Jeremiah 32

1 The word which came unto Jeremiah from Yahweh, in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, —the same, was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar;

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah, the king of Judah. The same is the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.

2 and, then, the forces of the king of Babylon were besieging Jerusalem, —and, Jeremiah the prophet, had been shut up in the guard-court, which was in the house of the king of Judah;

It was then that the army of the king of Babylon besieged Jerusalem. And Jeremiah, the prophet, was confined to the atrium of the prison, which was in the house of the king of Judah.

3 whom Zedekiah king of Judah, had shut up, saying, —Why art thou prophesying, saying, —Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! giving up this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall capture it;

For Zedekiah, the king of Judah, had confined him, saying: “Why do you make predictions, saying: ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it?

4 and, Zedekiah king of Judah! shall not be delivered out of the hand of the Chaldeans, —for he shall be wholly given up, into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak—the mouth of the one to the mouth of the other, and the eyes of the one into the eyes of the other, shall look;

And Zedekiah, the king of Judah, will not escape from the hand of the Chaldeans. Instead, he will be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon. And he will speak to him, mouth to mouth, and he will see him, eye to eye.

5 and into Babylon, shall he lead Zedekiah and, there, shall he remain, until I visit him, Declareth Yahweh, —though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper?

And he will lead Zedekiah to Babylon. And he will be there until I visit him, says the Lord. So then, if you contend against the Chaldeans, you will have no success.’”

6 And Jeremiah said, —The word of Yahweh came unto me saying:

And Jeremiah said: “The word of the Lord came to me, saying:

7 Lo! Hanameel son of Shallum thine uncle, hath come unto thee saying, —Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth, for, thine, is the right of redemption to buy it.

Behold, Hanamel, the son of Shallum, your cousin, will come to you, saying: ‘Buy for yourself my field, which is in Anathoth. For it is your right, as next of kin, to buy it.’

8 So Hanameel son of mine uncle, came unto me, according to the word of Yahweh into the guard-court, and said unto me, Buy, I pray thee my field that is in Anathoth which is in the land of Benjamin, for, thine, is the right of inheritance, and, thine, the redemption, —buy it for thyself. So I knew, that the word of Yahweh, it was.

And in accord with the word of the Lord, Hanamel, the son of my uncle, came to me, to the entrance of the prison, and he said to me: ‘Take possession of my field, which is in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. For the right of inheritance is yours, and as the next of kin you may possess it.’ Then I understood that this was the word of the Lord.

9 And I bought the field from Hanameel son of mine uncle that was in Anathoth, —and weighed him the silver, seventeen shekels, was the silver;

And I bought the field, which is in Anathoth, from Hanamel, the son of my uncle. And I weighed out the money to him, seven small coins and ten pieces of silver.

10 and I wrote in the scroll and sealed it, and took in attestation witnesses, —and weighed the silver in the balances.

And I wrote it in a book and signed it, and I summoned witnesses. And I weighed out the silver on a scale.

11 Then took I the scroll of purchase, both that which was sealed—the title and the conditions—and that which was open;

And I received the signed deed of possession, and the stipulations, and the ratifications, with the exterior seals.

12 and gave the scroll of purchase unto Baruch son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle[’s son], and in the sight of the witnesses who subscribed the scroll of purchase, —in the sight of all the Jews who were sitting in the guard-court.

And I gave the deed of possession to Baruch, the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of Hanamel, the son of my uncle, in the sight of the witnesses who had been recorded in the book of the purchase, and in the sight of all the Jews who were sitting in the atrium of the prison.

13 Then charged I Baruch in their sight saying:

And I instructed Baruch, in their sight, saying:

14 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, Take thou these scrolls, this scroll of purchase even that which is sealed, and this scroll that is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, —that they may remain many days,

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Take these writings, this sealed deed of purchase, and this deed which is open, and place them in an earthen vessel, so that they will be preserved for many days.’

15 For Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel: Again, shall houses and fields and vineyards, be bought, in this land.

For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Houses, and fields, and vineyards will be possessed still, in this land.’

16 Then prayed I unto Yahweh, —after I had delivered the scroll of purchase unto Baruch son of Neriah, saying: —

And after I had delivered the deed of possession to Baruch, the son of Neri, I prayed to the Lord, saying:

17 Alas! My Lord, Yahweh! Lo! thou thyself, didst make the heavens, and the earth, by thy great might, and by thine outstretched arm, —There is nothing, too wonderful for thee:

Alas, alas, alas, O Lord God! Behold, you have made heaven and earth, by your great strength and by your outstretched arm. No word is difficult for you.

18 Executing lovingkindness unto thousands, But recompensing the iniquity of fathers, into the bosom of their children, after them, Thou GOD, the great the mighty, Yahweh of hosts, is his name:

You act with mercy a thousand-fold, but you repay the iniquity of the fathers into the sinews of their sons after them. The Lord of hosts is your name: most strong, great, and powerful!

19 Great in counsel, and mighty in deed, —Whose eyes are open on all the ways of the sons of men, to give unto every one, According to his ways, and According to the fruit of his doings:

You are great in counsel and incomprehensible in thought. Your eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of Adam, so that you may repay each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his intentions.

20 Who didst set signs and wonders, in the land of Egypt, unto this day, and in Israel and among mankind, —And didst make for thyself a name as at this day;

You caused signs and portents in the land of Egypt, and in Israel, and among men, even until this day. And you have made a name for yourself, just as in this day.

21 And didst bring forth thy people Israel out of the land of, Egypt, With signs and with wonders, and With a strong hand, and With an outstretched arm, and With great terror;

And you have led your people Israel away from the land of Egypt, with signs and portents, and with a robust hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror.

22 And didst give unto them this land, which thou hadst sworn to their fathers to give unto them, —a land flowing with milk and honey;

And you have given them this land, which you swore, to their fathers, that you would give to them, a land flowing with milk and honey.

23 And they came in and took possession of it But hearkened not unto thy voice Nor in thy law, did they walk, Nought of what thou hadst commanded them to do, did they do, —And so thou hast caused to befall them all this calamity.

And they entered it and possessed it. But they did not obey your voice, and they did not walk in your law. And they did not do all of the things that you commanded them to do. And so, all of these evils have happened to them.

24 Lo! the earthworks! they have entered the city, to capture it, And the city, hath been given into the hand of the Chaldeans, who are fighting against it, because of the sword and the famine and the pestilence, —And so what thou didst speak, hath come to pass, And there thou art looking on!

Behold, fortifications were built against the city, so as to capture it. And the city was given into the hands of the Chaldeans, who fight against it, before the face of the sword, and of famine, and of pestilence. And what you have spoken has occurred, just as you yourself discern.

25 Yet, thou thyself, saidst unto me, O My Lord, Yahweh, Buy thee the field for silver And take in attestation, witnesses, —Whereas, the city, hath been given into the hand of the Chaldeans!

So why, O Lord God, are you saying to me: ‘Buy a field with money, and summon witnesses,’ while the city is being given into the hands of the Chaldeans?”

26 Then came the word of Yahweh, unto Jeremiah, saying: —

And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying:

27 Lo! I, am Yahweh, God of all flesh, —For me, is any thing too wonderful?

“Behold, I am the Lord God; I am above all flesh. Can any word be difficult for me?

28 Therefore, Thus, saith Yahweh, —Behold me! giving this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall capture it;

Therefore, thus says the Lord: Behold, I will deliver this city into the hands of the Chaldeans, and into the hands of the king of Babylon, and they will capture it.

29 And the Chaldeans, who are fighting against this city, Shall enter, and Shall set this city on fire, and Shall consume it, —With the houses on whose roofs they burned incense to Baal and poured out drink-offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger;

And the Chaldeans fighting against this city will advance, and set fire to it, and burn it, along with the houses on whose roofs they were offering sacrifice to Baal and were pouring out libations to strange gods, so that they provoked me to wrath.

30 For the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been nothing but doers of wickedness in my sight from the days of their youth, —For the sons of Israel have been doing nothing but provoke me to anger by the workmanship of their hands, Declareth Yahweh;

For the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah, from their youth, have continually done evil in my eyes. The sons of Israel, even until now, have been provoking me with the work of their hands, says the Lord.

31 For According to mine anger, and According to mine indignation, hath been to me this city, from the day when they built it even unto this day, —that I should pull it down from before my face:

For this city has been a cause of fury and indignation to me, from the day when they built it, until this day, in which it will be taken away from my sight,

32 because of all the wickedness of the sons of Israel and the sons 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:

because of all the wickedness of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah, which they have done, provoking me to wrath, they and their kings, their leaders and their priests and their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

33 Thus have they turned unto me the back, and not the face, —Though I instructed them, betimes, instructing them, Yet have they not been hearkening, to receive correction;

And they have turned their backs to me, and not their faces. And though I taught them and instructed them, rising at first light, they were not willing to listen, so that they would receive discipline.

34 But have set their abominations in the house on which my name hath been called, to defile it;

And they have placed their idols in the house where my name is invoked, so that they defiled it.

35 And have built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of Ben-hinnom, To cause their sons and their daughters to pass through unto Molech, Which I commanded them not Neither came it up on my heart, That they should do this horrible thing, —Causing, Judah, to sin!

And they have built the exalted places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, so that they may initiate their sons and their daughters into Molech, though I did not command, nor did it enter into my heart, that they should do this abomination, and so lead Judah into sin.

36 Now therefore, because of this, —Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, —Concerning this city, whereof ye are saying, It hath been delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, by sword, and by famine and by pestilence:

And now, because of these things, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to this city, about which you say that it will be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence:

37 Behold me! gathering them out of all the lands whither I have driven them—In mine anger and In mine indignation and In great vexation, —And I will cause them to return into this place, And will make them dwell, securely;

Behold, I will gather them together from all the lands to which I have cast them out in my fury, and in my wrath, and in my great indignation. And I will lead them back to this place, and I will cause them to live in confidence.

38 And they shall become my people, —And, I, will become their God;

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

39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, That they may revere me, all the days, —For the good of them and of their children after them;

And I will give to them one heart and one way, so that they may fear me all their days, and so that it may be well with them, and with their sons after them.

40 And I will solemnise to them an age-abiding covenant, That I will not turn away from following them, to do them good, —But the reverence of myself, will I put in their heart, so that they shall not turn away from me.

And I will form an everlasting covenant with them, and I will not cease to do good for them. And I will put my fear into their heart, so that they do not withdraw from me.

41 And I will rejoice over them, to do them good, —And will plant them in this land in truth, with all my heart and with all my soul.

And I will rejoice over them, while I do good for them. And I will plant them in this land, in truth, with my whole heart and with my whole soul.

42 For, Thus, saith Yahweh, Like as I have brought upon this people all this great calamity, So, am I bringing upon them all the good that I am speaking concerning them.

For thus says the Lord: Just as I have led over this people all this great evil, so will I lead over them all the good that I am speaking to them now.

43 Therefore shall fields be bought in this land, —whereof ye are saying, It is, a desolation, Without man or beast, It hath been given into the hand of the Chaldeans:

And fields will be possessed in this land, about which you say that it is desolate because there remains neither man nor beast, and because it has been given into the hands of the Chaldeans.

44 Fields—for silver, shall men buy, And write in scrolls And seal them, And take in attestation, witnesses, In the land of Benjamin, and In the places round about Jerusalem, and In the cities of Judah, and In the cities of the hill country, and In the cities of the lowland and In the cities of the South, —For I will cause them of their captivity to return Declareth Yahweh.

Fields will be bought for money, and deeds will be written and signed, and witnesses will be summoned, in the land of Benjamin and all around Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, and in the cities on the mountains, and in the cities on the plains, and in the cities that are toward the south. For I will convert their captivity, says the Lord.”