Jeremiah Buys a Field at Anathoth

321 The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah—it 'is' the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar, 2 And then the forces of the king of Babylon are laying siege against Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet hath been shut up in the court of the prison that 'is' in the house of the king of Judah, 3 Where Zedekiah king of Judah hath shut him up, saying, 'Wherefore art thou prophesying, saying, Thus said Jehovah, Lo, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he hath captured it; 4 And Zedekiah king of Judah doth not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but is certainly given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and his mouth hath spoken with his mouth, and his eyes see his eyes, 5 And 'to' Babylon he leadeth Zedekiah, and there he is till My inspecting him,—an affirmation of Jehovah—because ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye do not prosper.' 6 And Jeremiah saith, 'A word of Jehovah hath been unto me saying, 7 Lo, Hanameel son of Shallum, thine uncle, is coming unto thee, saying, Buy for thee my field that 'is' in Anathoth, for thine 'is' the right of redemption—to buy. 8 And Hanameel, my uncle's son, cometh in unto me, according to the word of Jehovah, unto the court of the prison, and saith unto me, 'Buy, I pray thee, my field that 'is' in Anathoth, that 'is' in the land of Benjamin, for thine 'is' the right of possession, and thine of redemption—buy for thee.' And I know that it 'is' the word of Jehovah, 9 And I buy the field, that 'is' in Anathoth, from Hanameel, my uncle's son, and I weigh to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver. 10 And I write in a book, and seal, and cause witnesses to testify, and weigh the silver in balances; 11 And I take the purchase-book, the sealed one, according to law and custom, and the open one. 12 And I give the purchase-book unto Baruch son of Neriah, son of Maaseiah, before the eyes of Hanameel, my uncle's son, and before the eyes of the witnesses, those writing in the purchase-book, before the eyes of all the Jews who are sitting in the court of the prison. 13 And I charge Baruch before their eyes, saying, 14 'Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Take these books, this purchase-book, both the sealed one and the open one, and thou hast put them in an earthen vessel, that they may remain many days; 15 For thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Again are houses and fields and vineyards bought in this land.'

16 And I pray unto Jehovah—after my giving the purchase-book unto Baruch son of Neriah—saying, 17 'Ah, Lord Jehovah, lo, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power, and by Thy stretched-out arm; there is nothing too wonderful for Thee: 18 Doing kindness to thousands, and recompensing iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their sons after them; God, the great, the mighty, Jehovah of Hosts 'is' His name, 19 Great in counsel, and mighty in act, in that Thine eyes are open on all the ways of the sons of Adam, to give to each according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings: 20 In that thou hast done signs and wonders in the land of Egypt unto this day, and in Israel, and among men, and Thou dost make for Thee a name as 'at' this day. 21 'And Thou bringest forth Thy people Israel from the land of Egypt, with signs and with wonders, and by a strong hand, and by a stretched-out arm, and by great fear, 22 And thou givest to them this land that thou didst swear to their fathers to give to them, a land flowing with milk and honey, 23 And they come in, and possess it, and they have not hearkened to Thy voice, and in Thy law have not walked, all that which Thou didst lay a charge on them to do they have not done, and Thou dost proclaim 'to' them all this evil. 24 'Lo, the mounts—they have come in to 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 that which Thou hast spoken hath come to pass, and lo, Thou art seeing; 25 Yet Thou hast said unto me, O Lord Jehovah, Buy for thee the field with money, and cause witnesses to testify—and the city hath been given into the hand of the Chaldeans!'

26 And the word of Jehovah is unto Jeremiah, saying: 27 'Lo, I 'am' Jehovah, God of all flesh: For Me is anything too wonderful? 28 'Therefore, thus said Jehovah, Lo, I am giving this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he hath captured it; 29 And come in have the Chaldeans who are fighting against this city, and they have set this city on fire, and have burned it, and the houses on whose roofs they made perfume to Baal, and poured out libations to other gods, so as to provoke Me to anger. 30 For the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been only doing evil in Mine eyes, from their youth; for the sons of Israel are only provoking Me with the work of their hands—an affirmation of Jehovah. 31 'For a cause of Mine anger, and a cause of My fury, hath this city been to Me, even from the day that they built it, and unto this day—to turn it aside from before My face, 32 Because of all the evil of the sons of Israel, and of the sons of Judah that they have done, so as to provoke Me—they, their kings, their heads, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33 And they turn unto Me the neck, and not the face, and teaching them, rising early and teaching, and they are not hearkening to accept instruction. 34 'And they set their abominations in the house over which My name is called, so as to defile it; 35 And they build the high places of Baal, that 'are' in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come up on my heart to do this abomination, so as to cause Judah to sin. 36 'And now, therefore, thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, concerning this city, of which ye are saying, It hath been given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, and by famine, and by pestilence, 37 Lo, I am gathering them out of all the lands whither I have driven them in Mine anger, and in My fury, and in great wrath, and I have brought them back unto this place, and have caused them to dwell confidently; 38 and they have been to Me for a people, and I am to them for God; 39 and I have given to them one heart, and one way, to fear Me all the days, for good to them, and to their sons after them: 40 and I have made for them a covenant age-during, in that I turn not back from after them for My doing them good, and My fear I put in their heart, so as not to turn aside from me; 41 and I have rejoiced over them to do them good, and have planted them in this land in truth, with all my heart, and with all My soul. 42 'For thus said Jehovah: As I brought in unto this people all this great evil, so I am bringing in on them all the good that I am speaking concerning them; 43 and bought hath been the field in this land of which ye are saying, A desolation it 'is', without man and beast, it hath been given into the hand of the Chaldeans. 44 Fields with money they buy, so as to write in a book, and to seal, and to cause witnesses to testify, in the land of Benjamin, and in suburbs of Jerusalem, and in cities of Judah, and in cities of the hill-country, and in cities of the low country, and in cities of the south, for I turn back their captivity—an affirmation of Jehovah.'

The Restoration of Prosperity to Jerusalem

331 And there is a word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah a second time—and he 'is' yet detained in the court of the prison—saying: 2 Thus said Jehovah its maker, Jehovah its former, at establishing it, Jehovah 'is' His name: 3 Call unto Me, and I do answer thee, yea, I declare to thee great and fenced things—thou hast not known them. 4 For thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, that are broken down for the mounts, and for the tool; 5 they are coming in to fight with the Chaldeans, and to fill them with the carcases of men, whom I have smitten in Mine anger, and in My fury, and 'for' whom I have hidden My face from this city, because of all their evil: 6 Lo, I am increasing to it health and cure, And have healed them, and revealed to them The abundance of peace and truth. 7 And I have turned back the captivity of Judah, And the captivity of Israel, And I have built them as at the first, 8 And cleansed them from all their iniquity, That they have sinned against Me, And I have pardoned all their iniquities, That they have sinned against Me, And that they transgressed against Me. 9 And it hath been to Me for a name of joy, For praise, and for beauty, to all nations of the earth, Who hear of all the good that I am doing them, And they have feared, And they have trembled for all the good, And for all the peace, that I am doing to it.

10 Thus said Jehovah: Again heard in this place of which ye are saying, Waste it 'is', without man and without beast, In cities of Judah, and in streets of Jerusalem, That are desolated, without man, And without inhabitant, and without beast, 11 Is a voice of joy and a voice of gladness, Voice of bridegroom, and voice of bride, The voice of those saying, Thank Jehovah of Hosts, for Jehovah 'is' good, For His kindness 'is' to the age, Who are bringing in thanksgiving to the house of Jehovah, For I turn back the captivity of the land, As at the first, said Jehovah. 12 Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Again there is in this place—that is waste, Without man and beast, And in all its cities—a habitation of shepherds, Causing the flock to lie down. 13 In the cities of the hill-country, In the cities of the low country, And in the cities of the south, And in the land of Benjamin, And in the suburbs of Jerusalem, And in the cities of Judah, Again doth the flock pass by under the hands of the numberer, said Jehovah. 14 Lo, days are coming, an affirmation of Jehovah, And I have established the good word That I spake unto the house of Israel, And concerning the house of Judah. 15 In those days, and at that time, I cause to shoot up to David a shoot of righteousness, And he hath done judgment and righteousness in the earth. 16 In those days is Judah saved, And Jerusalem doth dwell confidently, And this 'is' he whom Jehovah proclaimeth to her: 'Our Righteousness.'

17 For thus said Jehovah: 'Not cut off to David is one sitting on the throne of the house of Israel, 18 And to the priests—the Levites, Not cut off from before Me is one, Causing a burnt-offering to ascend, And perfuming a present, and making sacrifice—all the days.' 19 And there is a word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah, saying, 20 'Thus said Jehovah: If ye do break My covenant of the day, And My covenant of the night, So that they are not daily and nightly in their season, 21 Also My covenant is broken with David My servant, So that he hath not a son reigning on his throne, And with the Levites the priests, My ministers. 22 As the host of the heavens is not numbered, Nor the sand of the sea measured, So I multiply the seed of David My servant, And the Levites My ministers.' 23 And there is a word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah, saying: 24 'Hast thou not considered what this people have spoken, saying: The two families on which Jehovah fixed, He doth reject them, And my people they despise—So that they are no more a people before them! 25 Thus said Jehovah: If My covenant 'is' not daily and nightly, The statutes of heaven and earth I have not appointed— 26 Also the seed of Jacob, and David My servant, I reject, Against taking from his seed rulers For the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, For I turn back 'to' their captivity, and have pitied them.'

Jeremiah's Warning to Zedekiah

341 The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah—and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his force, and all kingdoms of the land of the dominion of his hand, and all the peoples are fighting against Jerusalem, and against all its cities—saying: 2 'Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel: Go, and thou hast spoken unto Zedekiah king of Judah, and hast said unto him, Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he hath burned it with fire, 3 and thou, thou dost not escape out of his hand, for thou art certainly caught, and into his hand thou art given, and thine eyes see the eyes of the king of Babylon, and his mouth with thy mouth speaketh, and Babylon thou enterest. 4 'Only, hear a word of Jehovah, O Zedekiah king of Judah, Thus said Jehovah unto thee: Thou dost not die by sword, 5 in peace thou diest, and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings who have been before thee, so they make a burning for thee; and Ah, lord, they lament for thee, for the word I have spoken—an affirmation of Jehovah.' 6 And Jeremiah the prophet speaketh unto Zedekiah king of Judah all these words in Jerusalem, 7 and the forces of the king of Babylon are fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that are left—against Lachish, and against Azekah, for these have been left among the cities of Judah, cities of fortresses.

The Broken Covenant concerning Hebrew Servants

8 The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, after the making by the king Zedekiah of a covenant with all the people who 'are' in Jerusalem, to proclaim to them liberty, 9 to send out each his man-servant, and each his maid-servant—the Hebrew and the Hebrewess—free, so as not to lay service on them, any on a Jew his brother; 10 and hearken do all the heads, and all the people who have come in to the covenant to send forth each his man-servant and each his maid-servant free, so as not to lay service on them any more, yea, they hearken, and send them away; 11 and they turn afterwards, and cause the men-servants and the maid-servants to return, whom they had sent forth free, and they subdue them for men-servants and for maid-servants. 12 And there is a word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying: 13 'Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I—I made a covenant with your fathers in the day of My bringing them forth from the land of Egypt, from a house of servants, saying, 14 At the end of seven years ye do send forth each his brother, the Hebrew, who is sold to thee, and hath served thee six years, yea, thou hast sent him forth free from thee: and your fathers hearkened not unto Me, nor inclined their ear. 15 'And ye turn back, ye to-day, and ye do that which is right in Mine eyes, to proclaim liberty each to his neighbour, and ye make a covenant before Me in the house over which My name is called. 16 And—ye turn back, and pollute My name, and ye cause each his man-servant and each his maid-servant, whom he had sent forth free, (at their pleasure,) to return, and ye subdue them to be to you for men-servants and for maid-servants. 17 'Therefore, thus said Jehovah: Ye have not hearkened unto Me to proclaim freedom, each to his brother, and each to his neighbour; lo, I am proclaiming to you liberty—an affirmation of Jehovah—unto the sword, unto the pestilence, and unto the famine, and I have given you for a trembling to all kingdoms of the earth. 18 'And I have given the men who are transgressing My covenant, who have not established the words of the covenant that they have made before Me, by the calf, that they have cut in two, and pass through between its pieces— 19 heads of Judah, and heads of Jerusalem, the officers, and the priests, and all the people of the land those passing through between the pieces of the calf— 20 yea, I have given them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those seeking their soul, and their carcase hath been for food to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth. 21 'And Zedekiah king of Judah, and his heads, I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those seeking their soul, and into the hand of the forces of the king of Babylon, that are going up from off you. 22 Lo, I am commanding—an affirmation of Jehovah—and have brought them back unto this city, and they have fought against it, and captured it, and burned it with fire, and the cities of Judah I do make a desolation—without inhabitant.'