Jeremiah 32:10
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
American King James Version (AKJV)
And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
American Standard Version (ASV)
And I subscribed the deed, and sealed it, and called witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And I put it in writing, stamping it with my stamp, and I took witnesses and put the money into the scales.
Webster's Revision
And I subscribed the contract, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
World English Bible
I subscribed the deed, and sealed it, and called witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
English Revised Version (ERV)
And I subscribed the deed, and sealed it, and called witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
Clarke's Jeremiah 32:10 Bible Commentary
I subscribed the evidence - We have here all the circumstances of this legal act:
1. An offer is made of the reversion of the ground, till the jubilee, to him who would then of right come into possession.
2. The price is agreed on, and the silver weighed in the balances.
3. A contract or deed of sale is drawn up, to which both parties agreeing,
4. Witnesses are brought forward to see it signed and sealed; for the contract was both subscribed and sealed.
5. A duplicate of the deed was drawn, which was not to be sealed, but to lie open for the inspection of those concerned in some public place where it might be safe and always to be seen.
6. The original, which was sealed up, was put in an earthen pitcher in order to be preserved from accidents.
7. This was delivered by the purchaser into the hands of a third party, to be preserved for the use of the purchaser, and witnesses were called to attest this delivery.
8. They subscribed the book of the purchase, perhaps a town book, or register, where such purchases were entered. Baruch was a scribe by profession; and the deeds were delivered into his hands, before witnesses, to be preserved as above.
Perhaps the law, in this case, required that the instrument should be thus lodged. But, in the present case, both the deeds, the original and the duplicate, were put into the earthen pitcher because the city was about to be burnt; and if lodged as usual, they would be destroyed in the general conflagration. See Jeremiah 32:14.
Barnes's Jeremiah 32:10 Bible Commentary
Translate: And I wrote the particulars of the purchase in the deed ... And I took the purchase-deed, both that which was sealed containing the oiler and the conditions, and that which was open etc. There were two indentures, of which one was called the purchase-deed, and was signed by the purchaser and the witnesses. It was then sealed, not in our sense of appending a seal in place of signatures, but to close it up. The open deed was probably an exact copy, and was that intended for common use. In case its authenticity was called in question, the sealed copy would have to be produced before the judge, the seal opened, and if its contents agreed with those of the open deed, the decision would be in the buyer's favor.
By the offer is probably meant the specification. The conditions, literally, the statutes, would be the stipulations and terms of the sale, e. g. as to its restoration at the year of jubile, its price etc. The placing of the deeds in jar was of course intended to preserve them from damp during the long years of the exile.