Jeremiah 32:6

"And Jeremiah said, The word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth; for the right of redemption is thine to buy it. So Hanamel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the guard according to the word of Jehovah, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of Jehovah. And I bought the field that was in Anathoth of Hanamel mine uncle's son, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver. And I subscribed the deed, and sealed it, and called witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances. So I took the deed of the purchase, both that which was sealed, according to the law and the custom, and that which was open: and I delivered the deed of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel mine uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the deed of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the guard. And I charged Baruch before them, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these deeds, this deed of the purchase which is sealed, and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel; that they may continue many days. For thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall yet again be bought in this land."

"Then I knew that this was the word of the Jehovah ..." (Jeremiah 32:8). This does not mean that Jeremiah had doubted the word of Jehovah, but that now he had proof of it.

"The right of inheritance ..." (Jeremiah 32:8). This indicates that the Pentateuch was well known among the Jews of this period, and that many of its provisions were still being observed. The Book of Ruth tells of the marriage of Ruth the Moabitess, along with the redemption of a piece of land that had belonged to Ruth's husband. Leviticus 25:25 records the Mosaic law that was involved in such purchases.

"Baruch ..." (Jeremiah 32:12). This is the first mention of Baruch in Jeremiah. This man was the amanuensis of Jeremiah and was the scribe who actually wrote a great deal of the book, under the strict direction of Jeremiah.

"According to law and custom ..." (Jeremiah 32:11). This record of a purchase in Anathoth provides a valuable example of the legal phases of land purchase in those times. It is of interest that the placement of a copy of the original purchase agreement in an earthen vessel and the sealing of it was exactly the procedure that resulted in the preservation of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

"Seventeen shekels of silver ..." (Jeremiah 32:9). Jamieson and other writers have marveled that the price was so small.[4] Some have supposed that the shekels might have been gold instead of silver, but there is no excuse for changing the text. Despite the fact of the question's being of little importance, it should be noted that: (1) the field could have been small; (2) the year of Jubilee might have been near at hand, which, of course, would have drastically reduced the value; (3) its already being in possession of the Babylonians would have reduced the price; and (4) although the amount (17 shekels of silver) was calculated by Jamieson as about two pounds sterling (about $10.00)[5] at the time of his estimate, that sum might not have been as insignificant as it seems. "David paid only fifty shekels of silver for the threshing floor of Araunah, along with the oxen and implements that went with it; and long afterward thirty shekels purchased the potter's field with Judas' price for betraying the Lord."[6]