The purchase was concluded in full legal form. "I wrote it (the necessary terms) in the letter (the usual letter of purchase), and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed out the money on the balance" (it was then and still is the custom in the East to weigh money). חתם means here, not to append a seal instead of subscribing the name, or for attestation (cf. 1 Kings 21:8; Nehemiah 10:1; 2), but to seal up, make sure by sealing (Isaiah 29:11, etc.). For, from Jeremiah 32:11, Jeremiah 32:12, we perceive that two copies of the bill of purchase were prepared, one sealed up, and the other open; so that, in case the open one were lost, or were accidentally or designedly injured or defaced, a perfect original might still exist in the sealed-up copy. Then "Jeremiah took the bill of purchase, the sealed one," - the specification and the conditions - "and the open one." The words המּצוה והחקּים are in apposition with 'את־ספר וגו. The Vulgate renders stipulationes et rata; Jerome, stipulatione rata, which he explains by stipulationibus et sponsionibus corroborata. מצוה, usually "a command, order," is probably employed here in the general sense of "specification," namely, the object and the price of purchase; חקּים, "statutes," the conditions and stipulations of sale. The apposition has the meaning, "containing the agreement and the conditions." Both copies of this bill, the prophet-before the eyes of Hanamel, his cousin (דּדי, either in the general sense of a near relation, since the relationship has been stated exactly enough already, or בּן־ has been inadvertently omitted), and before the eyes of, i.e., in the presence of "the witnesses, who wrote in the letter of purchase," i.e., had subscribed it as witnesses in attestation of the matter, and in the eyes of all the Jews who were sitting in the court of the prison, and in whose presence the transaction had been concluded - delivered up to his attendant Baruch, son of Nerijah, the son of Mahsejah, with the words, Jeremiah 32:14 : "Thus saith Jahveh of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these letters, this sealed-up letter of purchase and this open letter, and put them into an earthen vessel, that they may remain a long time there. Jeremiah 32:15. For thus saith Jahveh of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses, and fields, and vineyards shall still be bought in this land." - The second utterance of the Lord (Jeremiah 32:15) declares the reason why the letters were to be preserved in an earthen vessel, in order to protect them from damp, decay, and destruction, namely, because one could make use of them afterwards, when sale of property would still be taking place. There is also implied the intimation, that the present desolation of the land and the transportation of its inhabitants will only last during their time; and then the population of Judah will return, and enter again on the possession of their land. The purchase of the field on the part of Jeremiah had this meaning; and for the sake of this meaning it was announced to him by God, and completed before witnesses, in the presence of the Jews who happened to be in the court of the prison.

Jeremiah 32:17 Parallel Commentaries

Ah.

Jeremiah 1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

Jeremiah 4:10 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely you have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, You shall have peace...

Jeremiah 14:13 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say to them, You shall not see the sword, neither shall you have famine...

Ezekiel 9:8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell on my face, and cried, and said...

Ezekiel 11:13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down on my face, and cried with a loud voice...

thou.

Jeremiah 10:11,12 Thus shall you say to them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth...

Jeremiah 27:5 I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm...

Jeremiah 51:15,19 He has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and has stretched out the heaven by his understanding...

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Exodus 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day...

2 Kings 19:15 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwell between the cherubim, you are the God, even you alone...

Nehemiah 9:6 You, even you, are LORD alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth...

Psalm 102:25 Of old have you laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of your hands.

Psalm 136:5-9 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endures for ever...

Psalm 146:5,6 Happy is he that has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God...

Isaiah 40:26-28 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who has created these things, that brings out their host by number...

Isaiah 41:5 The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came.

Isaiah 44:24 Thus said the LORD, your redeemer, and he that formed you from the womb, I am the LORD that makes all things...

Isaiah 45:12 I have made the earth, and created man on it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

Isaiah 48:12,13 Listen to me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last...

Zechariah 12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, said the LORD, which stretches forth the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth...

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...

Acts 7:49,50 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will you build me? said the Lord: or what is the place of my rest...

Acts 14:15 And saying, Sirs, why do you these things? We also are men of like passions with you...

Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands;

Colossians 1:15,16 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature...

Hebrews 1:2,3,10-12 Has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds...

Revelation 4:11 You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for you have created all things...

there.

Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

Genesis 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return to you, according to the time of life...

Job 42:2 I know that you can do every thing, and that no thought can be withheld from you.

Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Luke 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

to hard for thee. or, hid from thee.

Isaiah 46:9,10 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me...

Daniel 2:22 He reveals the deep and secret things: he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

Acts 15:18 Known to God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

Ephesians 3:9-11 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God...