Jeremiah Buys Land in Anathoth (32:1-44) 509
halakah and according to what is right") has a phrase that cites the legal re-
quirements in the closed and open copies, an interpretation that is carried over
into the AV ("according to the law and custom"), the JB [but not NJB], and the
NJV. Jerome assumed that the phrase was specifying the conditions of the con-
tract (Vg: stipulationes et rata, "stipulations and legal [matters]"), an interpre-
tation carried over into the AmT ("the terms and conditions") and other
English translations (RSV; NAB; NIV; NRSV; NJB). Bright has "the contract
and the conditions," which is as good a translation as any. The syntax is un-
usual since the phrase modifies both "the sealed deed of purchase" and "the
open copy" (Tsumura 1983: 477). See similar syntax in v 20.
- and I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch son ofNeriah, son ofMahseiah,
in the presence of Hanamel, son of my uncle, and in the presence of the witnesses
who had written on the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judahites
who were sitting in the court of the guard. Already we are beginning to see that
this is more than just a land purchase with seller, buyer, an accredited scribe,
and witnesses present to verify the transfer and have their names affixed to the
deed. Other Judahites are here to see Jeremiah entrust the deed to Baruch and
hear the oracles that follow ( vv 14-15 ). What we have here is another symbolic
action by the prophet, and symbolic actions since they extend the prophetic
preaching require for posterity a greater audience able to witness the greater
significance of what might otherwise be an occurrence to which little or no im-
portance is attached (see Note for 13:1).
the deed of purchase. Hebrew >et-hasseper hammiqnfl. The Q^0 R readings
omit the definite article on the construct term, which is required if this is to be
a construct chain (cf. vv l I, I 4) The second term must otherwise stand in
apposition to the first: "the deed, the purchase (one)" (cf. GKC §127h).
Baruch son ofNeriah, son of Mahseiah. This is the first mention of Baruch in
the book, although he appeared earlier in time to write up Jeremiah's first
scroll (36:4). Here Baruch has written, tied up, and sealed Jeremiah's deed of
purchase, making him the natural person to receive it for safekeeping. Baruch
is a professional scribe, indicated by "the scribe" added to his name in 36:26
and 32 and by seal impressions with his name and title that have turned up (see
Note for 36:4). His name appears here with a double patronym, which is what
we find similarly after the name of Seraiah, Baruch's brother, in 51:59. In the
apocryphal book of Baruch, an even more-expanded patronym is given: "the
son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, son of Zedekiah, son of Hasadiah, son of
Hilkiah" (Bar 1:1). Baruch belongs to a prominent scribal family. The names
"Mahseiah," "Neriah;' and "Baruch" are all well attested in the period, having
turned up on the Arad ostraca and on various seals and seal impressions (see
"Baruch ben Neriah ben Mahseiah" in Appendix I).
Hanamel, son of my uncle. The word ben ("son") appears to have been acci-
dently omitted in MT (Albrektson 1994: 37-38), being present in many Heb
MSS, LXX, S, and MSS of T Hanamel is the cousin, not the uncle, of Jeremiah.
the witnesses who had written on the deed of purchase. The witnesses
"who had written" (hakkotebfm) on the deed of purchase simply affixed their
