Jeremiah 32:1-44. Jeremiah redeems a piece of property belonging to
his family. The significance of his act
A considerable part of this ch. is believed by most recent
commentators to be a later addition to the historical nucleus of the
narrative as found in Jeremiah 32:6. Thus we may consider the
f... [ Continue Reading ]
Jeremiah's own circumstances and those of the State are given first
with great particularity in order that it may be brought out that it
is in spite of the gloomiest appearances that his faith in the future
is thus firm.
_the tenth year of Zedekiah_ The siege had commenced in his ninth year
(Jeremia... [ Continue Reading ]
Introductory account of the historical position.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the court of the guard_ not meaning the place where a guard, or body
of men, were posted but "a part of the court surrounding the Palace
railed off to guard prisoners in, whom it was not desired to throw
into the common dungeon" (Dr. _ad loc._; see also his note p. 367).
Cp. Nehemiah 3:25; Nehemiah... [ Continue Reading ]
_For_ Gi. and Co. supported by LXX render _Where_, to which Du. also
inclines. Not so Dr.... [ Continue Reading ]
These _vv_. form a parenthetical explanation, so that Jeremiah 32:6 is
to be connected immediately in sense with Jeremiah 32:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
This _v_. occurs again in almost the same words at ch. Jeremiah 34:3,
where see note.... [ Continue Reading ]
_until I visit him_ The words are in themselves ambiguous and they
with the rest of the _v_. are lacking in the LXX.... [ Continue Reading ]
See introd. summary to the section.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hanamel the son of Shallum thine uncle_ The distinct statement in
Jeremiah 32:8 however that Hanamel was Jeremiah's first cousin makes
it necessary to refer the word _uncle_of this _v_. to Shallum, and to
consider the word for _son_in Jeremiah 32:12 to have been accidentally
omitted by a Heb. copyi... [ Continue Reading ]
_which … Benjamin_ absent from LXX and under the circumstances
obviously a superfluity.
_the right of inheritance is thine_ We infer that Hanamel had no
children.... [ Continue Reading ]
_that was in Anathoth_ Omit with LXX.
_weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver_ The shekel
weighed about 220 of our grains. The amount may appear small (about
_£_2. 6 _s_. 6 _d_. of our money), but we do not know the size of the
field. It is clear from the aim of the whole transacti... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I subscribed the deed_ The following will explain the particulars
of Jeremiah's action as given here and in the next _vv_. "Contracts
stamped upon clay tablets have been found in Babylonia, enclosed in an
envelope of clay, on the outside of which an exact duplicate of the
contract was impressed... [ Continue Reading ]
_both that which was sealed … and that which was open_ but not
implying two documents to be kept separate. They were the two parts of
a whole. See on Jeremiah 32:10.
according to _the law and custom_ better, with mg. containing _the
terms and conditions_. The former Dr. however renders _the
injunct... [ Continue Reading ]
_Baruch_ the first mention of the prophet's faithful amanuensis.
_mine uncle's_son] See on Jeremiah 32:7. From this _v_. together with
ch. Jeremiah 51:59 we gather that Seraiah, chief chamberlain to
Zedekiah, was Baruch's brother.
_in the court of the guard_ See on Jeremiah 32:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
"It is not the only time in the history of States and Churches that he
who has been denounced as a deserter and traitor [see note on _the
tenth year of Zedekiah_, Jeremiah 32:1] becomes in the last extremity
the best comforter and counsellor. Demosthenes, who had warned his
fellow countrymen in his... [ Continue Reading ]
_I prayed unto the Lord_ Jeremiah still felt a difficulty in
reconciling the obvious import of the transaction which he had just
carried out at the Lord's command with that overthrow which at the
command of the same Lord he had so frequently announced to the guilty
city. This difficulty he expresses... [ Continue Reading ]
See introd. summary to the section.... [ Continue Reading ]
_thy stretched out arm_ Here, as in Jeremiah 27:5, referring to
creation. Elsewhere the expression has to do with Jehovah's acts of
deliverance (e.g. Jeremiah 32:21; Exodus 6:6; Deuteronomy 4:34). Cp.
the similar phrase used of punishment in Jeremiah 21:5.
_hard_ lit. as mg. _wonderful_. Cp. Genesi... [ Continue Reading ]
_recompensest the iniquity of the fathers_ an allusion to the
Decalogue (Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9). See on Jeremiah 31:29.
_into the bosom_ The Eastern garment formed at the bosom numerous
folds, which served as a pocket. Cp. Ruth 3:15; Proverbs 17:23, and
for the phrase itself Psalms 79:12; Is... [ Continue Reading ]
_which didst set_ Cp. Deuteronomy 6:22; Nehemiah 9:10.
_even unto this day_ a difficult expression. Perhaps we should
understand before these words, _and hast continued them_(signs and
wonders).... [ Continue Reading ]
Almost the same as Deuteronomy 26:8. For the terror caused to
neighbouring nations by the miracles attendant upon the Exodus cp.
Exodus 15:14; Deuteronomy 2:25; Deuteronomy 4:34.... [ Continue Reading ]
_a land flowing with milk and honey_ See Jeremiah 11:5, and for the
whole _v_. cp. Nehemiah 9:22-35.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the mounts_ See on ch. Jeremiah 6:6.
_are come unto the city_ The enemy have pushed them forward so that
they already reach to the walls.
_is given_ The thing is virtually done, there being a complete
blockade, and no hope of rescue for the starving population within.... [ Continue Reading ]
The two things, the state of the city and God's command, are placed
side by side that their apparent inconsistency may be most strikingly
shewn.... [ Continue Reading ]
See introd. summary to the section. The _vv_. after 27, purporting to
give the Lord's reply to Jeremiah's question as to the fitness of his
action in purchasing the field, bear fully the marks of a later
addition. Their substance indeed is quite in harmony with other
prophecies in the Book, and they... [ Continue Reading ]
_thus saith the Lord_ A formula only suitable to introduce an
utterance by the prophet himself is here assigned to the Divine
speaker.... [ Continue Reading ]
_from their youth_ from their earliest times; cp. Hosea 11:1. In
Jeremiah 2:2 the Exodus time is spoken of as the youth of Israel.
_for the children … the Lord_ omitted in LXX and probably a gloss,
for otherwise why should its reference, in spite of the preceding
clause, be confined to the Northern... [ Continue Reading ]
_from the day that they built it_ a somewhat loose expression (as it
existed in Canaanitish times; see 2 Samuel 5:6 ff.) for its earliest
days as an Israelitish city.... [ Continue Reading ]
These _vv_. are akin to Jeremiah 2:26 f., Jeremiah 7:13; Jeremiah
7:25; Jeremiah 11:17; Jeremiah 25:3 f.... [ Continue Reading ]
_though I taught them, etc_.] This verb and the two participles
following are infinitives in the Heb. (as in ch. Jeremiah 7:9, where
see note), _and there was a teaching of them_, etc.... [ Continue Reading ]
See on Jeremiah 7:30-31, in the main identical with these _vv_. In
addition it is to be remarked that here Baal and Molech are
identified. Molech is probably only a variant or distortion of the
word _melech, king_, in order to express contempt or abhorrence by
giving to the consonants the vowels of... [ Continue Reading ]
_thus saith the Lord_ See on Jeremiah 32:27.
_ye say_ better, with LXX, _thou_(Jeremiah) _sayest_, referring to his
words in Jeremiah 32:24. The MT. may have arisen from the influence of
Jeremiah 33:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
See introd. summary to the section. There seems much more to be said
for the genuineness of this group of _vv_. in the main than for that
of the previous one, though here too (see note introducing the
section) there is far from a general acceptance of them by
commentators. They have comparatively li... [ Continue Reading ]
_that they may fear me for ever … after them_ The words seem
suggested by those of Deuteronomy 4:10; Deuteronomy 6:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
_that they shall not depart_ better, THAT IT TURN NOT AWAY.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will plant them]_See on Jeremiah 24:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the land of Benjamin, etc_.] See on Jeremiah 17:26.... [ Continue Reading ]