Jeremiah 32 9

Jeremiah 32:9 kjv

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.

Jeremiah 32:9 nkjv

So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money?seventeen shekels of silver.

Jeremiah 32:9 niv

so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels of silver.

Jeremiah 32:9 esv

"And I bought the field at Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver.

Jeremiah 32:9 nlt

So I bought the field at Anathoth, paying Hanamel seventeen pieces of silver for it.

Jeremiah 32 verses

Jeremiah 32 9 Meaning

The act of purchasing a field, a seemingly mundane transaction, signifies Jeremiah's unwavering faith in God's promised restoration of Israel. Despite the current desolation and imminent destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, God instructed Jeremiah to buy the field, thereby asserting faith in the future rebuilding and repopulation of the land. It is a tangible demonstration of believing in a divine promise against all odds.

Jeremiah 32 9 Context

Jeremiah prophesied during a turbulent period in Judah's history, preceding and during the Babylonian exile. The southern kingdom was on the brink of utter destruction, with Babylon having already conquered significant parts of the region and laid siege to Jerusalem. The people were disheartened, facing the stark reality of national collapse and divinely ordained judgment for their persistent idolatry and unfaithfulness. In chapter 32, Jeremiah is imprisoned by King Zedekiah for his pronouncements of doom. Despite this dire context, God commands Jeremiah to purchase the ancestral field of his cousin Hanamel, symbolizing a radical act of faith in the future restoration of the land, even when it appears to be irrevocably lost. This instruction contrasts sharply with the imminent military defeat and economic ruin that the people perceived.

Jeremiah 32 9 Word Analysis

• "And": Conjunction connecting Jeremiah's actions to God's instructions.
• "I": Jeremiah, the prophet.
• "bought": Past tense of "buy." The Hebrew word is qanah (קָנָה), which can mean "to buy," "acquire," or "possess." This broader sense hints at the ultimate divine possession and redemption of the land.
• "the": Definite article specifying the particular field.
• "field": Hebrew: sadeh (שָׂדֶה). Refers to an open land, agricultural land, a plot of ground. It represents earthly possessions, inheritance, and a place of livelihood.
• "at": Preposition indicating location.
• "Anathoth": Hebrew: Anatot (עֲנָתוֹת). A Levitical city north of Jerusalem. It was Jeremiah's own hometown, adding a personal and ancestral dimension to the purchase. It was a place likely to be considered ruined and undesirable due to the coming invasion.
• "which": Relative pronoun introducing a description of the field.
• "was": Past tense, indicating the current state of the field from Jeremiah's perspective.
• "mine": Possessive pronoun, signifying Jeremiah's legal right or ownership (even if as a relative).
• "that": Conjunction introducing the clause that follows.
• "of": Preposition indicating belonging or source.
• "my": Possessive pronoun referring to Jeremiah.
• "kinsman": Hebrew: gōʾēl (גֹּאֵל). This term has significant legal and familial implications. The go'el was a kinsman-redeemer, responsible for buying back land that a family had lost, or for avenging bloodshed. This term imbues the transaction with the concept of redemption. Hanamel was Jeremiah’s kinsman.
• "Hanamel": Hebrew: Ḥanamel (חֲנַמְאֵל). Jeremiah's cousin, the seller of the field.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "the": Definite article.
• "price": Hebrew: mᵉkhir (מְכִיר). The cost or value.
• "of": Preposition.
• "the": Definite article.
• "field": sadeh (שָׂדֶה) again, reinforcing the object of the transaction.
• "was": Past tense.
• "seven": Hebrew: sheva (שֶׁבַע). A number often associated with completion, perfection, or a full period of time. This detail may underscore the completeness of the transaction, or perhaps allude to future periods of fulfillment or completion related to land and inheritance promises.
• "shekels": Hebrew: shekel (שֶׁקֶל). A unit of weight and currency used in ancient Israel.
• "of": Preposition.
• "silver": Hebrew: kesef (כֶּסֶף). Precious metal, valuable currency.
• "and": Conjunction.
• "twenty": Hebrew: ʿeśrîm (עֶשְׂרִים).
• "to": Preposition indicating relationship or addition.
• "ten": Hebrew: ʿaśar (עָשָׂר). So, "seventy shekels of silver." The amount itself might not be significant beyond representing a legitimate purchase price, adding credibility to the transaction. However, the purchase at a seemingly nominal (though precise) amount might hint at a deep recognition of its inherent value tied to future divine restoration. The explicit mentioning of the precise sum grounds the prophetic act in mundane reality.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "bought the field at Anathoth, which was mine, that of my kinsman Hanamel": This phrase establishes the concrete nature of the act and its personal significance. Anathoth was Jeremiah's hometown, making this not just a symbolic purchase, but one tied to his own ancestral lands. The fact that it was his kinsman's land, and potentially could be his own, emphasizes the blood tie and the inheritance rights involved. The kinsman-redeemer (go'el) aspect is crucial.
• "and the price of the field was seventeen shekels of silver and ten": This meticulously details the transaction's financial aspect. The specific amounts, though potentially symbolic, ground the prophetic act in concrete reality. It signifies a legitimate business deal, despite the overwhelming circumstances of impending destruction. This payment represents a belief in the future economic value and recoverability of the land, even when it's considered worthless by others.

Jeremiah 32 9 Bonus Section

The inclusion of specific details such as "seventeen shekels of silver and ten" (making it seventy) is significant. The number seventy in biblical numerology often represents a full period of judgment, captivity, or consecration, as seen in the seventy years of Babylonian exile prophesied by Jeremiah himself (Jer. 25:11). This detail, coupled with the act of purchasing land during this very exile, powerfully signifies faith that the seventy years of judgment would be followed by a full restoration and reoccupation of the land. It suggests the price paid is an investment in the post-exilic future. This purchase, therefore, encapsulates the message that God’s mercy and covenant faithfulness ultimately triumph over His people’s sin and the ensuing judgment.

Jeremiah 32 9 Commentary

Jeremiah’s purchase of the field is a prophetic sign-act, a tangible manifestation of God's covenant promise amidst total despair. It counters the prevailing mindset of hopelessness and disbelief, which viewed the land as lost forever. The act underscores that God’s future plans for His people and His land supersede current destruction and judgment. The go'el (kinsman-redeemer) role of Jeremiah, acquiring his kinsman's field, foreshadows Christ as the ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer who acquires His people and the forfeited inheritance of God's kingdom. The purchase signifies God's intention to reinstate His people to their inheritance, with land, prosperity, and community reestablished, demonstrating that divine judgment is ultimately corrective and restorative, not annihilatory.