Jeremiah 32

Jeremiah 32:1-15

In this chapter, 1. Jeremiah is imprisoned for forestalling the destruction of Jerusalem, and the captivity of king Zedekiah, ver. 1-5. 2. He buys some land, by God’s appointment, as an assurance that in due time a happy end should be put to the present troubles, ver. 6-15. 3. He prays to God on this occasion, ver. 16-35. 4. God sends him a message to deliver to his people, (1.) He must forfeit the utter destruction of Judah and Jerusalem for their sins, ver. 26-35. But, (2.) At the same time offers them, that the destruction was total, it should not be final, ver. 36-44.

1. The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD 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 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, ‘Wherefore doft thou prophesy, and say, Thus faith the LORD, Behold, I will give this oop into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it. 4. And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall forcibly be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes. 5. And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall be he until I visit him, faith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper. 6. And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 7. Behold, Hanameed the son of Shallam thine uncle, shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption to thine to buy it. 8. So Hanameed mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison, according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine, buy it for thyself: then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. 9. And I bought the field of Hanameed my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, euer; ye享有 men shekels of silver. 10. And I subserved the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances. 11. So I took the evidence of the purchaser, hath that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open.

VOL. II.

12. And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the light of Hanameed my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison. 13. And I charged Baruch before them, saying, 14. Thus faith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days. 15. For thus faith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Houses and fields, and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.

The fatal hour approached of Jerusalem’s destruction; already the Chaldean army surrounded the walls; the prophecies of Jeremiah that were before despised, now we should have thought would carry conviction to every hour, and his advice be fought and followed implicitly in the present emergency. How different the case?

1. Behold him a prisoner, shut up by the king’s order in the court of the king’s house; a place where probably the flatter prisoners were kept. The cause of his confinement was his declaration that Jerusalem should infallibly be taken; their desperate resistance against the besieges he fruitless; and Zedekiah himself attempt to escape in vain: he should be seized, delivered up to the victorious king of Babylon, for his indignation, and bear him pronounce judgment upon him; he led into an ignominious captivity, and there abide, till death came as a kind violent to release him from his miseries. This prophecy, so far from humbling, exasperated them against him, and left by his preaching he should discourage the hearts of the people to surrender, they put him under this confinement, though not so rigorous but that he was allowed the air and company of his friends. Note, (1.) They who will go on God’s measure must not be shocked at a prison. (2.) Nothing will convince hardened sinners: even when God’s judgments begin to operate, they flatter themselves they shall weather the storm.

2. In the prison he becomes a purchaser. Hanameed, his uncle’s son, had a field to depose it, and, as nearest of kin, the right of redemption was in Jeremiah. The Lord let him know in the prison, that an offer of selling it would be made to him, as happened, v. 2. and that it was his will he should buy the land, which was in the suburbs of Anathoth, a city of the priests, and which one of them might lawfully transfer to another; or some inheritance by the mother’s side, which Hanameed had a right to part with. The bargain is easily made, the money paid; the land conveyed with all the usual formalities; the deeds consigned to the care of Baruch, in the presence of the witnesses who subscribed them, to be set in an earthen vessel, and hid probably in the field: for though the destruction of the city and country by the Chaldeans was certain, and therefore the money might appear lost; yet God assured him, on whose veracity he could depend, that the time would come, when every man’s property would be restored, and houses, fields, and vineyards be brought and sold as usual: and it was designed for an encouragement of the faith and hope of the people, when they saw the prophet himself taking in the full assurance of the truth he declared. Note, When ministers the themselves influenced by the word they preach, and fully persuaded of it, its effects will be more powerful on their hearers.

3. Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying, 17. Ah, LORD God; behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched-out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee. 18. Thou sheweth loving kindness unto thousands, and recompenseeth the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the great, the mighty God, the LORD of hosts is his name. 19. Great in counsel, and mighty in work (for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men, to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings) 20. Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, euer unto this day, and in Israel, and amongst other men, and hast made thee a name, as at this day. 21. And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt, with signs and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched-out arm, and with great terror. 22. And hast given them this land which thou dold swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23. And they came in and possessed it, but they obeyed not thy voice, neither

Q.9 walked 1. Gen. 1, 2. walked in thy law, they have done nothing of all that thou commandedeth them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them. 24. Behold the I mouses, they are come unto the city to take it, and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence; and what thou hast spoken is come to pass, and behold, thou seeth it. 25. And thou hast said unto me, O LORD God, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses: for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.

Jeremiah 32:16-25

Having transacted this business, and delivered the writings to Baruch’s care, the prophet directs his prayer to God, grieved for the calamities impending, and to some perpleters how the desolations ready to be accomplished on this people could correspond with those promises of their resurrection. 1. He adores the infinite perfections of God: his unsightly pearer, manifested in the amazing works of creation, which sothing can controul or refelt, v. 17. his immotely many, during loving-landness to thousands: his inflexible justice, in pumishing sin in those who hate him, upon children’s children, that every after their fathers transcriptions: his universal procreeys, the great, the mighty God, the Lord of hosts, who does whatever pleaseth him, and whom all the armies of busiven and earth obey, v. 11. his infinite wisdom; great in counsel, his designs planned with the most consummate knowledge, and carried into execution with the most irrefutable energy. Conmissive; he beholds all the ways of the sons of men, and knoweth every device of their hearts: the eternal judge; who will in the day of recompense render to every man according to his works. 2. He recounts the wonders he had wrought for his people of old, evident in the plagues of Egypt, their deliverance from theatres, and in all the dispensations of his providence towards them from that day, bringing them into Canaan, according to the promise made to their fathers, as well as in what he did among the nations around them; in all which he got to hunself great glory, and appeared worthy of their highest praise. Now, The gracious dealings of God towards his people should ever afford matter for our thanks, and encouragement to our faith. 3. He laments their disobedience, as the cause of all the mishres to which they were now exposed. By a long train of rebellions they had brought their present evils upon themselves, and the prophetic word, which they had disengaged, began to receive its terrible accomplishment. Behold, the besiegas compels the city, and raise their mounts and batteries against it; so that their case was desperate, the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans. 4. He lays the doubts and perplexities of his mind before God. Thus hast said unto me, in this ruinous situation of affairs, Buy thee a field, and take witnesses; and this formal prayer, when the land was devoted to destruction. Note, (1.) God’s providence sometimes appear to contradict his promises. (2.) When we have God’s orders, we have nothing to do, but obey, and trust him with the issue. (3.) When we are in the death concerning God’s dispensations, we may humbly by prayer beg to be taught of God. 26. ¶ Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 27. Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: ‘Is there any thing too hard for me? 28. Therefore thus faith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and the shall take it. 29. And the Chaldeans that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it, with the houses upon whose roofs they have offered incede unto Baal, and poured out drink-offerings unto other gods to provoke me to anger. 30. For the children of Israel, and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, faith the LORD. 31. For this city hath been to me, as a provocation of mine anger, and of my fury, from the day that they built it, even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face: 32. Because of all the evil of the children of Israel, and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their printers, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33. And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face; though I taught them, riding up early, and teaching this, yet they have not bearked to receive instruction. 34. But they set their abominations in 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 cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the Jew, unto Moleck, which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination to cause Judah to sin. 36. And now therefore thus faith the LORD the God of Israel concerning this city, whereof ye say, ‘It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.’ 37. Behold, ‘I will gather them out of all countries whither I have driven them in mine anger and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell lately. 38. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 39. And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me; for every, for the good of them, and of their children after them. 40. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. 41. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land; assembly, with my whole heart, and with my whole soul. 42. For thus faith the LORD, Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, to will bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. 43. And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, ‘It is defolate without man or beast, it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. 44. Men shall buy fields for money, and fubicnize evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerufalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the South: for I will cause their captivity to return, faith the LORD.

Jeremiah 32:26-44

Inundated again of God as his people, and profiling their fidelity and allegiance to him as their God.

(2.) God will make with them an everlasting command, the sense of which is most amazingly gracious, and which should fall not only with them but with all the Israel of God. (1.) He promises to put his fear into their hearts, the principle of all true wisdom and godilands, v. 39. Now, A heart to fear God must be his own gift. (2.) He will give them one heart and one way, a single eye to God’s glory; forvent charity among themselves; one path of grace and holiness in which they should walk, and leave their blessing and good examples as the hell inheritance to children’s children. Now, All who have truly given up their hearts to Christ, whatever lesser differences may fulfill between them, will ever be united in love, and walk in one way of holiness as Christ also walked. (3.) He will never turn away from doing them good. Whatever aspect his prevalences may have, all shall work together for their benefit; the riches of his grace shall manifest a constant and abundant supply for their necessities; and, while he will never leave or forsake them, he will take care they shall never leave or forsake him, kept by his power, through faith, unto salvation. Now, If the final perseverance of the saints depended on themselves, their stability would rest on a precarious foundation; but, blessed the God, it is in better hands: the faithfulness of the promise secures, amidst all dangers and difficulties, the certainty of the event.

(3.) His temporal, as his spiritual mercies, shall be great. God will plant them firmly in their own land; his heart and soul shall be, as it were, firmly engaged in it, such delight will be take to do them good. And this shall be as firmly accomplished, as the evil which he had brought upon them.

(4.) Then the whole country should be inhabited, property secure, estates valuable, and no land want a purchaser; so that Jeremiah may be at rest respecting that which he hath bought; and it is the earnest of what shall so that day he the case: it will then be found that the money is not laid out unpreciably, when the Lord shall thus cause their captivity to return. Some apply this spiritually to the deliverance from the bondage of corruption, and those purchased possessions provided for the redeemed in the heavenly Canaan.