Jeremiah 32:18

18 You display your grace to thousands but also repay the guilt of the fathers into the lap of their children who follow them. Great, powerful God, whose name is ADONAI-Tzva'ot,

Jeremiah 32:18 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 32:18

Thou showest lovingkindness unto thousands
Not to thousands of persons only, but to a thousand generations, even such that love, fear, and serve him; see ( Exodus 20:6 ) ( Psalms 105:8 ) ; this is very properly added, for the further strengthening of faith; for though the omnipotence of God assures us that there is nothing but what he can do, yet it gives us no certain encouragement he will do this, or that, or the other, in a favourable and gracious manner; but this his loving kindness, experienced by a multitude of persons in all ages, gives reason to hope for: and recompensest the iniquities of the fathers into the bosom of their
children after them;
it is added in the decalogue, from whence these words are taken, "of them that hate me", ( Exodus 20:5 ) ; and here the Targum adds,

``when they go on to sin after them;''

when they imitate their fathers in their wickedness, and commit the same sins they have done, and continue in them; wherefore, having tilled up the measure of their fathers' sins, they receive a just and full recompence of them into their bosom; which denotes both the certainty of it and the fulness of it: the prophet formed in his mind just notions and ideas of the divine Being, as being not only gracious and merciful, but holy, just, and righteous; and it may be he strikes at the Jews, who might complain of God, as they sometimes did, for being punished for their fathers' sins, as if they themselves were innocent and guiltless: the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts [is] his name:
"great" in all the perfections of his nature, and greatly to be praised, loved, and feared; "mighty" to do whatsoever he pleases; and who, agreeably to his name, has all the hosts and armies of heaven and earth at his command; and what is it that he cannot do?

Jeremiah 32:18 In-Context

16 After giving the purchase contract to Barukh son of Neriyah, I prayed to ADONAI:

17 "ADONAI, God! You made heaven and earth by your great power and outstretched arm; nothing is too hard for you.

18 You display your grace to thousands but also repay the guilt of the fathers into the lap of their children who follow them. Great, powerful God, whose name is ADONAI-Tzva'ot,

19 great in counsel, mighty in deed! Your eyes are open to all the ways of human beings in order to repay each one according to his ways, according to the consequences of what he does.

20 You gave signs and performed miracles in the land of Egypt which continue to this day, also in Isra'el and among other people; thus you made yourself the reputation you have today.