Jeremiah 32:9

9 And I buy the field, that [is] in Anathoth, from Hanameel, my uncle's son, and I weigh to him the money -- seventeen shekels of silver.

Jeremiah 32:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 32:9

And I bought the field of Hanameel mine uncle's son; that
[was] in Anathoth
The prophet agreed with his cousin to take his field of him, at a certain price hereafter mentioned; which may seem strange in one that was a poor prophet, now a prisoner, and the land just going to be subject to the Chaldeans: but the design of this was to show that there would be a return from captivity, when houses and fields should be bought and sold again, of which this was a pledge: and weighed him the money;
agreed upon, which was reckoned not by tale, but by weight: [even] seventeen shekels of silver;
which, reckoning a shekel at half a crown, were no more than two pounds, two shillings, and sixpence; a small sum of money to make a purchase of a field with; though this may be accounted for by the scarcity of money, the field in the hand of the enemy, there being only his kinsman's life in it, the prophet bought the reversion, being his of right; and, besides, it might be only an orchard or garden that is so called. In the Hebrew text it is, "seven shekels and ten [pieces of] silver": and Kimchi and Ben Melech say, that by "shekels" are meant minas or pounds; and by "pieces of silver", selahs or shekels: and so the Targum renders it,

``seven minas, and ten shekels of silver.''

Now a minah or maneh, according to ( Ezekiel 45:12 ) ; was equal to sixty shekels, and so of the value of seven pounds, ten shillings; seven of these made fifty two pounds, ten shillings; and the other ten shekels being one pound, five shillings, the whole amounted to fifty three pounds, fifteen shillings, which would purchase a considerable field.

Jeremiah 32:9 In-Context

7 Lo, Hanameel son of Shallum, thine uncle, is coming unto thee, saying, Buy for thee my field that [is] in Anathoth, for thine [is] the right of redemption -- to buy.

8 And Hanameel, my uncle's son, cometh in unto me, according to the word of Jehovah, unto the court of the prison, and saith unto me, `Buy, I pray thee, my field that [is] in Anathoth, that [is] in the land of Benjamin, for thine [is] the right of possession, and thine of redemption -- buy for thee.' And I know that it [is] the word of Jehovah,

9 And I buy the field, that [is] in Anathoth, from Hanameel, my uncle's son, and I weigh to him the money -- seventeen shekels of silver.

10 And I write in a book, and seal, and cause witnesses to testify, and weigh the silver in balances;

11 And I take the purchase-book, the sealed one, according to law and custom, and the open one.