Jeremiah Chapter 37 verse 12 Holy Bible

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 12. - As soon as communication with the outside world was possible, Jeremiah took the opportunity of going to his native country, to obtain something or other which he could only obtain "thence." The Authorized Version says that his object was to separate himself thence. But (1) the rendering is linguistically untenable; and (2) the assumed object is incongruous with the circumstances and Character of Jeremiah, who was neither inclined to seek safety in isolation nor had any motive at present for doing so. The only safe rendering is, to claim his share thence. Whether there was just then a reallotment of communal lands must be left undecided; this would, however, be the most plausible hypothesis, if we could be sure that the present was a sabbatical year. The additional words, in the midst of the people, would then acquire a special significance. The "people" would be the representatives of families who had an equal right to allotments with Jeremiah.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12) Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem . . .--The prophet's motive in leaving the city may well have been his apprehension that the answer he had sent would move the king's anger, and lead, as it actually led, to an order for his arrest. The fact that the Chaldaeans had raised the siege gave him free egress.To separate himself thence in the midst of the people.--More accurately, to take a share from thence in the midst of the people. This gives probably the ostensible reason of his journey. As a priest belonging to Anathoth, he had property (like that which he afterwards bought of his uncle, Jeremiah 32) in the land of Benjamin, and he now went to look after it, either in the way of ploughing and sowing, or to receive his share of its produce during his sojourn in Jerusalem. If, as seems probable from Jeremiah 34:8-16, this was a Sabbatical year, the former, assuming the siege to have been raised when the year was over, would be the more probable alternative, and would better explain, as in Ruth 4:2; Ruth 4:9, the addition of the clause "in the midst of the people," as showing that there was nothing clandestine in his proceedings. Other meanings that have been given to the words, "to buy bread," "to till a field," "to separate a field," "to conciliate," "to divide the spoil," are less satisfactory. At such a time all the owners of land would be eager to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the departure of the Chaldaean army to transact any business connected with it.