Jeremiah 32:35-44

35 They built the high places of Baal ¹in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, ²to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, ³though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do ⁴this abomination, ⁵to cause Judah to sin.

They Shall Be My People; I Will Be Their God

36 “Now therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ⁶‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine, and by pestilence’:

37 ⁷Behold, I will gather them from all the countries ⁸to which I drove them in ⁹my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, ¹⁰and I will make them dwell in safety.

38 ¹¹And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

39 ¹²I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, ¹³for their own good and the good of their children after them.

40 ¹⁴I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. ¹⁵And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.

41 ¹⁶I will rejoice in doing them good, ¹⁷and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.

42 “For thus says the Lord: ¹⁸Just as I have brought all this great disaster upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good that I promise them.

43 ¹⁹Fields shall be bought in this land ²⁰of which you are saying, ‘It is a desolation, without man or beast; ²¹it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. ’

44 Fields shall be bought for money, and ²²deeds shall be signed and ²³sealed and ²⁴witnessed, ²⁵in the land of Benjamin, ²⁶in the places about Jerusalem, ²⁷and in the cities of Judah, ²⁸in the cities of the hill country, ²⁹in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negeb; for ³⁰I will restore their fortunes, declares the Lord. ”

Jeremiah 32:35-44 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

• 1. 32:35 ch. 7:31; See Josh. 18:16
• 2. 32:35 Lev. 18:21
• 3. 32:35 ch. 7:31
• 4. 32:35 [See ver. 34 above]
• 5. 32:35 [1 Kgs. 16:19]
• 6. 32:36 See ver. 3
• 7. 32:37 See ch. 23:3
• 8. 32:37 See ch. 8:3
• 9. 32:37 ch. 21:5; Deut. 29:28
• 10. 32:37 ch. 23:6; 33:16; Ezek. 34:25
• 11. 32:38 See ch. 30:22; 31:33
• 12. 32:39 Ezek. 11:19, 20
• 13. 32:39 Deut. 6:24
• 14. 32:40 ch. 50:5; Ps. 89:34; Isa. 55:3; Ezek. 16:60
• 15. 32:40 See ch. 31:33
• 16. 32:41 [Deut. 28:63]
• 17. 32:41 See ch. 24:6
• 18. 32:42 [ch. 31:28]
• 19. 32:43 ver. 15
• 20. 32:43 ch. 33:10
• 21. 32:43 See ver. 3
• 22. 32:44 ver. 10
• 23. 32:44 ver. 10
• 24. 32:44 ver. 10
• 25. 32:44 See ch. 17:26
• 26. 32:44 See ch. 17:26
• 27. 32:44 See ch. 17:26
• 28. 32:44 See ch. 17:26
• 29. 32:44 See ch. 17:26
• 30. 32:44 See ch. 30:3