About Jeremiah

Jeremiah warned Judah of coming judgment for 40 years, yet proclaimed the hope of a new covenant.

Author: JeremiahWritten: c. 627-580 BCReading time: ~6 minVerses: 44
JudgmentNew CovenantRepentanceSufferingFaithfulnessHope

King James Version

Jeremiah 32

44 verses with commentary

Jeremiah Buys a Field

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>The tenth year of Zedekiah</strong> (598 BC) corresponds to <strong>the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar</strong> (Nebuchadnezzar)—the Babylonian spelling emphasizes historical accuracy. This synchronism anchors prophecy in verifiable history, demonstrating Scripture's historical reliability.<br><br>The careful dating (unique to Jeremiah among prophets) serves theological purpose: God act...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

XXXII. (1) **In the tenth year of Zedekiah . . .**—We are carried over a period of six years from the prophecy of Jeremiah 28:1 to B.C. 589, when the treacherous and intriguing policy of Zedekiah had provoked Nebuchadnezzar to besiege Jerusalem in the ninth year of the king of Judah’s reign, and the king, irritated by Jeremiah’s continued predictions of defeat, had imprisoned him in the dungeon fo...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**14. break forth--**"shall disclose itself." **Out of the north--**(Jr 4:6; 6:1, 22; 10:22; 25:9; Eze 26:7). The Chaldeans did not cast off the yoke of Assyria till several years after, under Nabopolassar, 625 B.C.; but long previously they had so increased as to threaten Assyria, which was now grown weak, and other neighboring peoples.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>The king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem</strong> (צַר, <em>tsar</em>—to bind, besiege, cause distress). The military term conveys more than tactical encirclement—it's covenantal language for divine judgment (Deuteronomy 28:52-53). God weaponizes Babylon against His own people.<br><br><strong>Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison</strong> (חֲצַר הַמַּטָּרָה, <em>...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**15. families--**the tribes or clans composing the various kingdoms of Babylon; the specification of these aggravates the picture of calamity (Jr 25:9). **throne at ... gates--**the usual place of administering justice. The conquering princes will set up their tribunal there (Jr 39:3, 5; 52:9). Or the reference is to the military pavilion (Jr 43:10) [Maurer].

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Wherefore dost thou prophesy</strong> (מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה נִבָּא, <em>maddua attah nibba</em>)—Zedekiah's question drips with irony. He imprisons Jeremiah for prophesying doom, yet cannot silence him. The confrontation echoes Ahab versus Micaiah (1 Kings 22): rulers reject unwelcome truth.<br><br><strong>Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon</strong>—The prophetic...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**16. utter--**pronounce. The judicial sentences, pronounced against the Jews by the invading princes, would be virtually the "judgments of God" (Is 10:5). **works--**idols.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Shall not escape</strong> (לֹא יִמָּלֵט, <em>lo yimmalet</em>)—emphatic negation. Despite Zedekiah's desperate measures, divine decree is inescapable. The phrase <strong>mouth to mouth</strong> and <strong>his eyes shall behold his eyes</strong> predicts personal confrontation—fulfilled precisely when Nebuchadnezzar forced Zedekiah to watch his sons' execution before blinding him (Jeremiah...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**17. gird ... loins--**resolutely prepare for thy appointed task. Metaphor from the flowing robes worn in the East, which have to be girt up with a girdle, so as not to incommode one, when undertaking any active work (Job 38:3; Lu 12:35; 1Pe 1:13). **dismayed ... confound--**the same Hebrew word; literally, "to break." Be not dismayed at their faces (before them), lest I make thee dismayed befo...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Until I visit him</strong> (עַד־פָּקְדִי אֹתוֹ, <em>ad-pokdi oto</em>)—The verb <em>paqad</em> means to attend to, visit, punish, or care for. Zedekiah would remain in Babylon until God 'visited' him—likely a euphemism for death (he died in captivity). The ambiguity reflects judgment and mercy: God doesn't abandon but will 'attend to' even in exile.<br><br><strong>Though ye fight with the ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(5) **There shall he be until I visit** **him . . .***—*The word for “visit” is ambiguous, being used elsewhere both for “punishing” and “delivering.” Its use in Jeremiah 29:10 is in favour of the latter meaning here. The prophet looks forward to a general deliverance, or at least mitigation of suffering, for the exiles in Babylon, and, though he does not in distinct terms predict that Zedekiah wi...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**18. defenced city, &amp;c.--**that is, I will give thee strength which no power of thine enemies shall overcome (Jr 6:27; 15:20; Is 50:7; 54:17; Lu 21:15; Ac 6:10). **walls--**plural, to express the abundant strength to be given him. De Rossi's'S manuscripts read singular, "wall." **people of the land--**the general masses, as distinguished from the princes and priests.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

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KJV Study Commentary

This verse introduces one of Scripture's most dramatic enacted prophecies. Jeremiah, imprisoned by King Zedekiah for prophesying Jerusalem's fall, receives God's word that his cousin Hanamel will offer to sell him a field in Anathoth. The precise prediction demonstrates divine foreknowledge and prepares Jeremiah for the coming transaction. When it unfolds exactly as God said, Jeremiah recognizes G...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.

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KJV Study Commentary

God specifies the exact transaction: Hanamel will offer his field in Anathoth, and Jeremiah has 'the right of redemption' to purchase it. This refers to the Levitical law of kinsman redemption (Leviticus 25:25-28; Ruth 4:1-6), which required the nearest relative to buy back family land to keep it in the family. Anathoth was in Benjamin's territory, assigned to the Levitical priests (Joshua 21:18),...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(7) **Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum . . .**—The teaching of the narrative that follows lies almost on the surface, and is brought out distinctly in Jeremiah 32:44. “With all the certainty of desolation, misery, exile in the immediate future, the prophet was to give a practical proof that he was as certain of the ultimate restoration. It was worth while to buy a field even for what might seem...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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So Hanameel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.

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KJV Study Commentary

When Hanamel arrives exactly as God predicted, Jeremiah recognizes this as confirmation: 'Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.' God's word proved reliable; the prophecy was fulfilled precisely. This confirmation strengthened Jeremiah's faith to proceed with the seemingly foolish purchase. The phrase 'in the court of the prison' reminds us that Jeremiah was confined for his faithfulness—...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(8) **Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth . . .**—We are not told what led Hanameel to make the offer of sale. Probably, as in the Assyrian invasion (Isaiah 10:30), Anathoth was occupied and ravaged by the army of the Chaldæans, and the field seemed to its possessor little more than a *damnosa hœreditas *(“an inheritance of ruin”), which he was glad to get rid of at any price. Perhaps, ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver. seventeen: or, seven shekels and ten pieces of silver

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>I bought the field of Hanameel</strong>—Jeremiah's symbolic purchase of land in occupied territory enacts prophetic hope. While imprisoned and prophesying doom, he invests in Judah's future. The Hebrew <em>qanah</em> (buy/redeem) connects to God's redemption of Israel (<em>go'el</em>—kinsman redeemer).<br><br><strong>Seventeen shekels of silver</strong> (שִׁבְעָה שְׁקָלִים וַעֲשָׂרָה הַכֶּ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(9) **Weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.**—The Hebrew presents the singular combination, *seven shekels and ten *[*pieces of*]* silver, *and is followed by the LXX. and Vulg. There is no ground for thinking that there is any difference between the coins or bullion so described, and the formula was probably one of the technicalities of Jewish conveyancing. As regards the price...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 2 Jr 2:1-37. Expostulation with the Jews, Reminding Them of Their Former Devotedness, and God's Consequent Favor, and a Denunciation of God's Coming Judgments for Their Idolatry. Probably in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah (Jr 1:2; compare Jr 3:6, "also ... in ... days of Josiah"). The warning not to rely as they did on Egypt (Jr 2:18), was in accordance with Josiah's policy, ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-20** When there was so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled. Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the Spirit from on high;...
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And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances. subscribed: Heb. wrote in the book

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.</strong> This verse describes Jeremiah's purchase of a field in Anathoth during Jerusalem's siege by Babylon—a prophetic sign-act demonstrating God's faithfulness to His covenant promises. The Hebrew <em>kahtov basefer</em> (כָּתוֹב בַּסֵּפֶר, "subscribed the evidence") refers to si...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(10) **And I subscribed the evidence . . .**—Literally, as in the margin, *I wrote in the book*—the last word being used for any kind of document, as for an indictment in Job 31:35, and here for a deed of conveyance. The minuteness with which the transaction is recorded is every way remarkable, partly as showing that the prophet was careful that no legal formality should be lacking to give validit...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**3. holiness unto the Lord--**that is, was consecrated to the service of Jehovah (Ex 19:5, 6). They thus answered to the motto on their high priest's breastplate, "Holiness to the Lord" (De 7:6; 14:2, 21). **first-fruits of his increase--**that is, of Jehovah's produce. As the first-fruits of the whole produce of the land were devoted to God (Ex 23:19; Nu 18:12, 13), so Israel was devoted to Hi...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-20** When there was so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled. Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the Spirit from on high;...
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So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>The evidence of the purchase</strong> (סֵפֶר הַמִּקְנָה, <em>sefer hammiqnah</em>—scroll of purchase) <strong>both that which was sealed...and that which was open</strong>—Ancient contracts used a dual-document system: one sealed (official, tamper-proof) and one open (accessible for reference). This matches archaeological discoveries of cuneiform tablets with sealed clay envelopes.<br><br>...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(11) **Both that which was sealed . . . and that which was open.**—We are left to conjecture why there were two documents, and why one was sealed and the other open. Possibly, as in modern transactions, one was simply a duplicate copy of the other, the sealed document being the formal evidence of purchase kept by the buyer, and the other left with the vendor for reference. The more probable explan...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**4. Jacob ... Israel--**the whole nation. **families--**(See on Jr 1:15). Hear God's word not only collectively, but individually (Zec 12:12-14).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-20** When there was so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled. Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the Spirit from on high;...
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And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah</strong>—Baruch (בָּרוּךְ, <em>Barukh</em>, meaning "blessed") served as Jeremiah's faithful scribe and secretary. This transaction witnessed by <em>edim</em> (עֵדִים, witnesses) followed ancient Near Eastern legal protocols requiring multiple witnesses for land transfers. The <em>sefer hammiqnah</em> (סֵפֶר הַמִּקְנָה, ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(12) **Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah.**—This is the first mention of a man who played a more or less prominent part in connection with Jeremiah’s later work. Nothing is known of his father or grandfather, but the fact that both are named indicates that he belonged to the nobler families of Judah; and this is confirmed, partly by the fact that his brother Seraiah (Jeremiah 51:59, wh...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**5. iniquity--**wrong done to them (Is 5:4; Mi 6:3; compare De 32:4). **walked after vanity--**contrasted with "walkest after me in the wilderness" (Jr 2:2): then I was their guide in the barren desert; now they take idols as their guides. **vanity ... vain--**An idol is not only vain (impotent and empty), but vanity itself. Its worshippers acquire its character, becoming vain as it is (De 7:...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-20** When there was so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled. Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the Spirit from on high;...
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And I charged Baruch before them, saying,

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And I charged Baruch before them, saying</strong>—The Hebrew <em>tsavah</em> (צָוָה) means to command, commission, or give orders, indicating authoritative instruction rather than casual request. Jeremiah's charge to Baruch was delivered publicly (<strong>before them</strong>) as the legal witnesses observed, ensuring accountability and establishing the prophetic nature of what followed. B...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**6. Neither said they, Where, &amp;c.--**The very words which God uses (Is 63:9, 11, 13), when, as it were, reminding Himself of His former acts of love to Israel as a ground for interposing in their behalf again. When they would not say, Where is Jehovah, &amp;c., God Himself at last said it for them (compare see on Jr 2:2). **deserts ... pits--**The desert between Mount Sinai and Palestine ab...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-20** When there was so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled. Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the Spirit from on high;...
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Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; 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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel</strong>—The covenant formula emphasizes divine authority: <em>YHWH Tseva'ot</em> (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, LORD of hosts), the sovereign commander of heavenly armies, and <em>Elohei Yisrael</em> (אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, God of Israel), Israel's covenant God. This combination assures that despite Babylon's siege, God remains sovereign and faithful to His...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(14) **Put them in an earthen vessel . . .**—We are reminded of the “earthen vessels” in which men kept their most precious treasures (2Corinthians 4:7). Such a vessel was obviously a better protection against damp or decay than one of wood, and was, as it were, the “safe” of a Jewish household. (See Note on Jeremiah 41:8.) In the “many days” we have an implied warning to the listeners that they w...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**7. plentiful--**literally, "a land of Carmel," or "well-cultivated land": a garden land, in contrast to the "land of deserts" (Jr 2:6). **defiled--**by idolatries (Jud 2:10-17; Psa 78:58, 59; 106:38). **you ... ye--**change to the second person from the third, "they" (Jr 2:6), in order to bring home the guilt to the living generation.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-20** When there was so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled. Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the Spirit from on high;...
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For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.

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KJV Study Commentary

After completing the transaction and sealing the deed, Jeremiah explains the symbolic significance: 'Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.' This declaration of hope comes at the darkest moment—Jerusalem besieged, defeat certain, exile imminent. Yet God promises restoration. The specific mention of houses, fields, and vineyards emphasizes normal life will resume: pe...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(15) **Houses and fields and vineyards . . .**—It is a natural, though, of course, not a certain inference, that the land which Jeremiah had purchased included the three items that are thus specified.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. The three leading classes, whose very office under the theocracy was to lead the people to God, disowned Him in the same language as the nation at large, "Where is the Lord?" (See Jr 2:6). **priests--**whose office it was to expound the law (Mal 2:6, 7). **handle--**are occupied with the law as the subject of their profession. **pastors--**civil, not religious: princes (Jr 3:15), whose du...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-20** When there was so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled. Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the Spirit from on high;...
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Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying,

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch...I prayed unto the LORD</strong>—Having completed the prophetic sign-act of purchasing the field, Jeremiah immediately turned to prayer (<em>palal</em>, פָּלַל, to intercede or meditate). This transition from obedient action to earnest prayer models the proper response to God's mysterious providence. Jeremiah had obeyed God...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(16) **I prayed unto the Lord.**—The prophet, it is obvious, records his own prayer. Nowhere, perhaps—the prayer of Ezra (Ezra 9:5-15), of Hezekiah (Isaiah 37:16-20), of Daniel (Daniel 9:4-19), being the nearest parallels—do the writings of the Old Testament present us with so striking an example of the manner in which a devout Israelite poured out his heart to God, dwelling on the greatness of Hi...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**9. yet plead--**namely, by inflicting still further judgments on you. **children's children--**Three manuscripts and Jerome omit "children's"; they seem to have thought it unsuitable to read "children's children," when "children" had not preceded. But it is designedly so written, to intimate that the final judgment on the nation would be suspended for many generations [Horsley]. (Compare Eze 2...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-20** When there was so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled. Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the Spirit from on high;...
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Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: too: or, hid from thee

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KJV Study Commentary

After completing the purchase, Jeremiah prays, beginning with worship of God as Creator. 'Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm'—this grounds everything that follows. The God who spoke creation into existence by His word has unlimited power. The phrase 'there is nothing too hard for thee' (<em>lo yippale mimeka kol davar</em>, לֹא־יִפָּלֵא מִמְּךָ֖ כָּל־ד...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(17) **There is nothing too hard for thee.**—The thought of the omnipotence of God was here, as always, the ground of prayer. The occurrence of the self-same phrase in Genesis 18:14 shows that it had been, even from patriarchal times, one of the axioms of the faith of Israel. We note its repetition in Jeremiah 32:27.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**10. pass over the isles--**rather, "cross over to the isles." **Chittim ... Kedar--**that is, the heathen nations, west and east. Go where you will, you cannot find an instance of any heathen nation forsaking their own for other gods. Israel alone does this. Yet the heathen gods are false gods; whereas Israel, in forsaking Me for other gods, forsake their "glory" for unprofitable idols. **Ch...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-20** When there was so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled. Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the Spirit from on high;...
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Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name,

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands</strong>—The Hebrew <em>chesed</em> (חֶסֶד) denotes covenant loyalty, steadfast love, unfailing kindness—God's committed faithfulness to His covenant people despite their unfaithfulness. <strong>Unto thousands</strong> echoes Exodus 20:6, where God shows <em>chesed</em> to thousands of generations of those who love Him. This contrasts with the fol...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(18) **Thou showest lovingkindness unto thousands . . .**—The words are, in part, an echo from Exodus 20:6, yet more from the revelation of the Divine glory in Exodus 34:7. They recognise the laws of a righteous retribution, working even through the seeming injustice of that visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children which is inseparable from the continuity of family or national life, and ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**11. glory--**Jehovah, the glory of Israel (Psa 106:20; Ro 1:23). The Shekinah, or cloud resting on the sanctuary, was the symbol of "the glory of the Lord" (1Ki 8:11; compare Ro 9:4). The golden calf was intended as an image of the true God (compare Ex 32:4, 5), yet it is called an "idol" (Ac 7:41). It (like Roman Catholic images) was a violation of the second commandment, as the heathen multipl...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-20** When there was so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled. Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the Spirit from on high;...
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Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings: work: Heb. doing

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Great in counsel, and mighty in work</strong>—The Hebrew <em>gadol etsah</em> (גְּדֹל עֵצָה, great in counsel) emphasizes God's perfect wisdom and purposeful planning, while <em>rav aliliyah</em> (רַב עֲלִילִיָּה, mighty in work/deed) highlights His power to accomplish His purposes. God doesn't merely plan wisely—He executes His plans effectively. This combination assures that nothing catc...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(19) **Great in counsel . . .**—So far as this is more than the continuance of the adoring ecstasy of the previous verse, it gives a fresh prominence to the law of direct, equitable, individual retribution. No law of the transmission of the inheritance of good or evil will be found, in the long-run, to clash with that.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

12. Impassioned personification (Is 1:2). **horribly afraid--**rather, be horrified." **be ... very desolate--**rather, "be exceedingly aghast" at the monstrous spectacle. Literally, "to be dried up," or "devastated," (places devastated have such an unsightly look) [Maurer].

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-20** When there was so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled. Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the Spirit from on high;...
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Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day;

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day</strong>—Jeremiah recalls the <em>otot u-mofetim</em> (אֹתוֹת וּמֹפְתִים, signs and wonders)—the miraculous plagues through which God delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 7-12). The phrase <strong>even unto this day</strong> emphasizes that these historical acts of deliverance continued to testify to God's ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(20) **Even unto this day . . .**—The reference to the signs and wonders in Egypt seems natural enough, but in what sense, we ask, could those wonders have been said to have been wrought “unto this day”? It is conceivable that what he had heard of the frogs, and the lice, and the boils of Egypt might seem to Jeremiah the perpetuation, in part, of the old plagues; but we get, perhaps, an adequate m...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**13. two evils--**not merely one evil, like the idolaters who know no better; besides simple idolatry, My people add the sin of forsaking the true God whom they have known; the heathen, though having the sin of idolatry, are free from the further sin of changing the true God for idols (Jr 2:11). **forsaken me--**The Hebrew collocation brings out the only living God into more prominent contrast ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 9-20** When there was so much provocation given to the holy God, bad times might be expected. Alas! how many careless ones there are, who support self-indulgence by shameful niggardliness! We deserve to be deprived of the supports of life, when we make them the food of lusts. Let such tremble and be troubled. Blessed times shall be brought in by the pouring out of the Spirit from on high;...
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And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders</strong>—Jeremiah continues his Exodus remembrance, emphasizing that Israel's deliverance was accomplished <strong>with signs</strong> (<em>be-otot</em>, בְּאֹתוֹת, miraculous indicators of divine intervention) <strong>and with wonders</strong> (<em>u-ve-mofetim</em>, וּבְמֹפְתִים, extraordinary ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(21-23) **And hast brought forth thy people Israel . . .**—The verses travel over ground so familiar as to require no comment, but the parallelism with Deuteronomy 26:8, with the other prophetic prayers above referred to, and with Psalm 136:11-12, is significant. The thoughts of all true worshippers moved more or less in the same groove, and clothed themselves in the same language, when they medit...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**14. is he a homeborn slave--**No. "Israel is Jehovah's son, even His first-born" (Ex 4:22). Jr 2:16, 18, 36, and the absence of any express contrast of the two parts of the nation are against Eichorn's view, that the prophet proposes to Judah, as yet spared, the case of Israel (the ten tribes) which had been carried away by Assyria as a warning of what they might expect if they should still put ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them</strong>—God's gift of Canaan fulfilled the covenant promises made to Abraham (Genesis 12:7, 15:18-21), Isaac (Genesis 26:3-4), and Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15). The Hebrew <em>nishba</em> (נִשְׁבַּע, swear) indicates a solemn oath. When God swears by Himself (Hebrews 6:13), His promise is absolutely certain—He...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**15. lions--**the Babylonian princes (Jr 4:7; compare Am 3:4). The disaster from the Babylonians in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign, and again three years later when, relying on Egypt, he revolted from Nebuchadnezzar, is here referred to (Jr 46:2; 2Ki 24:1, 2).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law</strong>—Jeremiah acknowledges the tragic irony: God fulfilled His promise by giving Israel the land, but Israel failed to fulfill their covenant obligation. <em>Shama be-qolekha</em> (שָׁמַע בְּקוֹלֶךָ, obeyed Your voice) means to hear with the intent to obey—covenant faithfulness required listeni...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**16. Noph ... Tahapanes--**Memphis, capital of Lower Egypt, on the west bank of the Nile, near the pyramids of Gizeh, opposite the site of modern Cairo. Daphne, on the Tanitic branch of the Nile, near Pelusium, on the frontier of Egypt towards Palestine. Is 30:4 contracts it, Hanes. These two cities, one the capital, the other that with which the Jews came most in contact, stand for the whole of ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it. mounts: or, engines of shot

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it</strong> (הִנֵּה הַסֹּלְלוֹת בָּאוּ הָעִיר)—The siege <em>sollot</em> (ramparts, siege mounds) were earthwork ramps built by attackers to breach city walls. Jeremiah acknowledges God's prophetic word has come to pass: <strong>what thou hast spoken is come to pass</strong>. The threefold judgment—<strong>sword, famine, pestilence</st...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(24) **Behold the mounts . . .**—The mounts (better, *mounds*) are (as in Jeremiah 6:6, where see Note) the banks or towers of wood which formed the chief part of ancient siege operations. What the prophet had then predicted had now come to pass, and Jerusalem was now exposed to the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, which were its inevitable accompaniments. And it was at such a time as this, ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17. Literally, "Has not thy forsaking the Lord ... procured this (calamity) to thee?" So the Septuagint: the Masoretic accents make "this" the subject of the verb, leaving the object to be understood. "Has not this procured (it, that is, the impending calamity) unto thee, that hast forsaken?" &amp;c. (Jr 4:18). **led--**(De 32:10). **the way--**The article expresses the right way, the way of t...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. for the: or, though the

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KJV Study Commentary

Jeremiah restates his dilemma: <strong>Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses</strong>—God commanded a legally binding real estate transaction (with witnesses for validity) while simultaneously declaring <strong>the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans</strong>. The Hebrew <em>qanah</em> (קָנָה, buy/acquire) suggests permanent possession, not temporary lease.<br><br>This verse ca...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**18. now--**used in a reasoning sense, not of time. **the way of Egypt--**What hast thou to do with the way, that is, with going down to Egypt; or what ... with going to Assyria? **drink ... waters--**that is, to seek reinvigorating aid from them; so Jr 2:13, 36; compare "waters," meaning numerous forces (Is 8:7). **Sihor--**that is, the black river, in Greek, Melas ("black"), the Nile: so ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah</strong> (וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהוָה אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ)—The divine response formula signals God's gracious answer to Jeremiah's honest perplexity. God doesn't rebuke the prophet's questioning but addresses it directly. The phrase <em>davar-YHWH</em> (דְבַר־יְהוָה, word of the LORD) appears over 230 times in Jeremiah, emphasizing that despite national ap...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**19. correct ... reprove--**rather, in the severer sense, "chastise ... punish" [Maurer]. **backslidings--**"apostasies"; plural, to express the number and variety of their defections. The very confederacies they entered into were the occasion of their overthrow (Pr 1:31; Is 3:9; Ho 5:5). **know ... see--**imperative for futures: Thou shalt know and see to thy cost. **my fear--**rather, "th...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

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KJV Study Commentary

God responds to Jeremiah's prayer by echoing his own words: 'Is there any thing too hard for me?' This rhetorical question expects the answer 'No!' God identifies Himself as 'the LORD, the God of all flesh'—sovereign over all humanity, not just Israel. His power extends over all nations, including Babylon. What He purposes, He accomplishes. The field purchase will be vindicated; houses, fields, an...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(27) **Is there any thing too hard for me?**—The answer to the prayer is an echo of the prayer itself (Jeremiah 32:17). The prophet is assured that he was not wrong when he cast himself, in the full confidence of faith, on the loving omnipotence of God. The words which he had used were more than a liturgical formula to one who had that confidence.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**20. I--**the Hebrew should be pointed as the second person feminine, a form common in Jeremiah: "Thou hast broken," &amp;c. So the Septuagint, and the sense requires it. **thy yoke ... bands--**the yoke and bands which I laid on thee, My laws (Jr 5:5). **transgress--**so the Keri, and many manuscripts read. But the Septuagint and most authorities read, "I will not serve," that is, obey. The ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans</strong>—God answers Jeremiah by confirming the judgment. The divine passive <strong>I will give</strong> (נֹתֵן אָנֹכִי) emphasizes God's active sovereignty; Babylon is merely His instrument. <strong>Nebuchadrezzar</strong> (נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר)—the Hebrew spelling—is identified as God's appointed age...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

21. The same image as in De 32:32; Psa 80:8, 9; Is 5:1, &amp;c. **unto me--**with respect to Me.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>The Chaldeans...shall come and set fire on this city</strong>—Literal fulfillment came in 587 BC when Babylon burned Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:9). God specifies why: <strong>upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods</strong>. Rooftop worship was common in ancient Israel (Jeremiah 19:13, Zephaniah 1:5), turning domestic space into idola...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(29) **Upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal . . .**—On the mode of worship to which the words refer, see Note on Jeremiah 19:13. Here the leading thought is that of the righteous judgment which is to fall on the very spots that had thus been turned from the worship of Jehovah to that of the false gods whom men had worshipped in His stead. The incense-smoke of their false worship ha...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**22. nitre--**not what is now so called, namely, saltpeter; but the natron of Egypt, a mineral alkali, an incrustation at the bottom of the lakes, after the summer heat has evaporated the water: used for washing (compare Job 9:30; Pr 25:20). **soap--**potash, the carbonate of which is obtained impure from burning different plants, especially the kali of Egypt and Arabia. Mixed with oil it was u...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>The children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth</strong>—God indicts both the northern kingdom (Israel, exiled 722 BC) and southern kingdom (Judah). The phrase <strong>from their youth</strong> (מִנְּעֻרֵיהֶם) recalls Israel's wilderness rebellion (Exodus 32, Numbers 14), not just recent apostasy. The adverb <strong>only</strong> (אַךְ, <em>a...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(30) **The children of Israel have only provoked me to anger . . .**—The words “the children of Israel” are apparently taken with a different range of extension in the two clauses—(1) for the northern kingdom, as contrasted with Judah; and (2) for the collective unity of Israel before, and perhaps also after, the division of the monarchy. The latter words of the verse reproduce Deuteronomy 31:29.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

23. (Pr 30:12). **Baalim--**plural, to express manifold excellency: compare Elohim. **see--**consider. **the valley--**namely, of Hinnom, or Tophet, south and east of Jerusalem: rendered infamous by the human sacrifices to Moloch in it (compare Jr 19:2, 6, 13, 14; 32:35; see on Is 30:33). **thou art--**omit. The substantive that follows in this verse (and also that in Jr 2:24) is in apposi...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face, a provocation: Heb. for my anger

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>This city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it</strong>—A shocking statement: Jerusalem, the City of David, God's chosen dwelling place, has been a source of divine wrath <strong>from the day they built it</strong>. The Hebrew <em>ka'as</em> (provocation) and <em>chemah</em> (חֵמָה, fury/wrath) are intensified together. This isn't de...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(31) **From the day that they built it . . .**—The words confirm the inference already drawn in the preceding note, that the thoughts of the prophet turn to the time when Israel was yet one people under David and Solomon. Even then, he seems to say, the city had fallen far short of the holiness which it ought to have attained. and which David sought for it (Psalms 15-24), and had only been *for an...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

24. (Jr 14:6; Job 39:5). "A wild ass," agreeing with "thou" (Jr 2:23). **at her pleasure--**rather, "in her ardor," namely, in pursuit of a male, sniffing the wind to ascertain where one is to be found [Maurer]. **occasion--**either from a Hebrew root, "to meet"; "her meeting (with the male for sexual intercourse), who can avert it?" Or better from an Arabic root: "her heat (sexual impulse), w...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger</strong>—God catalogs the comprehensive guilt: <strong>they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem</strong>. Every societal stratum participated in covenant rebellion—political leaders (ki...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**25. Withhold, &amp;c.--**that is, abstain from incontinence; figuratively for idolatry [Houbigant]. **unshod, &amp;c.--**do not run so violently in pursuing lovers, as to wear out thy shoes: do not "thirst" so incontinently after sexual intercourse. Hitzig thinks the reference is to penances performed barefoot to idols, and the thirst occasioned by loud and continued invocations to them. **n...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction. back: Heb. neck

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>They have turned unto me the back, and not the face</strong> (פָּנוּ אֵלַי עֹרֶף וְלֹא פָנִים)—A vivid Hebrew idiom for contemptuous rejection. To show someone your back was deliberate disrespect; turning your face toward someone showed honor and attention. Despite God <strong>rising up early and teaching them</strong> (הַשְׁכֵּם וְלַמֵּד)—a Jeremianic phrase (7:13, 25:3-4, 35:14) depictin...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(33) **They have turned unto me the back . . .—**It will be remembered that this image was more or less a favourite one with the prophet. (See Notes on Jeremiah 2:27; Jeremiah 7:24.) The same holds good of the “rising up early.” (See Notes on Jeremiah 7:13; Jeremiah 7:25.)

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**26. is ashamed--**is put to shame. **thief--**(Joh 10:1). **Israel--**that is, Judah (Jr 2:28).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>They set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it</strong> (וַיָּשִׂימוּ שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶם בַּבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר־נִקְרָא־שְׁמִי עָלָיו לְטַמְּאוֹ)—The ultimate desecration: placing <em>shiqquts</em> (שִׁקּוּץ, detestable idols) in <strong>the house called by my name</strong>, i.e., the Jerusalem temple. Historical precedent includes Manasseh's Asherah pole in the te...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(34, 35) **They set their abominations in my house . . .**—On the sins thus referred to, see Notes on Jeremiah 7:30-31, which are here almost verbally reproduced.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**27. Thou art my father--**(Contrast Jr 3:4; Is 64:8). **in ... trouble they will say--**namely, to God (Psa 78:34; Is 26:16). Trouble often brings men to their senses (Lu 15:16-18).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>They built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech</strong>—Child sacrifice in the Hinnom Valley (Hebrew <em>Gei Ben-Hinnom</em>, later Gehenna, Jesus's word for hell). <em>Ba'al</em> and <em>Molech</em> were distinct Canaanite deities, both demanding child sacrifice. To 'pass throug...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**28. But--**God sends them to the gods for whom they forsook Him, to see if they can help them (De 32:37, 38; Jud 10:14). **according to the number of thy cities--**Besides national deities, each city had its tutelary god (Jr 11:13).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence</strong>—God quotes the people's fatalistic assessment. After recounting Judah's sins (vv. 28-35), God pivots to restoration. The threefold judgment formula—<strong>sword, famine, pe...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**29. plead with me--**that is, contend with Me for afflicting you (Jr 2:23, 35).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:

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KJV Study Commentary

God promises comprehensive restoration: gathering from 'all countries,' bringing them back to 'this place,' causing them to 'dwell safely.' Note that God takes responsibility for the scattering—'whither I have driven them in mine anger'—yet promises to reverse it in mercy. This demonstrates that God's anger is temporal, directed at sin's punishment, while His love is eternal, securing ultimate ble...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

30. (Jr 5:3; 6:29; Is 1:5; 9:13). **your children--**that is, your people, you. **your ... sword ... devoured ... prophets--**(2Ch 36:16; Ne 9:26; Mt 23:29, 31).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:

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KJV Study Commentary

This is the covenant formula appearing throughout Scripture—'they shall be my people, and I will be their God' (Exodus 6:7; Leviticus 26:12; Ezekiel 37:27; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Revelation 21:3). It expresses mutual belonging and relationship: God possesses them as His special people, and they possess Him as their covenant God. This relationship is the essence of salvation—not merely forgiveness of ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

31. The Hebrew collocation is, "O, the generation, ye," that is, "O ye who now live." The generation needed only to be named, to call its degeneracy to view, so palpable was it. **wilderness--**in which all the necessaries of life are wanting. On the contrary, Jehovah was a never-failing source of supply for all Israel's wants in the wilderness, and afterwards in Canaan. **darkness--**literall...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: for ever: Heb. all days

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KJV Study Commentary

God promises internal transformation: 'I will give them one heart, and one way.' The divided, double-minded heart that served both God and idols will be replaced with a unified heart devoted solely to God. 'One way' means a consistent path of obedience rather than vacillating between faithfulness and rebellion. This is God's work—'I will give'—not human achievement. The purpose: 'that they may fea...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(39) **I will give them one heart, and one way.—**The previous verse has described the restoration of Israel in the old familiar all-inclusive terms—“They shall be my people, and I will be their God” (Exodus 6:7; Deuteronomy 14:2; Hosea 2:23). Here a new feature is added. The prophet, in his vision of the future, in place of the discords of the present—some serving Jehovah, and some Baal and Molec...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

32. Oriental women greatly pride themselves on their ornaments (compare Is 61:10). **attire--**girdles for the breast. **forgotten me--**(Jr 13:25; Ho 8:14).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. from them: Heb. from after them

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KJV Study Commentary

God promises an 'everlasting covenant' that cannot be broken. Unlike the Mosaic covenant which Israel broke (31:32), this covenant is secured by divine initiative and power. Two key promises: (1) 'I will not turn away from them, to do them good' —God commits to perpetual beneficence toward His people; (2) 'I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me'—God will work intern...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(40) **I will make an everlasting covenant . . .—**The “covenant” thus promised is, it must be remembered, identical with that of Jeremiah 31:31—the “new covenant,” which shall never wax old and decay, but shall abide for ever. “My fear” is identical with “the fear of the Lord,” which is “the beginning of wisdom.” The curse of Israel had been that they had been without that fear to restrain them f...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**33. Why trimmest--**Maurer translates, "How skilfully thou dost prepare thy way," &amp;c. But see 2Ki 9:30. "Trimmest" best suits the image of one decking herself as a harlot. **way--**course of life. **therefore--**accordingly. Or else, "nay, thou hast even," &amp;c. **also ... wicked ones--**even the wicked harlots, that is, (laying aside the metaphor) even the Gentiles who are wicked, t...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. assuredly: Heb. in truth, or, stability

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KJV Study Commentary

God declares He will 'rejoice over them to do them good'—a remarkable statement of divine delight in blessing His people. God is not reluctant or grudging in His goodness but takes joy in it. Zephaniah 3:17 says God 'will joy over thee with singing.' This overturns the pagan view of gods as capricious beings who must be appeased. The true God delights to bless His people, and this delight motivate...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(41) **I will plant them in this land assuredly.—**Literally, *in truth, *as in 1Samuel 12:24, and elsewhere. By some interpreters the words have been referred to the stability of possession implied in the promise, but it is better to see in them an attestation of the faithfulness of the Promiser. In meaning, as in form, the word corresponds closely with the frequent “Amen,” “Verily, verily,” in o...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**34. Also--**not only art thou polluted with idolatry, but also with the guilt of shedding innocent blood [Maurer]. Rosenmuller not so well translates, "even in thy skirts," &amp;c.; that is, there is no part of thee (not even thy skirts) that is not stained with innocent blood (Jr 19:4; 2Ki 21:16; Psa 106:38). See as to innocent blood shed, not as here in honor of idols, but of prophets for havi...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people</strong> (כַּאֲשֶׁר הֵבֵאתִי אֶל־הָעָם הַזֶּה אֵת כָּל־הָרָעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה הַזֹּאת)—God's parallel sovereignty over calamity and restoration. The Hebrew <em>ra'ah gedolah</em> (great evil) refers not to moral evil but catastrophic judgment—the Babylonian conquest and exile. Divine agency is explicit: 'I have brought' (הֵבֵאתִי, he...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

35. (Jr 2:23, 29).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And fields shall be bought in this land</strong> (וְנִקְנָה הַשָּׂדֶה בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת)—normal commercial transactions resume, reversing desolation. The verb <em>qanah</em> (קָנָה, buy/acquire) is the same used of Jeremiah's purchase (v. 9), now generalized to all returnees. This contradicts the people's despairing assessment: <strong>whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast</st...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(43, 44) **And fields shall be bought in this land . . .**—The significance of the whole transaction of the purchase of the field in Anathoth is again solemnly confirmed. Men were desponding, as though the land were to belong to the Chaldæans for ever. They are told that the very region which was now covered with their encampments should once again be possessed freely by its own people. In the “mo...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**36. gaddest--**runnest to and fro, now seeking help from Assyria (2Ch 28:16-21), now from Egypt (Jr 37:7, 8; Is 30:3).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them</strong> (יִקְנוּ שָׂדוֹת בַּכֶּסֶף וְכָתוֹב בַּסֵּפֶר וְחָתוֹם)—meticulous legal detail mirrors Jeremiah's purchase transaction (vv. 9-12, 44). Hebrew <em>kathov basefer</em> (write in the deed) and <em>chatom</em> (seal) reflect ancient Near Eastern property law requiring written contracts, witness attestation, and se...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**37. him--**Egypt. **hands upon ... head--**expressive of mourning (2Sa 13:19). **in them--**in those stays in which thou trustest.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 32 Times of peace and happiness. (Is. 32:1-8) An interval of trouble, yet comfort and blessings in the end. (Is. 32:9-20) **Verses 1-8** Christ our righteous King, and his true disciples, are evidently here intended. The consolations and graces of his Spirit are as rivers of water in this dry land; and as the overhanging rock affords refreshing shade and shelter to the weary travelle...
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