“Jeremiah said: The word of God came to me” [32:6]. Jeremiah said: God said to me, Hanamel, son of your uncle Shallum will come to you and will say: buy the field that is in the city of Anatoth from me. It is right that you should buy it, as you are the successor to this field.
“Hanamel came to me” [32:8]. Hanamel, the son of Jeremiah’s uncle came, as God had said, and said to Jeremiah, buy this field from me. Jeremiah had understood that everything was from God, because the Holy One had foretold that your uncle’s son would come.
“And I bought the land from Hanamel” [32:9]. Jeremiah says: I bought the field and paid for it.
“I wrote the deed, sealed it, and it witnessed” [32:10]. I wrote in a scroll that I bought the field and had it sealed and witnessed.
“I took the deed of purchase” [32:11]. I took the scroll with the seal that I bought the field and gave it to Baruch the son of Neriah in the presence of my uncle’s son and before the witnesses and before all of the Israelites that were present.
“I commanded Baruch” [32:13]. I asked Baruch, before them that he should hide the scrolls in which the sale of the field with the seals was written. He had a copy made of the scroll where the field was sold, so that he should not need to go to the original scroll. That is to say, Jeremiah made a copy so that if he wanted to show that he had bought the field he would not have to show the original scroll, but would show the copy. Jeremiah told Baruch that he should take an earthen vessel in which to put the copy and the original scroll which was sealed, in the hope that would last for a long time and not be destroyed.
“Thus said the Lord of Hosts, etc.” [32:14]. Thus has God said: I have commanded this because you should buy the field and you should do this publicly in the hope that Israel should know that they will be redeemed from the exile and will again come to the land, to their fields and their houses. Therefore, the Holy One commanded him to buy the field, to comfort Israel that they should not think that they would be destroyed.1Radak, Jeremiah, 32:14.
“I prayed to God” [32:16]. I prayed to God. I have given the scroll to Baruch and said to God: You have created heaven and earth with your might and you know well all the hidden things. You know well that we will be in exile, so why did you tell me to buy the field?2Rashi, Jeremiah, 32:16.
“You show kindness to the thousandth generation” [32:18]. The Holy One who shows kindness to a thousand generations and pays for the sins that the father does to the children must suffer for the father, when the children also commit the sins that the father committed.3Rashi, Jeremiah, 32:18.
“Wondrous in purpose and mighty in deed” [32:19]. You are good and very wise to give advice and You do great things. You observe the ways of people, to pay each one his measure.
“You displayed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt” [32:20]. You God have done great things in the land of Egypt, until the present day, for Israel and for other nations because of the merit of Israel. You have taken Israel out of Egypt with great wonders.
“You gave them this land” [32:22]. You have given them the land that you promised to Abraham.
“They came and took possession of it” [32:23]. They came and conquered the land and the Israelites did not listen to His commandments. That is why the troubles came upon them.
“The siege mounds have been raised against the city” [32:24]. Now the great cannons have come to the city to conquer the city. The city will be given into the hand of the Chaldeans who are waging war against the city, with hunger, sword and pestilence. You have said so and have seen this with your eyes. You God have said to me, buy the field, with witnesses, even though the city will be given into the hands of the Chaldeans.
“The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah” [32:26]. The Holy One responded: I know all the hidden things, and I know well that Jerusalem will be destroyed, but I have told you to buy the field in order to console Israel, that they will be redeemed and will return to their land in the days of the Messiah. Amen.4Radak, Jeremiah, 32:26.