1Slova, která Jeremiášovi sdělil Hospodin desátého roku vlády judského krále Sidkijáha; byl to osmnáctý rok vlády Nabuchodonosorovy. 2Tehdy vojsko babylónského krále obléhalo Jeruzalém a prorok Jeremiáš byl zavřen ve vězeňském dvoře, který byl v paláci judského krále. 3Dal ho zavřít judsky král Sidkijáh. Vytýkal mu: Proč prorokuješ: Tak praví Hospodin: Hle, vydám toto město do rukou babylónského krále a dobude ho! 4Judský král Sidkijáh neunikne z ruky Chaldejců, ale jistě bude vydán do rukou babylónského krále, ten s ním bude mluvit od úst do úst, tváří v tvář ho spatří. 5Povede ho do Babylóna a Sidkijáh tam bude, dokud ho nenavštívím – praví Hospodin. Budete-li bojovat proti Chaldejcům, nebudete mít úspěch. 6Jeremiáš odpověděl: Hospodin mě oslovil: 7Hle, Chanamel, syn tvého strýce Šalluma, přijde k tobě a řekne: Kup si mé pole, které je v Anatotu, neboť na ně máš předkupní právo. 8I přišel ke mně syn mého strýce Chanamel podle Hospodinova slova do vězeňského dvora a řekl mi: Kup si mé pole, které je v Anatotu, v Benjaminově území, neboť ty na ně máš majetkové i předkupní právo; kup si ho! Tu jsem porozuměl, že to bylo opravdu Hospodinovo slovo. 9Koupil jsem tedy to pole od syna svého strýce Chanamela, které je v Anatotu, a odvážil jsem mu sedmnáct šekelů stříbra. 10Napsal jsem to na list, opatřil pečetí, přibral svědky a odvážil jsem stříbro na váze. 11Vzal jsem zapečetěnou písemnou kupní smlouvu i její otevřený opis podle zákona a předpisů 12a dal jsem ten kupní list Baruchovi, synu Nerijáha, syna Machsejáhova, před synem svého strýce Chanamelem, před svědky, kteří byli podepsáni v kupním listu, a před všemi Judovci, kteří byli ve vězeňském dvoře. 13Před nimi jsem přikázal Baruchovi: 14Tak praví Hospodin zástupů, Bůh Izraele: Vezmi tyto listy, tento kupní list, zapečetěný i otevřený, a vlož je do hliněného pouzdra, aby se mohly dlouho zachovat. 15Neboť tak praví Hospodin zástupů, Bůh Izraele: Ještě se budou v této zemi kupovat domy, pole a vinice! 16Když jsem odevzdal kupní list Baruchovi, synu Nerijáhovu, modlil jsem se k Hospodinu takto: 17Ach, Pane, Hospodine! Tys učinil nebe i zemi svou velikou mocí, svým napřaženým ramenem; tobě není nic těžkého. 18Milosrdenství prokazuješ tisícům a odplácíš nepravost otců do klína jejich synů. Bože veliký a silný, Hospodin zástupů je tvé jméno, 19jsi veliký v úmyslech, mocný v činech. Tvé oči pozorují všecky cesty lidí, abys odplatil každému podle jeho chování a podle ovoce jeho skutků. 20Učinil jsi znamení a zázraky v egyptské zemi a až dodnes je děláš mezi Izraelity i pohany. Učinil sis jméno, jak je dnes vidět. 21Vyvedl jsi svůj lid, Izraele, znameními a zázraky z egyptské země, mocnou rukou, napřaženým ramenem, za veliké hrůzy 22a dals jim tuto zemi. Zavázal ses přísahou jejich otcům, že jim dáš zemi oplývající mlékem a medem. 23I vešli a zabrali ji, ale neposlouchali tvůj hlas, ne-kráčeli podle tvého zákona. Nedělali nic, cos jim poručil dělat, a stihlo je všechno toto neštěstí. 24Hle, už jsou vystavěny náspy proti městu, aby ho bylo dobyto. Bude dáno Chaldejcům, kteří bojují proti němu mečem, hladem i morem; stalo se všechno, čím jsi hrozil. Hle, ty to vidíš. 25A ty mi, Pane, Hospodine, říkáš: Kup to pole za stříbro a dosvědč to svědky! – ačkoli město bude dáno v ruce Chaldejců. 26Tu mě Hospodin oslovil: 27já jsem Hospodin, Bůh všeho, co má tělo; je mi snad něco nemožné? 28Proto praví Hospodin: Dám toto město do rukou Chaldejců, do rukou babylónského krále Nabuchodonosora a dobude ho. 29Chaldejci, kteří bojují proti tomuto městu, přijdou a spálí ho; spálí ho i s domy, na jejichž střechách obětovali kadidlo Bálovi a přinášeli úlitby cizím bohům, aby mě hněvali. 30Neboť Izraelovi a Judovi synové dělali v mých očích jen zlo od svého mládí; synové Izraele mě dílem svých rukou jen popouzeli k hněvu – praví Hospodin. 31Ano, jen k hněvu a nevoli mně bylo toto město ode dne, kdy ho vystavěli, až dodnes, kdy mi zmizí z očí 32pro špatnost Izraelových i Judových synů, kterou páchali, když mě popouzeli k hněvu, oni i jejich králové, velmoži, kněží a proroci, judský lid i obyvatelé Jeruzaléma. 33Obrátili se ke mně zády, a ne tváří; když jsem je usilovně a ustavičně učil, nechtěli poslouchat, aby se dali poučit. 34Postavili si modly v domě, který má mé jméno, aby ho poskvrnili. 35Zřídili svatyni Bálovi v údolí Ben Hinnom, kde v ohni obětovali své syny a dcery Molochovi. To jsem jim nepřikázal, ani jsem nepomyslil, že by mohli dělat takovou ohavnost, a tím svádět Judu ke hříchu. 36Nyní tedy a z tohoto důvodu – tak praví Hospodin, Bůh Izraele, o tomto městě, o kterém říkáte, že bude vydáno do rukou babylónského krále mečem, hladem a morem: 37Shromáždím je ze všech zemí, do kterých jsem je vyhnal ve svém velikém hněvu, nevoli a rozhořčení, přivedu je zase na toto místo a dám jim tu bezpečné sídlo. 38Budou mým lidem a já budu jejich Bohem. 39Dám jim jedno srdce a jedno pravidlo k životu, aby se mě báli po všechny dny a bude dobře jim i jejich synům. 40Sjednám s nimi věčnou smlouvu, že jim nepřestanu prokazovat dobro; vložím jim do srdce svou bázeň, aby už ode mě neodstoupili. 41Bude mou radostí, když jim budu prokazovat dobro a zasadím je věrně, celým svým srdcem a celou svou duší do této země. 42Neboť tak praví Hospodin: Jako jsem dopustil na tento lid všechno toto veliké neštěstí, tak je zahrnu vším dobrem, které jim slibuji. 43A opět se budou kupovat pole v této zemi, o které nyní říkáte, že je pustá, bez lidí a dobytka, že je dána do rukou Chaldejců. 44Opět se budou kupovat pole za stříbro, psát kupní smlouvy, pečetit a svědci k nim budou přibíráni v Benjaminově území, v okolí Jeruzaléma, v judských městech, v městech na horách, v městech Šefely i v městech Negebu, neboť změním jejich osud – praví Hospodin.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 JEREMIAH, IMPRISONED FOR HIS PROPHECY AGAINST JERUSALEM, BUYS A PATRIMONIAL PROPERTY (HIS RELATIVE HANAMEEL'S), IN ORDER TO CERTIFY TO THE JEWS THEIR FUTURE RETURN FROM BABYLON. (
Jer 32:1-
Jer 32:14)
tenth year--The siege of Jerusalem had already begun, in the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah (
Jer 39:1;
2Kgs 25:1).
2 in . . . court of . . . prison--that is, in the open space occupied by the guard, from which he was not allowed to depart, but where any of his friends might visit him (
Jer 32:12;
Jer 38:13,
Jer 38:28). Marvellous obstinacy, that at the time when they were experiencing the truth of Jeremiah's words in the pressure of the siege, they should still keep the prophet in confinement [CALVIN]. The circumstances narrated (
Jer 32:3-
Jer 32:5) occurred at the beginning of the siege, when Jeremiah foretold the capture of the city (
Jer 32:1;
Jer 34:1-
Jer 34:7;
Jer 39:1). He was at that time put into free custody in the court of the prison. At the raising of the siege by Pharaoh-hophra, Jeremiah was on the point of repairing to Benjamin, when he was cast into "the dungeon," but obtained leave to be removed again to the court of the prison (
Jer 37:12-
Jer 37:21). When there he urged the Jews, on the second advance of the Chaldeans to the siege, to save themselves by submission to Nebuchadnezzar (
Jer 38:2-
Jer 38:3); in consequence of this the king, at the instigation of the princes, had him cast into a miry dungeon (
Jer 38:4-
Jer 38:6); again he was removed to the prison court at the intercession of a courtier (
Jer 32:7-
Jer 32:13), where he remained till the capture of the city (
Jer 32:28), when he was liberated (
Jer 39:11, &c.;
Jer 40:1, &c.).
4 his eyes shall behold his eyes--that is, only before reaching Babylon, which he was not to see.
Jer 39:6-
Jer 39:7 harmonizes this prophecy (
Jer 32:4) with the seemingly opposite prophecy,
Ezek 12:13, "He shall not see."
5 visit him--in a good sense (
Jer 27:22); referring to the honor paid Zedekiah at his death and burial (
Jer 34:4-
Jer 34:5). Perhaps, too, before his death he was treated by Nebuchadnezzar with some favor.
though ye fight . . . shall not prosper-- (
Jer 21:4).
6 Jeremiah said--resuming the thread of
Jer 32:1, which was interrupted by the parenthesis (
Jer 32:2-
Jer 32:5).
7 son of Shallum thine uncle--therefore, Jeremiah's first cousin.
field . . . in Anathoth--a sacerdotal city: and so having one thousand cubits of suburban fields outside the wall attached to it (
Num 35:4-
Num 35:5). The prohibition to sell these suburban fields (
Lev 25:34) applied merely to their alienating them from Levites to another tribe; so that this chapter does not contravene that prohibition. Besides, what is here meant is only the purchase of the use of the field till the year of jubilee. On the failure of the owner, the next of kin had the right of redeeming it (
Lev 25:25, &c.;
Ruth 4:3-
Ruth 4:6).
8 Then I knew--Not that Jeremiah previously doubted the reality of the divine communication, but, the effect following it, and the prophet's experimentally knowing it, confirmed his faith and was the seal to the vision. The Roman historian, FLORUS (2.6), records a similar instance: During the days that Rome was being besieged by Hannibal, the very ground on which he was encamped was put up for sale at Rome, and found a purchaser; implying the calm confidence of the ultimate issue entertained by the Roman people.
9 seventeen shekels of silver--As the shekel was only 2s. 4d.., the whole would be under Ł2, a rather small sum, even taking into account the fact of the Chaldean occupation of the land, and the uncertainty of the time when it might come to Jeremiah or his heirs. Perhaps the "seven shekels," which in the Hebrew (see Margin) are distinguished from the "ten pieces of silver," were shekels of gold [MAURER].
10 subscribed--I wrote in the deed, "book of purchase" (
Jer 32:12).
weighed--coined money was not in early use; hence money was "weighed" (
Gen 23:16).
11 evidence . . . sealed . . . open--Two deeds were drawn up in a contract of sale; the one, the original copy, witnessed and sealed with the public seal; the other not so, but open, and therefore less authoritative, being but a copy. GATAKER thinks that the purchaser sealed the one with his own seal; the other he showed to witnesses that they might write their names on the back of it and know the contents; and that some details, for example, the conditions and time of redemption were in the sealed copy, which the parties might not choose to be known to the witnesses, and which were therefore not in the open copy. The sealed copy, when opened after the seventy years' captivity, would greatly confirm the faith of those living at that time. The "law and custom" refer, probably, not merely to the sealing up of the conditions and details of purchase, but also to the law of redemption, according to which, at the return to Judea, the deed would show that Jeremiah had bought the field by his right as next of kin (
Lev 25:13-
Lev 25:16), [LUDOVICUS DE DIEU].
12 Baruch--Jeremiah's amanuensis and agent (
Jer 36:4, &c.).
before all--In sales everything clandestine was avoided; publicity was required. So here, in the court of prison, where Jeremiah was confined, there were soldiers and others, who had free access to him, present (
Jer 38:1).
14 in an earthen vessel--that the documents might not be injured by the moisture of the surrounding earth; at the same time, being buried, they could not be stolen, but would remain as a pledge of the Jews' deliverance until God's time should come.
15 (Compare
Jer 32:24-
Jer 32:25,
Jer 32:37,
Jer 32:43-
Jer 32:44).
16 Jeremiah, not comprehending how God's threat of destroying Judah could be reconciled with God's commanding him to purchase land in it as if in a free country, has recourse to his grand remedy against perplexities, prayer.
17 hast made . . . heaven--Jeremiah extols God's creative power, as a ground of humility on his part as man: It is not my part to call Thee, the mighty God, to account for Thy ways (compare
Jer 12:1).
too hard--In
Jer 32:27 God's reply exactly accords with Jeremiah's prayer (
Gen 18:14;
Zech 8:6;
Luke 1:37).
18 (
Exod 34:7;
Isa 65:6). This is taken from the decalogue (
Exod 20:5-
Exod 20:6). This is a second consideration to check hasty judgments as to God's ways: Thou art the gracious and righteous Judge of the world.
19 counsel . . . work--devising . . . executing (
Isa 28:29).
eyes . . . open upon all-- (
Job 34:21;
Pro 5:21).
to give . . . according to . . . ways-- (
Jer 17:10).
20 even unto this day--Thou hast given "signs" of Thy power from the day when Thou didst deliver Israel out of Egypt by mighty miracles, down to the present time [MAURER]. CALVIN explains it, "memorable even unto this day."
among other men--not in Israel only, but among foreign peoples also. Compare for "other" understood,
Ps 73:5.
made thee a name-- (
Exod 9:16;
1Chr 17:21;
Isa 63:12).
as at this day--a name of power, such as Thou hast at this day.
21 (
Ps 136:11-
Ps 136:12).
22 given . . . didst swear--God gave it by a gratuitous covenant, not for their deserts.
a land flowing with milk and honey--(See on
Num 14:8).
23 all . . . thou commandedst . . . all this evil--Their punishment was thus exactly commensurate with their sin. It was not fortuitous.
24 mounts--mounds of earth raised as breastworks by the besieging army, behind which they employed their engines, and which they gradually pushed forward to the walls of the city.
behold, thou seest it--connected with
Jer 32:25. Thou seest all this with Thine own eyes, and yet (what seems inconsistent with it) Thou commandest me to buy a field.
25 for the city, &c.--rather, "though," &c.
27 Jehovah retorts Jeremiah's own words: I am indeed, as thou sayest (
Jer 32:17), the God and Creator of "all flesh," and "nothing is too hard for Me"; thine own words ought to have taught thee that, though Judea and Jerusalem are given up to the Chaldeans now for the sins of the Jews, yet it will not be hard to Me, when I please, to restore the state so that houses and lands therein shall be possessed in safety (
Jer 32:36-
Jer 32:44).
29 burn . . . houses upon whose roofs . . . incense unto Baal--retribution in kind. They burnt incense to Baal, on the houses, so the houses shall be burnt (
Jer 19:13). The god of fire was the object of their worship; so fire shall be the instrument of their punishment.
to provoke me--indicating the design, not merely the event. They seemed to court God's "anger," and purposely to "provoke" Him.
30 have . . . done--literally, "have been doing"; implying continuous action.
only . . . evil . . . only provoked me--They have been doing nothing else but evil; their sole aim seems to have been to provoke Me.
their youth--the time when they were in the wilderness, having just before come into national existence.
31 provocation of mine anger--literally, "for mine anger." CALVIN, therefore, connects those words with those at the end of the verse, "this city has been to me an object for mine anger (namely, by reason of the provocations mentioned,
Jer 32:30, &c.), that I should remove it," &c. Thus, there will not be the repetition of the sentiment,
Jer 32:30, as in English Version; the Hebrew also favors this rendering. However, Jeremiah delights in repetitions. In English Version the words, "that I should remove it," &c., stand independently, as the result of what precedes. The time is ripe for taking vengeance on them (
2Kgs 23:27).
from the day that they built it--Solomon completed the building of the city; and it was he who, first of the Jewish kings, turned to idolatry. It was originally built by the idolatrous Canaanites.
32 priests . . . prophets-- (
Neh 9:32,
Neh 9:34). Hence, learn, though ministers of God apostatize, we must remain faithful.
33 (
Jer 2:27;
Jer 7:13).
34 (
Jer 7:30-
Jer 7:31;
Ezek 8:5-
Ezek 8:17).
35 cause . . . pass through . . . fire--By way of purification, they passed through with bare feet (
Lev 18:21).
Molech--meaning "king"; the same as Milcom (
1Kgs 11:33).
I commanded . . . not--This cuts off from the superstitious the plea of a good intention. All "will-worship" exposes to God's wrath (
Col 2:18,
Col 2:23).
36 And now therefore--rather, "But now, nevertheless." Notwithstanding that their guilt deserves lasting vengeance, God, for the elect's sake and for His covenant's sake, will, contrary to all that might have been expected, restore them.
ye say, It shall be delivered into . . . king of Babylon--The reprobate pass from the extreme of self-confidence to that of despair of God's fulfilling His promise of restoring them.
37 (See on
Jer 16:15). The "all" countries implies a future restoration of Israel more universal than that from Babylon.
38 (
Jer 30:22;
Jer 24:7).
39 one heart--all seeking the Lord with one accord, in contrast to their state when only scattered individuals sought Him (
Ezek 11:19-
Ezek 11:20;
Zeph 3:9).
for . . . good of them-- (
Ps 34:12-
Ps 34:15).
40 (
Jer 31:31,
Jer 31:33;
Isa 55:3).
not depart from me--never yet fully realized as to the Israelites.
I will not turn away from them . . . good-- (
Isa 30:21). Jehovah compares Himself to a sedulous preceptor following his pupils everywhere to direct their words, gestures.
put my fear in . . . hearts . . . not depart from me--Both the conversion and perseverance of the saints are the work of God alone, by the operation of the Holy Spirit.
41 rejoice over them-- (
Deut 30:9;
Isa 62:5;
Isa 65:19;
Zeph 3:17).
plant . . . assuredly--rather, "in stability," that is, permanently, for ever (
Jer 24:6;
Amos 9:15).
42 (
Jer 31:28). The restoration from Babylon was only a slight foretaste of the grace to be expected by Israel at last through Christ.
43 (
Jer 32:15).
whereof ye say, It is desolate-- (
Jer 33:10).
44 Referring to the forms of contract (
Jer 32:10-
Jer 32:12):
Benjamin--specified as Anathoth; Jeremiah's place of residence where the field lay (
Jer 32:8), was in it.