Jeremiah 32:31-41

31 "Indeed this city has been to Me a 1provocation of My anger and My wrath from the day that they built it, even to this day, so that it should be 2removed from before My face,
32 because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah which they have done to provoke Me to anger -they, their 3kings, their leaders, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
33 "They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, 4teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction.
34 "But they 5put their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it.
35 "They built the 6high places of Baal that are in the valley of Ben-hinnom * to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to 7Molech, which I had not commanded them nor had it entered My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
36 "Now therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning this city of which you say, 'It is 8given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine and by pestilence.'
37 "Behold, I will 9gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and 10make them dwell in safety.
38 "They shall be 11My people, and I will be their God;
39 and I will 12give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always *, for their own 13good and for the good of their children after them.
40 "I will make an 14everlasting covenant with them that I will 15not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will 16put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.
41 "I will 17rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully 18plant them in this land with 19all My heart and with all My soul.

Jeremiah 32:31-41 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 32

This chapter contains an account of Jeremiah's imprisonment, and the cause of it; of his buying a field of his uncle's son, and the design of it; of his prayer to God, and of the answer returned to him. The time of his imprisonment, the place where, and the reasons of it, are observed in Jer 32:1-5; that his uncle's son would come and offer the sale of a field to him was told him by the Lord, which he did accordingly, Jer 32:6,7; of whom he bought the field, paid the money, had the purchase confirmed in a legal way, before witnesses, Jer 32:8-12; and the writings of it he committed to Baruch, to put in an earthen vessel, where they were to continue some time as a pledge of houses, fields, and vineyards, being possessed again after the captivity, Jer 32:13-15; then follows a prayer of his to the Lord, in which he addresses him as the Maker of all things; as the Lord God omnipotent; as a God of great grace and mercy, as well as strict justice; as a God of wisdom, counsel, and might, and an omniscient and righteous Being, Jer 32:16-19; and recounts the wonderful things he had done for the people of Israel, Jer 32:20-22; and observes the ingratitude and disobedience of that people, which were the cause of the present siege of the city, which should surely be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans, Jer 32:23-25; to which prayer an answer is returned, Jer 32:26; in which the Lord describes himself as the God of all flesh, and as able to do what he pleases, Jer 32:27; and confirms the delivery of the city of Jerusalem unto the Chaldeans, Jer 32:28,29; and assigns the causes of it, the backslidings, disobedience, and dreadful idolatry of the people, Jer 32:30-35; and, notwithstanding, promises a restoration of them to their own land again, Jer 32:36,37; when an opportunity is taken to insert the covenant of grace, and the special articles and peculiar promises of it, for the comfort of the spiritual Israel of God, whether Jews or Gentiles, Jer 32:38-40; and the chapter is concluded with a fresh assurance of the return of the captivity, and of the punctual performance of the promise of it; when fields should be bought in every part of the land, in like manner as Jeremiah had bought his, Jer 32:41-44.

Cross References 19

  • 1. 1 Kings 11:7, 8; 2 Kin 21:4-7, 16; Jeremiah 5:9-11; Jeremiah 6:6, 7; Matthew 23:37
  • 2. 2 Kings 23:27; 2 Kings 24:3, 4; Jeremiah 27:10
  • 3. Ezra 9:7; Is 1:4-6, 23; Jeremiah 2:26; Jeremiah 44:17, 21; Daniel 9:8
  • 4. 2 Chronicles 36:15, 16; Jeremiah 7:13; Jeremiah 25:3; Jeremiah 26:5; Jeremiah 35:15; John 8:2
  • 5. 2 Kings 21:1-7; Jeremiah 7:30; Jeremiah 19:4-6; Ezekiel 8:5
  • 6. 2 Chronicles 28:2, 3; 2 Chronicles 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31; Jeremiah 19:5
  • 7. Leviticus 18:21; Leviticus 20:2-5; 1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 23:10; Acts 7:43
  • 8. Jeremiah 32:24
  • 9. Deuteronomy 30:3; Psalms 106:47; Isaiah 11:11-16; Jeremiah 16:14, 15; Jeremiah 23:3, 8; Ezekiel 11:17; Hosea 1:11; Amos 9:14, 15
  • 10. Jeremiah 23:6; Ezekiel 34:25, 28; Zechariah 14:11
  • 11. Jeremiah 24:7
  • 12. 2 Chronicles 30:12; Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 11:19; John 17:21; Acts 4:32
  • 13. Deuteronomy 11:18-21; Ezekiel 37:25
  • 14. Isaiah 55:3; Jeremiah 31:33, 34; Jeremiah 50:5; Ezekiel 37:26
  • 15. Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Ezekiel 39:29
  • 16. Jeremiah 24:7; Jeremiah 31:33
  • 17. Deuteronomy 30:9; Isaiah 62:5; Isaiah 65:19
  • 18. Jeremiah 24:6; Jeremiah 31:28; Amos 9:15
  • 19. Hosea 2:19, 20

Footnotes 4

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