Jeremiah explained why he made the purchase: He was investing in the future that God had promised. Someday, exiled survivors from the destruction of Judah would return, and the worthless land would become productive and valuable again. Jeremiah had already predicted that the exile would last for seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11–12; 29:10). Jeremiah's purchase showed his faith in the Lord's plan to restore his people.