And Jeremiah said, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying. Not that he said this to Zedekiah; but the prophet, after the above preface, returns to declare what the word of the Lord was, which came to him at the time before mentioned. read more
Verse 6 The whole of this passage ought to be read together, for the Prophet at large explains how and by what symbol this prophecy had been confirmed. Now the purpose of the whole is to shew that after a long time the Jews would return to their own country, for God would restore them, and their captivity would have an end. God’s design, then, was to give them a hope of deliverance, but yet they were admonished to wait patiently for the end of their exile. Let us now come to the external... read more
A story of God's sustaining grace. This whole chapter may be summed up under some such heading as this. For it begins with showing us God's servant Jeremiah in a position in which he sorely needed sustaining grace, and then it proceeds to narrate the threefold process by which this grace was communicated to him. The manner in which God sustained Jeremiah is very much akin to that in which he will sustain all his servants who may be in similar need. If any be so now, let them give heed to... read more
Faith tested by action. Jerusalem is besieged; the fields are occupied by the invader; Jeremiah knows that the Jews will be driven from their country; he is a prisoner. Yet he buys of piece of land! The transaction is carried out calmly, carefully, with all legal exactitude, and every precaution against future mistakes as to ownership, just as if the prophet were at liberty to enter into possession and enjoy his purchase without fear of molestation. His conduct is striking; to those who... read more
The purchase of the field. Jeremiah 32:6 resumes Jeremiah 32:1 , after the long parenthesis in Jeremiah 32:2-5 . read more
Purchasing by Divine command. The passage a locus classicus for various questions and formalities connected with the Mosaic Law. Abraham bought a field for his dead; Jeremiah bought one for a nation yet unborn. If no other circumstance had been recorded concerning the latter, this alone would entitle him to be enrolled amongst the fathers of the faithful. I. GOD 'S SERVANTS ARE SOMETIMES CALLED TO PERFORM STRANGE AND SINGULAR ACTIONS . The prophet bidden to... read more
A parable of redemption. For the sake of variety and interest, it is lawful now and then to make the transactions of earth tell of the transactions of heaven; to make prosaic matters of fact—as the redeeming of this field—parables of spiritual realities. Let us so deal with this narrative. Here was— I. A POSSESSION IN AN ENEMY 'S POWER . The field, as the whole land virtually was so at that very moment. So man. II. THE LORD PROMPTING REDEMPTION . Jeremiah knew... read more
Jeremiah showing his faith by his works. Jeremiah, as a prophet of Jehovah, had not only to utter warnings and predictions, but to show, on needful occasion, that he himself believed in them. He who would have others obey the Lord, must keep on persuading them to obedience by being prominent in obedience himself. Observe— I. HOW THE LORD PREPARES JEREMIAH AGAINST A DIFFICULTY . Hanameel, we may take it, was coming in any case with this proposition of purchase, and, but... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 32:1-15
It appears by the date of this chapter that we are now coming very nigh to that fatal year which completed the desolations of Judah and Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. God's judgments came gradually upon them, but, they not meeting him by repentance in the way of his judgments, he proceeded in his controversy till all was laid waste, which was in the eleventh year of Zedekiah; now what is here recorded happened in the tenth. The king of Babylon's army had now invested Jerusalem and was carrying on... read more