Jeremiah Bible Notes Chapters 32 Through 35:19

Jer. 32:1-44 Jeremiah buys land in Anathoth from his cousin, Hanameel as a sign that GODwill restore His people to the land, and that everything will return to normal.

Jer. 32:1 The tenth year and the eighteenth year is 587 B.C., while Jerusalem was under siege, but before it was destroyed.

Jer. 32:2,3 Jeremiah was arrested by Zedekiah (37:21) and remained imprisoned in the patio of the jail until the fall of Jerusalem (38:13,28; 39:14). See 52:7-14/

Jer. 32:7 Anathoth Jeremiah's native people (see 1:1). You have the right to it (KJV-the right of redemption is thine to but it): Not only a right, but an obligation (see Lev. 25:23-25; Ruth 4:3,4).

Jer. 32:9-14 One of the most detailed commercial transactions in the Bible. For another example, see Genesis 23:1-16.

Jer. 32:9 Seventeen silver shekels: By weight, about 218 grams. Currency wasn't very widespread yet.

Jer. 32:11 Letter: A copy was made of the transaction on paper, it was rolled up and sealed, to hinder anyone from altering it. The open copy could be seen by anyone.

Jer. 32:12 Baruch: Scribe and friend of Jeremiah (see 36:4; 43:3; 45:1).

Jer. 32:14 The documents were placed in an earthen vessel to preserve them. Evidence of these practices has been found in Elephantine, south of Egypt and in the desert area near the Dead Sea.

Jer. 32:14 EVIDENCES OF PURCHASE (Manners & Customs of the Bible by James M. Freeman; pub. 1972 by Logos International)
"Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days." It is supposed that one of these documents was a duplicate of the other; and it may have been customary to carefully seal one copy and deposit it in a safe place, perhaps to bury it on a part of the land described in it, while the other was left unsealed in some public place designated for the purpose, where all persons interested might have access to it whenever they desired. Inasmuch, however, as the city was to be destroyed, the prophet was directed to have both copies put into an earthen vessel for preservation.

In Taylor's Calmet it is suggested that the earthen vessel containing these documents was to be buried in one corner of the land purchased, as a sort of hidden landmark of the property; and as a possible illustration the following passage is cited from the Gentoo laws of boundaries and limits: "Dust, or bonds, or seboos, (bran,) or cinders, or scraps of earthenware, or the hairs of a cow's tail, or the seed of the cotton-plant: all these things above-mentioned, being put into an earthen jar filled to the brim, a man must privately bury upon the confines of his own boundary; and there preserve stones also, or bricks, or sea-sand: either of these three things may be buried by way of Landmark of the limits; for all these things, upon remaining a long time in the ground, are not liable to rot, or to become putrid, may be buried for the same purpose. Those persons who, by any of these methods, can show the line of their boundaries, shall acquaint their sons with the respective Landmarks of those boundaries; and, in the same manner, those sons shall explain the signs of the limits to their children." - Fragments, No. LXXX. TAYLOR'S Calmet, vol. 3, p. 138.

Jer. 32:15 This verse contains the central theme for this chapter. Jeremiah's action would give him the right to the land when conditions were normalized.

Jer. 32:16-25 Jeremiah's prayer, in which he expresses the omnipotence, omniscience and wonders achieved by GOD in favor of Israel, while he asks why he should buy the inheritance under these circumstances, when the city was about to fall into the hands of its enemies.

Jer. 32:17 Your outstretched arm: See the note for 6:12. There is nothing to difficult for thee: See Genesis 18:14; Luke 1:34-37.

Jer. 32:24 Because of the sword, of the famine and of the pestilence: See the note for 14:12.

Jer. 32:26-44 In response to Jeremiah, Jehovah assures the prophet that He is a GOD for whom nothing is impossible. He refers to the situation that the city was going through (verses 26-29), He reminds Jeremiah of the sins of idolatry committed by Israel since its youth (verses 30-35), His intention to punish the sinful inhabitants of Jerusalem by the sword, and by the famine and by the pestilence (v.36) and, finally, He promises the restoration of the land (verses 37-44).

Jer. 32:33 Rising up early: See the note for 7:13.

Jer. 32:35 Molech: The god of the Ammonites. See 49:1,3, where it's translated as "Milcom" (KJV-their king); Leviticus 18:21; 20:2-5 (KJV translates it as "Molech" in both verses).

Jer. 32:43,44 Jeremiah's gesture of buying the land from his cousin symbolizes the normal conditions that would prevail after the exile, when they will buy inheritances with money (see v.15; 33:10,12).

Jer. 33:1-26 Two additional proverbs are included in the book of consolation. The phrase that opens the chapter serves as a conductive wire to verses 1-13 (see 32:2) and represents a subsequent development to the theme stated in 32:15. The final section (verses 14-26) is a commentary on 23:5,6.

Jer. 33:3 GOD's firm promise is that if we cry out to Him, He will reveal great and hidden things (KJV-great and mighty things) that we don't know. See Psalms 4:3; 18:16; Matthew 7:7.

LITERARY RICHES

Jer. 33:3 Cry out (KJV-call), qara'; Strong #7121: To call to someone, exclaim, address someone, to cry out, proclaim or unburden oneself. Qara' often describes crying out to call someone's attention (Is. 58:1), or invoking the LORD or his holy name. (See Is. 55:6; Joel 2:32.) Sometimes qara' signifies "to name something", that is, calling it by its name, as GOD did when he called the light day and the darkness night (Gen. 1:5). In a similar way, qara' implies giving a name to places, feast days or children; for example, Leah praised the LORD for the birth of her son and gave him the name of Judah (Gen. 29:35). Compare Genesis 21:31; Esther 9:26. Qara' appears more than 700 times in the Scriptures.

KINGDOM DYNAMICS

Jer. 33:3 Divine Revelation and the Spiritual War, THE WAR OF THE FAITH. Prayer gives us revelatory perception, which is necessary to triumph in the spiritual war.

GOD promised Jeremiah, that if he called, not only would he answer, but he would reveal "great and hidden things", that couldn't be understood in any other way. The word "hidden", from the Hebrew batsar, is mostly translated as "isolated" or "inaccessible". It suggests that GOD would give Jeremiah "revelatory intuition", by revealing things that otherwise would remain isolated or inaccessible.

Such "revelatory intuition" has always been essential for the clear understanding of a victorious spiritual war. One can't pray effectively without a certain intuition about what to pray for, and also without knowing that GOD is truly anxious for us to seek him in prayer.

Jer. 33:4 The houses of the people and kings would often be demolished to reinforce the walls of the city or to facilitate them movement of troops into the residential perimeter.

Jer. 33:6-13 After punishment and repentance healing will come (see 3:22; 30:17), the captives will return (v.7), they will be cleansed of sin (v.8), and the city will be to its GOD a name of joy, a praise and a glory among all the nations of the earth. See the note for 30:1-33:26.

Jer. 33:11 The reverse of previous declarations of judgment (see 7:34; 16:9; 25:10).

Jer. 33:14-26 The words of 23:5,6 are repeated with minor variation in verses 15,16, and are further amplified in verses 17,18 to include the covenant with Levi. By bringing up this theme, GOD reaffirms the validity of His covenant with David and Levi.

Jer. 33:17 David will never lack a man: Indicates that David's dynasty will not expire. Although there hasn't always been someone to reign upon the throne of Judah, his lineage will be maintained and an eternal kingdom will ultimately be established. The angel Gabriel revealed to Mary that in Jesus this covenant will be fulfilled (Luke 1:32).

Jer. 33:20 My covenant of the day: See verse 25; Genesis 1:14-18; 8:22.

Jer. 34:1-35:19 This historical appendix closes the first great section of the book (chapters 2-35).

Jer. 34:1-7 While the city of Jerusalem was under siege (588 B.C.), and most of the fortified cities of Judah had fallen, Zedekiah was assured the he would be captured by the Babylonians, but he would have a peaceful death and be given the obligatory funeral honors. 21:1-10 deals with a gloomier account, and the treatment of Zedekiah by the Babylonians is offered in 52:8-11.

Jer. 34:1 Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom was enormous and he controlled an army formed of soldiers of several nations (Ezek. 26:7).

Jer. 34:3 And he shall speak to you mouth to mouth: fulfilled in 39:4-7.

Jer. 34:1-22 Zedekiah's Fate: (HBH) Despite these glowing promises of restoration, the immediate future remained bleak. During the Babylonian siege Jeremiah warned King Zedekiah that the Babylonians would conquer the city and take the king into exile. The prophet assured Zedekiah that he would die a peaceful, not violent, death and would receive an honorable burial.

Jeremiah also denounced the king's unjust treatment of slaves. During the siege Zedekiah and the citizens of Jerusalem pledged an oath to free all Hebrew slaves. Apparently in some cases this was done as an act of repentance for past failures in this regard (Jer. 34:13-15). However, ulterior motives must have been involved; for when the Babylonians lifted the siege, the slave owners reneged on their covenant and revoked the freedom of those just released. Jeremiah sarcastically declared that the LORD had granted these covenant violators "freedom" from their deceitful ways so that they might perish. When the LORD was through with them, they would be like one of the calves cut in two in a covenant making ceremony. The Babylonians would return to the city and destroy it.

Jer. 34:3 And he shall speak to you mouth to mouth: fulfilled in 39:4-7.

Jer. 34:7 Lachish and Azekah were cities fortified by Rehoboam, son of Solomon. Lachish, 44 km (26.4 miles) southwest of Jerusalem, was destroyed by Sennacherib in 701 B.C. and had now been placed under siege by Nebuchadnezzar. A conch belonging to that period, found en situ there, mentions Lachish and Azekah. Azekah was located 17 km (10.2 miles) northwest of Lachish and approximately 29 km (17.4 miles) west of Jerusalem.

Jer. 34:8-22 Presumably, the frightening situation of the city, under siege, led the people to examine their conscience, and many came to the conclusion that they hadn't treated their Hebrew slaves well. The slaves were liberated, but later on, when the situation worsened (perhaps the temporary withdrawal of the Babylonians, forced to confront the Egyptian army; see 37:5), many changed their mind and reimposed slavery.

Jer. 34:8 To proclaim liberty to them: See Leviticus 25:10 and the note for Leviticus 25:1-55.

Jer. 34:9 His manservant and his maidservant: A Hebrew had to be freed after serving seven years (Exod. 21:2-11).

Jer. 34:18 Dividing the calf into two parts and passing between them: The words "make" and "divide" come from the same root. "To make a covenant", generally, supposes swearing that curses would fall upon the one who fails to keep it (see Gen. 31:44-53; Ruth 1:17; I Sam. 25:22), and this was symbolized by cutting an animal into two parts and walking between them (see Gen. 15:10,17).

Jer. 34:18 CUTTING THE COVENANT (Manners & Customs of the Bible by James M. Freeman; pub. 1972 by Logos International; pp. 288,289)
"When they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof." This was a very ancient method of making a covenant. The two contracting parties slaughtered a victim, cut the body in two, and passed between the severed parts. Some writers hold that the design was to express a wish that, if the covenant should be broken, the same fate might befall the party violating it which had befallen the slain beast. Others think that it was intended to represent, that as the two divided parts belonged to one animal, so the two parties making the covenant were of one mind so far as the subject of the covenant was concerned. It is thought probable that the latter was the original design of the custom, and that the former notion was added to the meaning subsequently, or substituted for it when the original intention was forgotten. This old custom is referred to in the very expression which was used by the Hebrews to represent the making of a covenant. The phrase "make a covenant," which is so often used in the Old Testament, is literally, "to cut a covenant," (karath berith).

This ceremony was used when Jehovah made a covenant with Abram. See Genesis 15:10,17. "Ephraem Syrus observes that GOD condescended to follow the custom of the Chaldeans, that he might in the most solemn manner confirm his oath to Abram the Chaldean." - KEIL and DELITZSCH, Commentary in loco. The custom was widespread among ancient nations, and is often referred to by classical writers. There are traces of it even in modern times. Pitts, after narrating some of the superstitious customs of the Algerine pirates when a storm overtakes them at sea, continues: "If they find no succor from their before-mentioned rites and superstitions, but that the danger rather increases, then they go to sacrificing of a sheep, (or two or three upon occasion, as they think needful,) which is done after this manner: having cut off the head with a knife, they immediately take out the entrails, and throw them and the head overboard; and then with all the speed they can (without skinning) they cut the body into two parts by the middle, and throw one part over the right side of the ship and the other over the left, into the sea, as a kind of propitiation." - Religion and Manners of the Mahometans, chap. 2.

Jer. 34:21 Which has gone from you: The temporary retreat of the Babylonian forces to confront the Egyptian army (see 37:5).

Jer. 35:1-19 Jeremiah and the Recabites: (HBH) During the reign of Jehoiakim, the LORD instructed Jeremiah to invite the Recabite family to the temple and to offer them some wine. The Recabites were the descendants of Jonadab, son of Recab (II Kings 10:15-23), a zealous devotee of the LORD and opponent of Baal worship. Jonadab had commanded his descendants to follow a nomadic and ascetic life-style, which included total abstinence from wine. Over two hundred years later his descendants were still observing the regulations their forefather established. When Jeremiah set the wine before them, they refused to drink it, faithful to their ancestor's commands.

The Recabites were an object lesson to Judah and Jerusalem. Their unwavering devotion to their ancestor stood in stark contrast to unfaithful Judah's rejection of the LORD's prophets. Judgment would fall on Judah, but the LORD would preserve Jonadab's godly line.

Jer. 35:1-9 The Recabites were a nomadic religious order founded by Jonadab son of Recab in the 9th century B.C. (see II Kings 10:15,23). They refused to live in houses and didn't use any products from the vine. For 250 years they maintained the lifestyle imposed by the founders of the order. After Jeremiah invited the Recabites to drink wine and they refuse (verses 1-11), he spoke to the people and compared their disobedience to GOD's commandments with the faithfulness of the Recabites to the commandments of their human founder (verses 12-17). The chapter closes with a message to the Recabites and the promise that their faithfulness will remain unmovable.

Jer. 35:1 In the days of Jehoiakim: The mention of the armies of Babylonia (Chaldea) and Syria (v.11) suggest the date of 601 B.C.

Jer. 35:2 House of the Recabites: See verse 18. Because the Recabites were nomads and scorned people, the use of "house" here means "members of a clan or community".

Jer. 35:7 The prohibition against drinking wine was also accompanied by ones against building a house, sowing a seed and planting a vine. All these things were symbols to them of an urban and agrarian culture, which put the purity of worshiping Jehovah in danger.

Jer. 35:14 Rising early: See the note for 7:13.