During the final siege of Jerusalem which began in February of 587 BC, Jeremiah was confined to the prison of the guard in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 32:2-5). Here Jeremiah received and recorded in 587 BC the comforting words for the people of Israel that are contained in Jeremiah 30-34.

Nebuchadnezzar’s army was besieging the city while under the command of Nebuzaradan. When Pharoah Hophra led his Egyptian forces north into Judah to assist King Zedekiah against the Babylonians there was a break in the Babylonians siege against the walls of Jerusalem. While Nebuzaradan turned his attention on driving the Egyptian forces back into Egypt Jeremiah is told by the Lord to buy some property in Anathoth.

It was at this time that Jeremiah’s cousin Hanamel came into the courtyard of the guard to sell Jeremiah some family property, saying:

“Buy my field at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. Since it is your right to redeem it and possess it, buy it for yourself.” – Jeremiah 32:8

It is interesting to read about the signing of the scrolls, the weighing out of the silver in the scales, the production of an unsealed copy of the document that could be read without breaking the seal of the official document and the calling of witnesses to observe and verify the transaction.

It is also important to note that the field that Jeremiah is purchasing is about three miles northeast of Jerusalem. This area is likely occupied by Babylonian troops who were about a year away from capturing Jerusalem, burning it to the ground and taking the people captive.

Why buy this field? This was a prophetic act from God speaking of the future of Israel. And, this was Jeremiah’s personal commitment to his message of comfort that he had been speaking during Jerusalem’s final days in 587 BC. The prophetic message was given in the presence of the witnesses who came to witness the legal property transfer. In other words, the witnesses came to serve two purposes. One was to verify the legal transfer of property. The second was to hear and confirm Jeremiah’s prophecy of comfort concerning Israel’s future back in the land after the captivity:

“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time.’ For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says: ‘Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’ ”
– Jeremiah 32:14-15

David’s son Absalom cut his hair each year simply because it became too heavy not to cut. Absalom’s hair weighed 5 pounds at his annual hair cutting according to 2 Samuel 14:26.