Bible Strands
Jeremiah 32:18
You show loving devotion to thousands but lay the iniquity of the fathers into the laps of their children after them, O great and mighty God whose name is the LORD of Hosts,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jeremiah addresses the Lord in prayer during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, praising Him immediately after affirming in verse 17 that nothing is too difficult for the Creator.
The words — The text employs חֶ֙סֶד (chesed), literally covenant loyalty or loving devotion, and חֵ֥יק (cheik), literally bosom or lap, to describe how God extends steadfast love to thousands while placing the iniquity of fathers into the laps of their descendants.
The thread — The same combination of generational loyalty and paternal accountability appears in Exodus 34:7 and Deuteronomy 5:9, while Jeremiah 10:16 is cited only to identify God as the Maker of all things and Israel as His inherited portion.
Why it lands — The passage requires a reader to acknowledge that divine reward and judgment operate across generations without diminishing God’s supreme authority or creative power.
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
King James Version
Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is his name,
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 10:16 The Portion of Jacob is not like these, for He is the Maker of all things, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance—the LORD of Hosts is His name.
- Exodus 34:7 maintaining loving devotion to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers on their children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”
- Deuteronomy 5:9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
- Exodus 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
- Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.
- Isaiah 10:21 A remnant will return—a remnant of Jacob—to the Mighty God.
- Numbers 14:18 ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation.’
- Deuteronomy 10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.
- 1 Kings 14:9 You have done more evil than all who came before you. You have proceeded to make for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me, and you have flung Me behind your back.
- 1 Kings 16:1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha, saying: