Jeremiah 32:1-16 ▼

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) from the LORD {YHWH} in the tenth year of Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) king of Judah (praised), which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar (may Nebo protect the crown).

2 At that time the army of the king of Babylon (confusion by mixing) was besieging Jerusalem (city of peace), and Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) the prophet was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard, which was in the palace of the king of Judah (praised).

3 For Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) king of Judah (praised) had imprisoned him, saying: “Why are you prophesying like this? You claim that the LORD {YHWH} says, ‘Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon (confusion by mixing), and he will capture it.

4 Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) king of Judah (praised) will not escape from the hands of the Chaldeans (the Babylonians), but he will surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon (confusion by mixing), and will speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye.

5 He will take Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) to Babylon (confusion by mixing), where he will stay until I attend to him, declares the LORD {YHWH}. If you⁺ fight against the Chaldeans (clod-breakers), you⁺ will not succeed.’”

6 Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) replied, “The word of the LORD {YHWH} came to me, saying:

7 Behold! Hanamel (God is gracious), the son of your uncle Shallum (retribution), is coming to you to say, ‘Buy for yourself my field in Anathoth (answers to prayer), for you have the right of redemption to buy it.’

8 Then, as the LORD {YHWH} had said, my cousin Hanamel (God is gracious) came to me in the courtyard of the guard and urged me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth (answers to prayer) in the land of Benjamin (son of the right hand), for you own the right of inheritance and redemption. Buy it for yourself.’” Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.

9 So I bought the field in Anathoth (answers to prayer) from my cousin Hanamel (God is gracious), and I weighed out seventeen shekels of silver <6.8 oz / 193.8 g>.

10 I signed and sealed the deed, called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales.

11 Then I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy with its terms and conditions, as well as the open copy—

12 and I gave this deed to Baruch (blessed) son of Neriah (lamp of YHWH), the son of Mahseiah (YHWH is a shelter), in the sight of my cousin Hanamel (God is gracious) and the witnesses who were signing the purchase agreement and all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.

13 In their sight I instructed Baruch (blessed),

14 “This is what the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts, the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), says: Take these deeds—both the sealed copy and the open copy of the deed of purchase—and put them in a clay jar to preserve them for a long time.

15 For this is what the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts, the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), says: Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”

16 After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch (blessed) son of Neriah (lamp of YHWH), I prayed to the LORD {YHWH}: