I signed the deed, sealed it, called witnesses, and weighed the money in the balances to him. So I took the deed of the purchase, both that which was sealed, containing the terms and conditions, and that which was open; and I delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of the purchase, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the guard.
Show the surrounding paragraph
Jeremiah 32:10-12 sits inside this longer paragraph.
I bought the field that was in Anathoth of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver. I signed the deed, sealed it, called witnesses, and weighed the money in the balances to him. So I took the deed of the purchase, both that which was sealed, containing the terms and conditions, and that which was open; and I delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of the purchase, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the guard.
Parallel Translations
-
I signed the deed, sealed it, called witnesses, and weighed the money in the balances to him.
So I took the deed of the purchase, both that which was sealed, containing the terms and conditions, and that which was open;
and I delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of the purchase, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the guard.
-
And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open:
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.
Show all 3 translations
-
And I subscribed the deed, and sealed it, and called witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
So I took the deed of the purchase, both that which was sealed, containing the terms and conditions, and that which was open;
and I delivered the deed of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel mine uncle 's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the deed of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the guard.
Cross-references (31)
- Jeremiah 32:44 (v10) Men will buy fields for money, sign the deeds, seal them, and call witnesses, in the land of Benjamin, and in the places around Jerusalem,…
- Jeremiah 32:12 (v10) and I delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and…
- Jeremiah 32:16 (v12) Now after I had delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to Yahweh, saying,
- Jeremiah 51:59 (v12) The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah…
- Deuteronomy 32:34 (v10) “Isn’t this laid up in store with me, sealed up among my treasures?
Show all 31 cross-references
- Job 14:17 (v10) My disobedience is sealed up in a bag. You fasten up my iniquity.
- Isaiah 44:5 (v10) One will say, ‘I am Yahweh’s;’ and another will be called by the name of Jacob; and another will write with his hand ‘to Yahweh,’ and honor…
- Jeremiah 32:25 (v10) You have said to me, Lord Yahweh, ‘Buy the field for money, and call witnesses;’ whereas the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.”
- Jeremiah 36:4-5 (v12) Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah; and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all Yahweh’s words, which he had spoken to him,…
- Jeremiah 36:26 (v12) The king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to arrest Baruch the scribe…
- Luke 2:27 (v11) He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the…
- Joshua 18:9 (v10) The men went and passed through the land, and surveyed it by cities into seven portions in a book. They came to Joshua to the camp at…
- Ruth 4:9-11 (v10) Boaz said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses today, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all that was…
- Song of Solomon 8:6 (v10) Set me as a seal on your heart, as a seal on your arm; for love is strong as death. Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol. Its flashes are flashes…
- Isaiah 8:1-2 (v10) Yahweh said to me, “Take a large tablet, and write on it with a man’s pen, ‘For Maher Shalal Hash Baz’; and I will take for myself faithful…
- Isaiah 30:8 (v10) Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come forever and ever.
- Jeremiah 36:16-19 (v12) Now when they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one toward another, and said to Baruch, “We will surely tell the king of all…
- Jeremiah 36:32 (v12) Then took Jeremiah another scroll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all…
- Jeremiah 43:3-6 (v12) but Baruch the son of Neriah has turned you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death, and…
- Jeremiah 45:1-5 (v12) The message that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in…
- Daniel 8:26 (v10) “The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true; but seal up the vision, for it belongs to many days to come.”
- John 3:33 (v10) He who has received his witness has set his seal to this, that God is true.
- John 6:27 (v10) Don’t work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the…
- Acts 26:3 (v11) especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
- 1 Corinthians 11:16 (v11) But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies.
- 2 Corinthians 1:22 (v10) who also sealed us, and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.
- 2 Corinthians 8:21 (v12) Having regard for honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
- Ephesians 1:13 (v10) In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with…
- Ephesians 4:30 (v10) Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
- Revelation 7:2 (v10) I saw another angel ascend from the sunrise, having the seal of the living God. He cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it…
- Revelation 9:4 (v10) They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don’t…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (17 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv10–12 It may now be asked, how could Hanameel, who…
It may now be asked, how could Hanameel, who was of the Levitical order, sell a field, for we know that fields did not belong to the Levites, and that they had tithes for their inheritance. (Numbers 18:21) But this is to be taken for a suburban field, for they had the suburbs, and each had a meadow: they neither ploughed nor reaped, nor was it indeed lawful for them, according to the law, to labor in agriculture, but they fed cattle and sheep: and this is proved by the smallness of the sum given; for what was the field sold for? for seven shekels and ten pieces of silver. We hence see that it was not a large field, but only a meadow like a garden; for the price would have been larger, had it been some acres of land. Then the difficulty here is easily removed, for Hanameel sold to Jeremiah a small meadow, as every Levite had in the suburbs a meadow to feed his sheep or his cattle; at the same time none of them had large herds, but each had a cow or two. This, then, is what we are to understand by the field.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v11 According to the custom the instrument or evidence was…
According to the custom the instrument or evidence was sealed up with the common seal, and a copy thereof remained, which contained the same in effect, but was not so authentical as the other, but was left open to be seen if anything should be called into doubt.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv10–12 Jer 32:10 And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed…
Jer 32:10 And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed [it], and took witnesses, and weighed [him] the money in the balances.
Ver. 10. And I subscribed the evidence.] Heb., I wrote in the book, and sealed it. Men love to be upon sure grounds in things temporal; oh that they were as wise for their souls!
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv10–12 I went through with the purchase, setting my hand…
I went through with the purchase, setting my hand to and sealing the deed, and taking witnesses to it, as is usual.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv10–12 So I took the evidence of the purchase,.... The…
So I took the evidence of the purchase,.... The deed of purchase, the book or bill of sale, the instrument of the bargain, as before mentioned:
both that which is sealed, according to the law and custom; which was both sealed by the buyer and seller, and was sealed up, and not to be looked into by everyone, only when there might be a necessity; this was the original copy:
Read full note →
and that which was open; the counter part or copy of the former, which though signed and sealed as the other, yet not sealed up, but was open and exposed to view; either for the relations to see what was done, as some; or for the judges, as others, to ratify and make authentic: or, as is most probable, this copy was laid up in some public register, to have recourse unto upon any occasion; however it was, it was according to the laws and customs of those times, which Jeremiah carefully attended to: or, as others, it lay open for the witnesses to sign; so there are three distinct things; first the written contract; then that as signed and sealed by buyer and seller, according to law; and then as signed, but not sealed, by the witnesses.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv11–12 I took - It is probable, that upon such…
I took - It is probable, that upon such sales among the Jews, two instruments were made, the one sealed up, to be kept by the purchaser, the other open, to be shewed to the Judges, and by them ratified.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v10 Verse 10. I subscribed the evidence] We have here…
Verse 10. I subscribed the evidence] We have here all the circumstances of this legal act:
1. An offer is made of the reversion of the ground, till the jubilee, to him who would then of right come into possession.
Read full note →
2. The price is agreed on, and the silver weighed in the balances.
3. A contract or deed of sale is drawn up, to which both parties agreeing,
4. Witnesses are brought forward to see it signed and sealed; for the contract was both subscribed and sealed.
5. A duplicate of the deed was drawn, which was not to be sealed, but to lie open for the inspection of those concerned, in some public place where it might be safe, and always to be seen.
6. The original, which was sealed up, was put in an earthen pitcher, in order to be preserved from accidents.
7. This was delivered by the purchaser into the hands of a third party, to be preserved for the use of the purchaser, and witnesses were called to attest this delivery.
8. They subscribed the book of the purchase, perhaps a town book, or register, where such purchases were entered. Baruch was a scribe by profession; and the deeds were delivered into his hands, before witnesses, to be preserved as above.
Perhaps the law, in this case, required that the instrument should be thus lodged. But, in the present case, both the deeds, the original and the duplicate, were put into the earthen pitcher, because the city was about to be burnt; and if lodged as usual, they would be destroyed in the general conflagration. See Jer 32:14.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v10 Jer 32:10-14. I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it…
Jer 32:10-14. I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it — I wrote down an account of the transaction in a book. The method it appears then in use among the Jews when any purchase was made was, that the purchaser, as well as those who sold, testified his consent by some writing signed before witnesses. I took the evidence, both that which was sealed and that which was open — The open, or unsealed writing, was either a copy of the sealed one, or else a certificate of the witnesses, in whose presence the deed of purchase was signed and sealed. I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch — “Baruch was a scribe by profession, and it may be concluded that the attendance of such a one, skilled in the forms of law, was necessary on those occasions, both to draw up the writings and to officiate in the character of a notary public. And to his custody, as being a public officer, the custody of the title-deeds was intrusted.” I charged Baruch, to put them in an earthen vessel — To preserve them from fire and moisture. It was common with the ancients to put their writings into earthen vessels. Origen found at Jericho a version of the Scriptures hid in an earthen pot. That they may continue many days — When hid under ground for greater security, to be produced when the land should be re-inhabited.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v10 Translate: And I wrote the particulars of the purchase…
Translate: And I wrote the particulars of the purchase in the deed ... And I took the purchase-deed, both that which was sealed containing the oiler and the conditions, and that which was open etc. There were two indentures, of which one was called the purchase-deed, and was signed by the purchaser and the witnesses. It was then sealed, not in our sense of appending a seal in place of signatures, but to close it up. The open deed was probably an exact copy, and was that intended for common use. In case its authenticity was called in question, the sealed copy would have to be produced before the judge, the seal opened, and if its contents agreed with those of the open deed, the decision would be in the buyer’s favor.
By the offer is probably meant the specification. The conditions, literally, the statutes, would be the stipulations and terms of the sale, e. g. as to its restoration at the year of jubile, its price etc. The placing of the deeds in jar was of course intended to preserve them from damp during the long years of the exile.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v11 Outside. "There was another copy left open for inspection,…
Outside. "There was another copy left open for inspection, (ver. 14.) which custom still prevails," says St. Jerome. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv10–12 subscribed--I wrote in the deed, "book of purchase" (Jer…
subscribed--I wrote in the deed, "book of purchase" (Jer 32:12).
weighed--coined money was not in early use; hence money was "weighed" (Gen 23:16).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On v10 10. I subscribed the evidence, etc. — The marginal…
10. I subscribed the evidence, etc. — The marginal reading is better, “I wrote in the book,” that is, the particulars of the transaction. Here we have, with unusual fulness, the description of an important business transaction. Written documents, witnesses, the weighing of money, and the sealing up of one of the copies of the bill of purchase for public use and permanent preservation. All this points unmistakably to a well-organized state of society. These deeds of purchase were to be put in an earthen vessel to preserve them from decay and destruction during the long years of exile. Sealed, in this passage, means “fastened together by a seal,” and not “attested by a seal,” as is the common sense in modern business documents.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv10–12 10. And I subscribed the deed] The following will…
10. And I subscribed the deed] The following will explain the particulars of Jeremiah’s action as given here and in the next vv. “Contracts stamped upon clay tablets have been found in Babylonia, enclosed in an envelope of clay, on the outside of which an exact duplicate of the contract was impressed (see an illustration in Maspero, The Dawn of Civilization, p. 732): if in course of time any disagreement arose, and it was suspected that the outside text had been tampered with, the envelope was broken in the presence of witnesses to see if the inside text agreed with it or not. Earthen jars containing such duplicate contracts have been excavated at Nippur (Peters, Nippur; II. 198).” Dr. ad loc. See further in Johns, Babylonian and Assyrian Laws, Contracts, and Letters, pp. 10 f.
sealed it] not in our sense of adding a seal to a signature (“under one’s hand and seal”), but sealed up, closed securely.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv10–12 (10) And I subscribed the evidence . . .—Literally,…
(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 validity to the purchase; partly, as the next verse shows, because there was a secret, unattested, unsealed (and in that sense “open”) document, which the witnesses did not subscribe, and with the contents of which they were probably not acquainted. The sealed document was one closed up as a safeguard against fraudulent alterations (comp. Isa_29:11). In the weighing of the money we see an indication of the old practice—probably consequent on the practice of “clipping” coined money—of dealing even with the current coin as if it were bullion, just as bankers weigh a parcel of sovereigns now before giving credit for the amount. (Comp. Gen_23:16; Zec_11:12.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On v10 Vers. 10-14. The Authorized Version is here so far…
Vers. 10-14. The Authorized Version is here so far wrong, on technical terms, that it seems best to retranslate the whole passage: "And I wrote (the circumstances) in the deed, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed the money in the balance. And I took the purchase deed, that which was sealed (containing the offer and the conditions), and that which was open; and I gave the purchase deed unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah (rather, Makhseiah), in the sight of Hanameel my uncle, and in the sight of the witnesses who subscribed the purchase deed, in the sight of all the Jews who were sitting in the court of the guard. And I charged Baruch before them, saying, Thus saith Jehovah Sabaoth, the God of Israel, Take these deeds, this sealed purchase deed, and this open deed; and put them into an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days." The deed was made in two copies, so that if the open one were lost, or suspected of having been tampered with, an appeal might always be made to the sealed copy. The latter was to be placed in an earthen vessel, to preserve it from injury by damp. It ought to be added that the words in ver. 11, rendered "containing the offer and the conditions," are difficult. "Containing" is not expressed in the Hebrew, and "offer" is not the ordinary meaning, though etymologically justifiable.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v10 General Information:
General Information:
Jeremiah continues speaking.
Read full note →
in a scroll and sealed it, and had witnesses witness it
This refers to the deed that a person would sign to purchase land. Other people would be witnesses to confirm that Jeremiah had purchased this land.
had witnesses witness it
"had people watch me purchase the land so they could tell others that I had purchased the land"
that was sealed
This can be translated in active form. AT: "that I sealed" (See: Active or Passive)
unsealed deed
"opened copy" or "the deed that did not have a seal on it"
Baruch ... Neriah ... Mahseiah
These are names of men. (See: How to Translate Names)
the courtyard of the guard
The open area attached to the king's palace that was surrounded by buildings and in which they kept prisoners. See how you translated this in Jeremiah 32:2.
translationWords
scroll
seal
testimony
command
statute
Baruch
Judea
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv10–11 32:10 Jeremiah carefully followed the proper legal procedures for…
32:10 Jeremiah carefully followed the proper legal procedures for buying property. The deed of purchase was a sheet of papyrus that listed the terms of the purchase in Hebrew. Jeremiah signed and sealed the deed and paid the purchase price in the presence of witnesses (Gen 23:3-18; 2 Sam 24:20-24).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.