Ver. 1. The word that came to Jeremiah.] What this word was, see Jeremiah 32:26. In the tenth year of Zedekiah.] The city had now been a year at least besieged; and yet these “sinners against their own souls” went on to do wickedly, and held the prophet prisoner, for the faithful discharge of his duty. Full forty years had he been prophesying to them, and for many years he had foretold this siege, and the following deportation, but could never be believed. And now he is imprisoned, but not left destitute by God of prison comforts, such as made his prison a paradise, and his sleep sweet unto him. [as Jeremiah 31:26] Notanda est tam diutina populi pertinacia.
Ver. 2. And Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison.] Where he had some liberty more than at some other times. (Jeremiah 37:16,20,21) So had Paul at Rome, (Acts 28:16,30) Bradford in the counter, &c.; this was a mercy, and so they esteemed it. Good people were suffered to come about them; and they made use of that opportunity to do what good they could.
Ver. 3. For Zedekiah had shnt him up.] He who before had set him at liberty, and thereby haply hoped to have stopped his mouth; but that might not be. Behold, I will give this city.] This holy city, as the false prophets styled it, and therefore held this prophecy little better than blasphemy.
Ver. 4. And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape.] As he hoped to have done, either by his wiles or by his wealth; and accordingly attempted it, but all in vain. And he shall speak with him mouth to mouth.] This was no small punishment to Zedekiah, that he must look him in the face from whom he had so perfidiously revolted, even against oath; and hear his taunts, before he felt his fingers. How, then, will graceless persons do to stand before the King of kings, whom they have so greatly offended, at that great day? See Revelation 9:17.
Ver. 5. And there shall he be until I visit him.] sc., With death; but the prophet useth a general term, that might be taken either in good part or bad for his own safety’s sake.
Ver. 6. The word of the Lord came unto me, saying.] He had God’s word for his warrant, and this bore him out against the jeers of the ungodly, who would easily think it a very simple part in him who prophesied a desolation of the whole land to go about to buy land.
Ver. 7. Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum.] This Shallum and Hilkiah the father of Jeremiah were brethren. And it was no less an honour to Hanameel to have such a kinsman as Jeremiah, than afterwards it was to Mark to be Barnabas’s sister’s son. Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth.] The priests, though they had no grain fields, yet they had meadows for their cattle, gardens and orchards in the suburbs of their cities, which in some cases they might sell one to another, till the year of jubilee howsoever. Some say that if such a field were so sold to a kinsman as here, it remained to him for ever. But the possession of the Levites might at any time be redeemed. (Leviticus 25:32) For the right of redemption is thine.] See Leviticus 25:25,32 Ru 3:12 4:3,4.
Ver. 8. So Hanameel my uncle’s son came to me.] God ruleth and boweth men’s wills and all second causes according to the good pleasure of his will; he doth also so frame and contemper them among themselves, that there may be a harmony and correspondence between them. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.] Or, That it was a business of God— sc., for the better settling of the faithful in the assurance of a return out of captivity.
Ver. 9. And I bought the field.] This was bravely done, to make a purchase at such a time, when the enemy was seizing upon all. That Roman is famous in history who dared to purchase that field near Rome wherein Hannibal had pitched his camp. Verum eorum res non erant ita deplorates; but the Romans were nothing near so low at that time as the Jews were at this. And weighed him the money.] That was the manner of payment in those times. Hence the Hebrew shekel from shakal, to weigh (Genesis 23:16) -our English word scale seemeth to come from it), the Greek στατηρ from ισταναι ponderare to weigh (Exodus 30:13 Matthew 27:9) or of statera, for a balance the Dutch and English mark cometh from a similar origin. Even seventeen shekels of silver.] No great sum, not much over forty shillings; but it might be as much as the thing was worth, considering the times especially. Liv., lib. xxvi. Plutar. in Annib. Flor., lib. ii. c. 6. Olim moneta librabatur. Pater puellae id aurum in dotem viro appendit Unde et nomen marcharum hodie nobis superest. -Zegedin.
Ver. 10. And I subscribed the evidence.] Heb., I wrote in the book, and sealed it. Men love to be upon sure grounds in things temporal; oh that they were as wise for their souls!
Ver. 11. So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed, &c.] There were then two copies of these contracts and covenants, for preventing of later claims and quarrels.
Ver. 12. And I gave the evidences of the purchase unto Baruch.] Who was Jeremiah’s household servant, and his scribe or notary, such as was afterwards Paulus Coneordiensis to Cyprian. In the sight of Hanameel, &c.] Here was good husbandry, which Bishop Andrews was wont to say was good divinity. Before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison.] Whither they came likely to hear the prophet, as the well affected here did to hear and see the martyrs in Queen Mary’s days. To Mr Bradford (by his keeper’s courtesy) there was such resort at his lecture and ministration of the sacrament, that commonly his chamber was well nigh filled therewith. Fuller’s Church Hist. Acts and Mon., 1457.
Ver. 13. And I charged Baruch.] See on Jeremiah 32:12.
Ver. 14. That they may continue many days.] Even beyond the seventy years of captivity, and then be produced again.
Ver. 15. Houses and fields and vineyards, &c.] However unlikely it may seem, like as it did to Moses, that the people should eat flesh a month together. He thought that God had made an unadvised promise, and prays him to consider that the people were six hundred thousand footmen, and that the flocks and herds would not suffice them. Jeremiah seemeth to object some such matter in his following prayer, especially Jeremiah 32:25. But God answereth them both alike—viz., that his hand was not waxen short, that nothing was too hard for him, that he was never nonplussed, &c. See Jeremiah 32:27 Nu 11:23.
Ver. 16. I prayed unto the Lord, saying.] His heart began to boil with unbelief and carnal reasonings; he therefore setteth himself to pray down those distempers. As a man may sleep out his drunkenness, so he may pray away his perturbations. It was Job’s restraining of prayer, Eliphaz thought, that made him so far to forget himself, and to extravagant. (Job 15:4)
Ver. 17. Ah Lord God!] This interjection in the beginning of his prayer showeth that his heart was greatly grieved and perplexed. Nevertheless he reineth in his passions, and runneth not out into a brawl instead of a prayer, as Jonah did. (Jonah 4:1) [See Trapp on “Jon 4:1”] Thou hast made the heaven and earth by thy great power.] God’s might and mercy are the good soul’s Joachin and Boaz, whereon it ever resteth. These two doth Jeremiah in this prayer of his chiefly plead and flee to. And there is nothing too hard for thee.] Heb., Nothing is hidden from thee, or wonderful with thee. But for my part I am at a great stand, neither know I how to bring both ends together.
Ver. 18. Thou showest lovingkindness.] See on Jeremiah 32:17. And recompensest the iniquity.] Thou art not made all of mercy either, as silly folk are apt to conceit it. Into the bosom of their children.] Who have it in full measure, long though it be first sometimes. Such parents are parricides. The great, the mighty God.] Surgit hic oratio. Let us learn to represent the Lord to ourselves in prayer under fit notions and attributes; this will both increase faith and inflame affection.
Ver. 19. Great in counsel and mighty in work.] See on Isaiah 9:6 28:29. For thine eyes are upon all the ways of the sons of men.] Oh that we could always look upon these eyes of God as looking on us! it would be a notable retentive from evil and incentive to good. To give unto every one according to his ways.] God’s providence (which is nothing else but the carrying on of his decree) is that helm which turneth about the whole ship of the universe.
Ver. 20. Who hast set signs and wonders.] Psalms 78:43 106:22 135:9. Even unto this day.] Oresius writeth that the tracks of Pharaoh’s chariot wheels are yet to be seen at the Red Sea. Fides sit penes authorem. Oros., lib. i. cap. 10.
Ver. 21. And hast made thee a name.] As Isaiah 63:11-13 Ps 136:10-21 Ps 105:44 Ne 9:24,26.
Ver. 22. [See Trapp on “Jer 32:21”]
Ver. 23. [See Trapp on “Jer 32:21”]
Ver. 24. Behold the mounts.] Raised by the enemies as high as the walls, that they might fight with the besieged upon even ground.
Ver. 25. And thou hast said unto me.] Which now I cannot but seriously wonder at, seeing how things are carried; yet I have obeyed thee without questioning. For the city is given.] Or, Though the city be given.
Ver. 26. Then came the word of the Lord.] See on Jeremiah 32:1.
Ver. 27. Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh.] Yea, of the “spirits of all flesh”; (Numbers 16:22) but what can weak flesh do against the Almighty? Is there anything too hard for me?] See on Jeremiah 32:15,17. Still God is careful to confirm and comfort his ministers, and here he doth Jeremiah much what in his own words.
Ver. 28. Behold, I will give this city.] As Jeremiah 32:3.
Ver. 29. With the houses, upon whose roofs.] Such was their impudence, and so far was this now from being, as once, the holy city. It was become a very Poneropolis, excessively superstitious, as was afterwards Athens. (Acts 17:22)
Ver. 30. Have only done evil before me.] Have made it their whole practice to provoke me, like as Jeremiah 32:23 they are said to have “done nothing of all that God commanded them to do,” so cross grained they were, and “to every good work reprobate.”
Ver. 31. From the day that they built it.] Ever since Solomon beautified it, and made it the metropolis. Nevertheless Hegesippus was out, in saying that Jerusalem was so called quasi ιερον Σολομωντος. Solomon made it famous by his magnificence; but odious by his idolatry there.
Ver. 32. Because of all the evil.] Their omissions (Jeremiah 32:23) and commissions, (Jeremiah 32:30) doing evil as they could.
Ver. 33. And they have turned unto me.] See Jeremiah 2:27. Though I taught them.] See Jeremiah 7:13,25:3 26:3.
Ver. 34. In the house which is called by my name.] Templi periphrasis haec est emphatica, atque argumentosa.
Ver. 35. And they built.] See Jeremiah 7:31 19:5.
Ver. 36. And now therefore.] Or, Yet now notwithstanding, when God thus cometh in with his non-obstante what may not he do?
Ver. 37. Behold, I will gather them.] See Jeremiah 16:15 23:3. This was fulfilled especially in that golden age, and perpetual jubilee of the gospel, that began five hundred years after.
Ver. 38. And they shall be my people.] See Jeremiah 24:7 31:33.
Ver. 39. And I will give them one heart.] Oneness or singleness of heart in my service, and unanimity among themselves, until they all come unto that oneness of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, &c. (Ephesians 4:13) That they may fear me for ever.] This the Jews say (but falsely) a man may do by the power of nature. See Jeremiah 32:40 Eze 36:26,27.
Ver. 40. And I will make.] See Jeremiah 31:31 Eze 39:29.
Ver. 41. Yea, I will rejoice over them.] Volupe mihi erit; it shall be as great a pleasure to me to bless them, as it can be to them to obey me. See Jeremiah 24:7 Ps 119:2,10.
Ver. 42. So will I bring upon them.] Jeremiah 29:10 31:28.
Ver. 43. And fields shall be bought.] For an assurance whereof I have caused thee to buy this field now.
Ver. 44. Men shall buy fields for moneg.] All shall be statu quo prius in that great restoration of all things. And with this chapter endeth the commentary of Jerome upon Jeremiah.