Verses 1-5. - Time and circumstances of the following revelation. It took place in the tenth year of Zedekiah, the eighteenth of Nebuchadnezzar (comp. Jeremiah 25:1; Jeremiah 52:12). The siege of Jerusalem had Begun in the preceding year (Jeremiah 39:1), but had been temporarily raised on the approach of an Egyptian army (Jeremiah 37:5, 11). Jeremiah, who had declared resistance hopeless, had been accused of treason, and imprisoned (Jeremiah 37:13), and in prison he remained till the close of the siege. Like St. Paul at Rome, however, he was allowed free communication with visitors, as appears from ver. 8 and Jeremiah 38:1. Vers. 2-5 are parenthetical (see on ver. 6).

Verse 2. - In the court of the prison; or, the court of the guard, which adjoined the royal palace (Nehemiah 3:25).

Verse 3. - Had shut him up. A brief and general account of the circumstances related more in full in ch. 37. For the prophecies referred to, see Jeremiah 34:3-5; Jeremiah 37:17; Jeremiah 38:17-23 (the following verse is almost identical with Jeremiah 34:3).

Verse 5. - Until I visit him; i.e. until I take notice of him. "To visit" is used in a good (Jeremiah 27:22; Jeremiah 29:10) as well as in a bad sense (Jeremiah 6:15; Jeremiah 49:8), so that no definite announcement is made respecting Zedekiah's future. There was no object to gain by extending the scope of the revelation beyond the immediate present, and Zedekiah's offences did not require such an anticipative punishment as the clear prediction of the details of his fate (Jeremiah 39:6, 7; Jeremiah 52:11).

Verses 6-15. - The purchase of the field. Ver. 6 resumes ver. 1, after the long parenthesis in vers. 2-5.

Verse 7. - Hanameel. Another form of Hananeel; comp. Γεσάμ, in the Septuagint = Goshen, Μαδιάμ = Midian. In Jeremiah 31:38 the Authorized Version has Hananeel, and the Septuagint Ἀναμεήλ (of course, the persons referred to are different). The son of Shallum thine uncle. It is strange that Hanameel should be called at once Jeremiah's uncle's son and his uncle; and yet this is the case - the former in vers. 8, 9, the latter in ver. 12. There is, therefore, no reason why we should deviate (as most commentators do) from the ordinary Hebrew usage, and suppose "thine uncle" in this verse to refer to Shallum, and not rather to Hanameel. But how are we to explain this singular variation in phraseology? Either from the fact that the Hebrew for "uncle" is simply a word expressive of affection (it means "beloved," see e.g. Isaiah 5:1), and might, therefore, just as well be applied to a cousin as to an uncle: or else. upon the supposition that the word for "son (of)" has fallen out of the text before "mine uncle," both in this verse and in ver. 12.

Verse 8. - The right of inheritance (or rather, of taking possession) is thine. The right, however, was dependent on the previous right of redeeming the land. Hence the speaker continues: The redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. The Law directs, "If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold" (Leviticus 25:25). Jeremiah's kinsman, however, ascribes to him the right of pre-emption. This is not mentioned in Leviticus; hut, of course, no one would care to purchase a property till he was sure that the next kinsman would not insist on redeeming it. No one, it may be remarked, could purchase land unconditionally - the usufruct of it till the year of jubilee was all that was legally transferable; and even the original occupant had only a life interest in his land, the ownership of which was, strictly speaking, vested in the commune. This seems to Be the necessary inference from a comprehensive view of the passages relative to land in the Old Testament (see Mr. Fenton's 'Early Hebrew Life; ' and an article in the Church Quarterly Review, July, 1880). Then I knew, etc. We may, perhaps, interpret this notice combined with that in ver. 6 thus: Jeremiah had had a presentiment, founded, perhaps, upon the distress to which his cousin had been reduced, that the latter would invite him to carry out the provisions of the Law; and his presentiments were generally so ordered by the Divine Spirit of prophecy as to be ratified by the event. Still, he had a measure of uncertainty till Hanameel actually came to him, and so demonstrated "that this had been the word of the Lord." In recording the circumstances, he not unnaturally reflects his later feeling of certitude in his description of the presentiment.

Verse 9. - Seventeen shekels of silver; i.e. about £2 5s. 4d. (taking the shekel at 2s. 8d.). This has been thought a small price. Thirty shekels were paid for the potter's field (Matthew 27:7); fifty by David, for Araunah's threshing floor and oxen (2 Samuel 24:4). The Hebrew has "seven shekels and ten of silver;" hence the Targum increases the price by supplying "minas" before "of silver," bringing up the sum to one hundred and seven shekels. This, however, seems too much. Even if Jeremiah wished to be liberal, he would hardly have been able to go so far (probably) in excess of the market price. Who would have purchased the land on speculation, if Jeremiah had refused? The famine made life, the siege, a continuance of personal liberty, terribly uncertain. And, putting this out of the question, there may have been but a short time to elapse before the year of jubilee, when the land would revert to its original occupant (see above). The singular form of expression in the Hebrew, at which the Targum stumbled, may, perhaps, be the usual style of legal documents.

Verses 10-14. - The Authorized Version is here so far wrong, on technical terms, that it seems best to retranslate the whole passage: "And I wrote (the circumstances) in the deed, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed the money in the balance. And I took the purchase deed, that which was sealed (containing the offer and the conditions), and that which was open; and I gave the purchase deed unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah (rather, Makhseiah), in the sight of Hanameel my uncle, and in the sight of the witnesses who subscribed the purchase deed, in the sight of all the Jews who were sitting in the court of the guard. And I charged Baruch before them, saying, Thus saith Jehovah Sabaoth, the God of Israel, Take these deeds, this sealed purchase deed, and this open deed; and put them into an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days." The deed was made in two copies, so that if the open one were lost, or suspected of having been tampered with, an appeal might always be made to the sealed copy. The latter was to be placed in an earthen vessel, to preserve it from injury by damp. It ought to be added that the words in ver. 11, rendered "containing the offer and the conditions," are difficult. "Containing" is not expressed in the Hebrew, and "offer" is not the ordinary meaning, though etymologically justifiable.

Verse 15. - Shall be possessed; rather, shall be bought.

Verses 16-25. - Jeremiah obeys the Divine command, but is so besieged by misgivings that he applies for a further revelation of God's purposes.

Verse 17. - Ah, Lord God! rather, Alas! O Lord Jehovah (as Jeremiah 1:6). Too hard for thee. It is the word usually rendered "wonderful," but rather indicating that thing or person lies outside the common order (comp. Genesis 18:14).

Verse 18. - Into the bosom, etc. The ample dress of an Eastern rendering a bag or basket unnecessary (comp. Ruth 3:15).

Verse 20. - Even unto this day. A loose expression. Jeremiah simply means that signs and wonders equal to those wrought in Egypt have continued to the present time. And in Israel; rather, both in Israel.

Verse 21. - Almost identical with Deuteronomy 26:8. The great terror which the Israelites inspired is constantly referred to (see Deuteronomy 2:25; Exodus 23:27; Joshua 5:1).

Verse 24. - Behold the mounts (see as Jeremiah 6:6). Is given. Resistance being hopeless, Jerusalem was virtually in the hands of its besiegers.

Verse 25. - For the city is given; rather, whereas. It is a reflection of the prophet's.

Verses 26-44. - The Divine answer. This falls into two parts. First, Jehovah repeats the burden of so many prophecies, that Israel has only to blame himself for his punishment (vers. 26-35); and then a bright future is disclosed beyond the gloomy interval of conquest and captivity - a future when men shall buy fields, and comply with all the legal formalities, precisely as Jeremiah has done (vers. 36-44).

Verse 28. - I will give; rather, I am on the point of giving (present participle).

Verse 29. - And burn it. A still more significant prediction to Jewish hearers than to us, for it implies that Jerusalem had become utterly rebellious, and deserved the punishment of the old Canaanitish cities. It was to be made a cherem (Deuteronomy 3:6).

Verse 30. - From their youth (see on Jeremiah 3:24, 25; 22:21). The children of Israel, in the first half of the verse, must have a narrower sense than in the second half. The fall of Jerusalem is the climax of the series of punishments which the two separated and yet (in God's sight) united portions of the people of Israel have had to undergo.

Verse 31. - From the day that they built it. It is useless to tell an impassioned orator that his words are not strictly consistent with primitive history. The Israelites may not have built Jerusalem, but Jeremiah was not to be debarred from the strongest form of expression open to him for such a reason. He means "from the earliest times."

Verses 34, 35. - Repeated, with slight variations, from Jeremiah 7:30, 31. "Baal" and "Molech" are identified as in Jeremiah 19:5 ( = Jeremiah 7:31), and even more distinctly.

Verse 36. - And now therefore. This introduces the strange and lovely contrast to the gloomy picture which has gone before. It will be observed that there is no direct reference to Jerusalem, but the capital was only emphasized before as the heart of the nation, and it would, of course, be no comfort to say that Jerusalem's inhabitants (alone) would be restored.

Verse 39. - One heart, and one way. Unity is always given as the "note" of the ideal, Messianic period (comp. Zephaniah 3:9; Zechariah 14:9; John 10:16). That they may fear me forever. This reminds us of a phrase in the exhortation in Deuteronomy 4:10, as the next clause does of Deuteronomy 6:24.

Verse 40. - An everlasting covenant. It is the "new covenant" of Jeremiah 31:31, etc., which is meant (for the phrase, comp. Isaiah 55:3; Ezekiel 37:26). That I will not turn... to do them good. The comma in the Authorized Version impairs the sense. The prophet means, "That I will not cease to show them favour" (comp. Isaiah 54:10).

Verse 41. - Assuredly; literally, with faith. fulness; i.e. with perfect sincerity, without an arriere pensee, as the next words explain it; comp. 1 Samuel 12:24; Isaiah 38:3 (Graf).

Verse 42. - Like as I have brought, etc. The prophet still has in his mind the thought expressed in Jeremiah 31:28, that the brighter part of his revelations must as surely be accomplished as the darker.

Verse 43. - Fields; rather, land; the Hebrew has "the field," i.e. the open country (as Jeremiah 4:17, etc.). We must then continue "in this country," and in ver. 44, "men shall buy lands."

Verse 44. - Subscribe evidences; rather, write (particulars of their purchase)in the deed (as ver. 10). In the land of Benjamin, etc. The catalogue of the districts of the Jewish kingdom heightens the realistic effect (see on Jeremiah 17:26). Everywhere the old social system will be reproduced in its entirety. The land of Benjamin is mentioned first, on account of the property of Jeremiah at Anathoth.