Jeremiah 32:10-44

10I 12signed and 3sealed the deed, and 4called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales. 11Then I took the deeds of purchase, both the sealed copy containing the 5terms and conditions and the open copy; 12and I gave the deed of purchase to 6Baruch the son of 7Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of Hanamel my uncle’s son and in the sight of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, before all the Jews who were sitting in the court of the guard. 13And I commanded Baruch in their presence, saying, 14‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Take these deeds, this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, that they may 8last a long time.” 15For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “9Houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”’

16“After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, then I 10prayed to the Lord, saying, 17‘11Ah Lord 12God! Behold, You have 13made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! 14Nothing is too difficult for You, 18who 15shows lovingkindness to thousands, but 16repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O 17great and 18mighty God. The 19Lord of hosts is His name; 1920great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose 21eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, 22giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds; 20who has 23set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and even to this day both in Israel and among mankind; and You have 24made a name for Yourself, as at this day. 21You 25brought Your 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; 22and gave them this land, which You 26swore to their forefathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23They 27came in and took possession of it, but they 28did not obey Your voice or 29walk in Your law; they have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do; therefore You have made 30all this calamity come upon them. 24Behold, the 31siege ramps have reached the city to take it; and the city is 32given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the 33sword, the famine and the pestilence; and what You have spoken has 34come to pass; and behold, You see it. 25You have said to me, O Lord 35God, “Buy for yourself the field with money and call in witnesses”--although the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’”

26Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 27“Behold, I am the Lord, the 36God of all flesh; is anything 37too difficult for Me?” 28Therefore thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am about to 38give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it. 29The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will enter and 39set this city on fire and burn it, with the 40houses where people have offered incense to Baal on their roofs and poured out drink offerings to other gods to provoke Me to anger. 30Indeed the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been doing only 41evil in My sight from their youth; for the sons of Israel have been only 42provoking Me to anger by the work of their hands,” declares the Lord. 31“Indeed this city has been to Me a 43provocation of My anger and My wrath from the day that they built it, even to this day, so that it should be 44removed from before My face, 32because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah which they have done to provoke Me to anger--they, their 45kings, their leaders, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, 4647teaching again and again, they would not listen 48and receive instruction. 34But they 49put their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it. 35They built the 50high places of Baal that are in the valley of Ben-hinnom to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to 51Molech, which I had not commanded them nor had it 52entered My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

36“Now therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is 53given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine and by pestilence.’ 37Behold, I will 54gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and 55make them dwell in safety. 38They shall be 56My people, and I will be their God; 39and I will 57give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own 58good and for the good of their children after them. 40I will make an 59everlasting covenant with them that I will 60not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will 61put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. 41I will 62rejoice over them to do them good and will 63faithfully 64plant them in this land with 65all My heart and with all My soul. 42For thus says the Lord, ‘66Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to 67bring on them all the good that I am promising them. 4368Fields will be bought in this land of which you say, “69It is a desolation, without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.” 44Men will buy fields for money, 7071sign and seal deeds, and call in witnesses in the 72land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland and in the cities of the 73Negev; for I will 74restore their 75fortunes,’ declares the Lord.”