him up in prison, perhaps not with design to punish him any further, but only to restrain him from prophesying any further, which was crime enough. Silencing God's prophets, though it is not so bad as mocking and killing them, is yet a great affront to the God of heaven. See how wretchedly the hearts of sinners are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Persecution was one of the sins for which God was now contending with them, and yet Zedekiah persists in it even now that he was in the depth of distress. No providences, no afflictions, will of themselves part between men and their sins, unless the grace of God work with them. Nay, some are made worse by those very judgments that should make them better.
III. Being in prison, he purchases from a near relation of his a piece of ground that lay in Anathoth, Jer 32:6, Jer 32:7, etc.
1.One would not have expected, (1.) That a prophet should concern himself so far in the business of this world; but why not? Though ministers must not entangle themselves, yet they may concern themselves in the affairs of this life. (2.) That one who had neither wife nor children should buy land. We find (Jer 16:2) that he had no family of his own; yet he may purchase for his own use while he lives, and leave it to the children of his relations when he dies. (3.) One would little have thought that a prisoner should be a purchaser; how should he get money beforehand to buy land with? It is probably that he lived frugally, and saved something out of what belonged to him as a priest, which is no blemish at all to his character; but we have no reason to think that the people were kind, or that his being beforehand was owing to their generosity. Nay, (4.) It was most strange of all that he should buy a piece of land when he himself knew that the whole land was now to be laid waste and fall into the hands of the Chaldeans, and then what good would this do him? But it was the will of God that he should buy it, and he submitted, though the money seemed to be thrown away. His kinsman came to offer it to him; it was not of his own seeking; he coveted not to lay house to house and field to field, but Providence brought it to him, and it was probably a good bargain; besides, the right of redemption belonged to him (Jer 32:8), and if he refused he would not do the kinsman's part. It is true he might lawfully refuse, but, being a prophet, in a thing of this nature he must do that which would be for the honour of his profession. It became him to fulfil all righteousness. It was land that lay within the suburbs of a priests' city, and, if he should refuse it, there was danger lest, in these times of disorder, it might be sold to one of another tribe, which was contrary to the law, to prevent which it was convenient for him to buy it. It would likewise be a kindness to his kinsman, who probably was at this time in great want of money. Jeremiah had but a little, but what he had he was willing to lay out in such a manner as might tend most to the honour of God and the good of his friends and country, which he preferred before his own private interests.
2.Two things may be observed concerning this purchase: -
(1.)How fairly the bargain was made. When Jeremiah knew by Hanameel's coming to him, as God had foretold he would, that it was the word of the Lord, that it was his mind that he should make this purchase, he made no more difficulty of it, but bought the field. And, [1.] He was very honest and exact in paying the money. He weighted him the money, did not press him to take it upon his report, though he was his near kinsman, but weighed it to him, current money. It was seventeen shekels of silver, amounting to about forty shillings of our money. The land was probably but a little field and of small yearly value, when the purchase was so low; besides, the right of inheritance was in Jeremiah, so that he had only to buy out his kinsman's life, the reversion being his already. Some think this was only the earnest of a greater sum; but we shall not wonder at the smallness of the price if we consider what scarcity there was of money at this time and how little lands were counted upon. [2.] He was very prudent and discreet in preserving the writings. They were subscribed before witnesses. One copy was sealed up, the other was open. One was the original, the other the counterpart; or perhaps that which was sealed up was for his own private use, the other that was open was to be laid up in the public register of conveyances, for any person concerned to consult. Due care and caution in things of this nature might prevent a great deal of injustice and contention. The deeds of purchase were lodged in the hands of Baruch, before witnesses, and he was ordered to lay them up in an earthen vessel (an emblem of the nature of all the securities this world can pretend to give us, brittle things and soon broken), that they might continue many days, for the use of Jeremiah's heirs, after the return out of captivity; for they might then have the benefit of this purchase. Purchasing reversions may be a kindness to those that come after us, and a good man thus lays up an inheritance for his children's children.
(2.)What was the design of having this bargain made. It was to signify that though Jerusalem was now besieged, and the whole country was likely to be laid waste, yet the time should come when houses, and fields, and vineyards should be again possessed in this land, Jer 32:15. As God appointed Jeremiah to confirm his predictions of the approaching destruction of Jerusalem by his own practice in living unmarried, so he now appointed him to confirm his predictions of the future restoration of Jerusalem by his own practice in purchasing this field. Note, It concerns ministers to make it to appear in their whole conversation that they do themselves believe that which they preach to others; and that they may do so, and impress it the more deeply upon their hearers, they must many a time deny themselves, as Jeremiah did in both these instances. God having promised that this land should again come into the possession of his people, Jeremiah will, on behalf of his heirs, put in for a share. Note, It is good to manage even our worldly affairs in faith, and to do common business with an eye to the providence and promise of God. Lucius Florus relates it as a great instance of the bravery of the Roman citizens that in the time of the second Punic war, when Hannibal besieged Rome and was very near making himself master of it, a field on which part of his army lay, being offered to sale at that time, was immediately purchased, in a firm belief that the Roman valour would raise the siege, lib. ii. cap. 6. And have not we much more reason to venture our all upon the word of God, and to embark in Zion's interests, which will undoubtedly be the prevailing interests at last? Non si male nunc et olim sic erit - Though now we suffer, we shall not suffer always.
Of course nothing is “too hard for the Lord.” But if we choose to apply this principle so extravagantly and harshly in our capricious imaginations, we may then make out God to have done anything we please, on the ground that it was not impossible for him to do it. We must not suppose, however, because he is able to do all things, that he has done what he has not done. But we must inquire whether he has really done it. God could, if he had liked, have furnished humankind with wings to fly with, just as he gave wings to kites. We must not, however, run to the conclusion that he did this because he was able to do it. He might also have extinguished Praxeas and all other heretics at once; it does not follow, however, that he did, simply because he was able. For it was necessary that there should be both kites and heretics; it was necessary also that the Father should be crucified. In one sense there will be something difficult even for God—namely, that which he has not done—not because he could not but because he would not do it. For with God, to be willing is to be able and to be unwilling is to be unable; all that he has willed, however, he has both been able to accomplish and has displayed his ability.
(Version 6, 7.) And Jeremiah said: The word of the Lord came to me, saying: Behold, Anameel (also known as Anemeel), the son of Sellum (or Sallom), your cousin (which is said in Hebrew as Dodach), is coming to you, saying: Buy my field, which is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption belongs to you. The hidden word of God to Jeremiah was known to no one, except by his revelation to whom it was made: and he is informed that his cousin Anameel will come to him and transfer the ownership of the field that was his; and that the place is in Anathoth, among the suburbs that were given to the priests from each tribe and city according to the law: and it was not allowed for the possession to pass from one tribe to another, nor from one family to another (which is why the daughters of Zelophehad received a portion among their brothers), especially the suburban lands of the priests could not be sold to anyone until the year of remission, except to the one whom blood kinship required. Therefore, his younger brother, the son of his aunt (Alex. brother-in-law and father), came to him and offered to buy what is owed to him by proximity. Helcias and Sellum were blood brothers. The son of Helcias was Jeremiah; Sellum, Anameel. Helcias means 'part of the Lord'; Jeremiah, 'the sublimity of the Lord.' And rightly the height of the Lord is born from the part of the Lord. Sellum, on the other hand, is translated into our language as peace, or peaceful. Anameel means gift or grace of God. We are not surprised that peace is joined with grace, since even the beginning of the Apostolic Epistles says: Grace to you and peace (Rom. I, 7). Therefore, let us first merit the peace of God, and after peace, grace is born in us, which belongs not to the possessor, but to the will of the giver. However, grace gives the value to the one who is placed in high positions by God, so that although he may appear lofty, he still needs the grace of God. That which is often sung in the Song of Songs by the bride: Fratruelis meus, that is, ὅ ἀδελφιδοῦς μου in Hebrew is said Dodi (), therefore it should be called not fratruelis, but πατράδελφος, that is, patruelis. However, Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, bears witness to the beginning of this book.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 32:7 records a divinely orchestrated instruction to the prophet Jeremiah during Jerusalem's final, desperate siege by the Babylonians. Despite his imprisonment and the city's imminent fall, God commands Jeremiah to purchase a field from his cousin, Hanameel, in his ancestral hometown of Anathoth. This seemingly absurd transaction, rooted in the ancient Israelite law of kinsman-redemption, transcends a mere real estate deal, serving as a powerful prophetic sign of God's unwavering promise of future restoration and return for His people to the land of Israel, transforming despair into a tangible declaration of hope.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 32:7 is profoundly rich in Symbolism. The very act of purchasing a field during a siege, when land is economically worthless and its possession impossible, powerfully symbolizes God's unwavering promise of future restoration and the certain return of His people to the land of Israel. It is a tangible sign of hope against all human odds and immediate despair. The "right of redemption" itself functions as a legal Metaphor for God's ultimate plan to redeem His people, not only from physical exile but also from the bondage of sin. There is also a striking sense of Irony in the command: Jeremiah, who has consistently prophesied destruction and exile, is now commanded to perform an act that signifies future hope and possession, turning the immediate despair on its head and emphasizing God's long-term redemptive purposes. The specific details of the transaction, including the names of individuals and the precise location, lend a strong air of Verisimilitude to the prophetic act, grounding the divine promise in a concrete, historical reality that would have resonated deeply with Jeremiah and his contemporaries.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 32:7 stands as a profound testament to God's unwavering faithfulness and His steadfast commitment to His covenant promises, even when His people are facing the dire consequences of their disobedience and the full weight of His judgment. The seemingly irrational command to buy land during a siege speaks volumes about God's perspective, which transcends immediate circumstances and focuses on His ultimate, long-term redemptive plan. It powerfully illustrates that God's promises are not contingent on human logic, favorable conditions, or the immediate political landscape, but are rooted solely in His unchanging character and sovereign will. This specific act of redemption, rooted in Israelite law, foreshadows a greater spiritual reality, where God Himself, as the ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer, will reclaim His people and restore their inheritance. It serves as a powerful reminder that even in the midst of the most severe judgment, God's ultimate intention for His people is always restoration, renewal, and life.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah's radical obedience to God's command to buy the field in Anathoth, despite the immediate absurdity and economic irrationality of the situation, offers a profound and enduring lesson in faith and trust. In moments of personal or collective crisis, when circumstances seem bleak, hope is scarce, and the future appears utterly lost, God often calls us to acts of faith that defy human reason and conventional wisdom. This passage encourages us to look beyond our immediate despair and embrace God's long-term, sovereign vision for our lives and for the world. It challenges us to invest in His promises, to "buy into" His future, even when the "market" of our current circumstances suggests otherwise. Just as Jeremiah's purchase was a tangible, prophetic sign of future restoration for Israel, our acts of faith, hope, and obedience, however small or illogical they may seem, can serve as powerful declarations of God's redemptive power at work, even in the darkest valleys of life. It reminds us that God's faithfulness is our surest investment, and His redemptive plan will ultimately and gloriously prevail.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why would Jeremiah buy land during a siege when it seemed worthless?
Answer: Jeremiah bought the land not for its immediate economic value, which was indeed worthless during the Babylonian siege, but as a direct act of obedience to a divine command. This purchase was a prophetic sign from God, demonstrating His unwavering promise that the people of Israel would one day return from exile and once again possess and cultivate the land. It was a tangible symbol of future hope and restoration, defying the immediate despair and human logic. God used this seemingly irrational act to underscore the certainty of His long-term redemptive plan for His people, proving His faithfulness even in judgment.
What is the "right of redemption" mentioned in the verse?
Answer: The "right of redemption" (Hebrew: mishpat hagge'ullah) refers to an ancient Israelite legal custom, primarily found in Leviticus 25. This law stipulated that a close relative (known as a go'el or kinsman-redeemer) had the right and obligation to buy back family land or property that had been sold due to poverty. This practice ensured that family inheritance remained within the clan and prevented permanent loss of tribal land. In Jeremiah 32:7, Jeremiah, as Hanameel's cousin, possessed this legal right, making him the rightful kinsman to redeem the field. This legal framework provided the essential context for God's symbolic command, illustrating His commitment to His covenant and the preservation of His people's inheritance.
Is Anathoth significant to Jeremiah's story?
Answer: Yes, Anathoth is highly significant to Jeremiah's story. It was Jeremiah's hometown, a Levitical city located just a few miles northeast of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 1:1). The fact that the field was specifically in Anathoth made the "right of redemption" particularly personal and poignant for Jeremiah, connecting the national promise of restoration directly to his own ancestral inheritance. It also underscored the comprehensive nature of the impending judgment, as even Jeremiah's ancestral lands would fall under enemy control, yet God promised their eventual return and re-possession, emphasizing the breadth of His future restoration.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah's act of purchasing the field in Anathoth, exercising his "right of redemption" during a time of utter desolation and impending judgment, serves as a profound Old Testament foreshadowing of the ultimate redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ. Just as Jeremiah, a kinsman, bought back the land to secure a future inheritance for his family, so too did Jesus, our divine Kinsman-Redeemer, "buy" us back from the slavery of sin and death. He paid the ultimate price, His own precious blood, to redeem us, restoring our lost inheritance and securing our future in God's eternal kingdom (Ephesians 1:7 and 1 Peter 1:18-19). The field in Anathoth, seemingly worthless in a besieged land, powerfully symbolizes the world and humanity, fallen and under judgment, yet purchased by Christ with the promise of future glory. Through His sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection, Jesus has secured for us not merely a plot of land, but an imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance in the new heavens and new earth, a reality far surpassing any earthly possession (1 Peter 1:3-4). Jeremiah's prophetic act, born of faith in God's impossible promise, points directly to the certain hope we have in Christ, who has already secured our redemption and guarantees our eternal future with Him.