Jeremiah 16:21

“Therefore behold, I will inform them, and this time I will make them know My power and My might; then they will know that My name is the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Yahweh speaks through Jeremiah to the exiled Israelites immediately after declaring that human-made idols are not gods. He announces a decisive intervention to reveal His true nature to the nations.

The words — The Hebrew הִנְנִי (hinnēnî) translates literally as "behold, I," marking a sudden divine action. It is paired with אוֹדִיעֵם (ōdīʿêm), meaning "I will make them know," emphasizing direct revelation.

The thread — This theme of God revealing His power so others recognize His name runs through Psalm 9:16 and Psalm 83:18. Jeremiah 33:2 also connects divine creation with the declaration of His name.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that human effort cannot produce divinity, and that God alone acts to reveal His authority. It calls the reader to stop attributing sovereignty to created things and acknowledge Yahweh as the sole object of worship.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

לָכֵן֙la./Khen<to>/ therefore הִנְנִ֣יhi./Nihere/ I מֽוֹדִיעָ֔םmo.di.'A/m[am] about to make know/ them בַּפַּ֣עַםba./Pa.'amat the/ time הַזֹּ֔אתha./Zot<the>/ this אוֹדִיעֵ֥ם'o.di.'E/mI will make know/ them אֶת־'et-<obj.>יָדִ֖יya.D/ihand/ my וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>גְּבֽוּרָתִ֑יge.vu.ra.T/imight/ my וְיָדְע֖וּve./ya.de.'Uand/ they will know כִּֽי־ki-that שְׁמִ֥יshe.M/iname/ my יְהוָֽה׃ סYah.weh[is] Yahweh

King James Version

Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The Lord.

Cross-references

Psalms 9:16 The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion Selah
Psalms 83:18 May they know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, are Most High over all the earth.
Jeremiah 33:2 “Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it, the LORD is His name:
Amos 5:8 He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns darkness into dawn and darkens day into night, who summons the waters of the sea and pours them over the face of the earth—the LORD is His name—
Exodus 15:3 The LORD is a warrior, the LORD is His name.
Isaiah 43:3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place.
Exodus 9:14 Otherwise, I will send all My plagues against you and your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.
Exodus 14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue them. But I will gain honor by means of Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” So this is what the Israelites did.
Ezekiel 6:7 The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the LORD.
Ezekiel 24:24 ‘Thus Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’