Jeremiah 32:1-5

Jeremiah 32. The Redemption of Land at Anathoth. A token of confidence in the future restoration. Probably not much more than Jeremiah 32:6 is original. This narrative, it should be noticed, is both preceded (Jeremiah 32:30 f.) and followed (Jeremiah 32:33) by restoration prophecies.

Jeremiah 32:1. In 587 B.C., during the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, Jeremiah was a prisoner in the guard-court, used for specially-treated prisoners (Jeremiah 37:20 f.); the explanation given is that he had prophesied (Jeremiah 21:7; Jeremiah 37:17, etc.) defeat and captivity for Zedekiah (fulfilled as in 2 Kings 25:7). Jeremiah 32:2 are parenthetical, and should be placed in brackets; Jeremiah 32:6 ff. are not, as they might seem, an answer to Zedekiah's question. According to Jeremiah 37:11 ff., Jeremiah was arrested in the interval during which the Babylonians had withdrawn from the siege, for alleged desertion to the enemy; the princes were hostile to him, but Zedekiah showed him kindness.