Jeremiah 32:16-22 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Bible Comments

When I had delivered the evidence, I prayed unto the Lord What he prayed for we learn in the following verses: by which it appears that he was not without some doubts and perplexities in this business. And though he yielded a ready and absolute obedience to God's command, yet he prays for a clearer revelation of his meaning in the matter. Saying, Ah Lord God! &c. He begins his prayer with an acknowledgment of God's infinite power, made manifest in his works, both of creation and providence, whereby he shows himself wonderful in his mercies, and terrible in his judgments. It is observable that God himself makes use of these instances to confirm his people's faith in his ability to do whatever he pleases, Jeremiah 27:5. And the servants of God are often represented in holy writ as giving God such names and titles, and ascribing to him such attributes, as were calculated to strengthen their faith in prayer. And there is nothing too hard for thee Hebrew, לא יגלאּ מאךְ, too wonderful for thee, or, hidden from thee, as some render the clause: that is, out of the reach of thy wisdom and power to bring to pass. Thou showest loving-kindness unto thousands, and recompensed, &c. This name God gave himself, Exodus 34:7; Deuteronomy 5:9-10, where see the notes; and concerning the latter clause, the note on Jeremiah 31:29-30. The great, the mighty God, the Lord of hosts The God of infinite majesty, of boundless power, and of universal dominion, and therefore worthy of all adoration and praise, of all reverence and fear, of all subjection and obedience. Great in counsel, and mighty in work Who art infinitely wise in ordering all events, and powerful in putting thy decrees in execution. Thine eyes are open upon all the ways, &c. Beholding the evil and the good, and that not as an unconcerned spectator, but as an observing judge; to give every one according to his ways To reward or punish men according to their actions, and the principles from which they proceed. Who hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt Who didst wonders of justice in the land of Egypt, which remain, if not in the marks, yet in the memorials of them, unto this day. And in Israel And wroughtest wonders of mercy in Israel, bringing them out of Egypt through the Red sea, raining down manna upon them, and quails from heaven, and fetching water out of the rock for them; and among other men And hast also done many wondrous works in other places, by which thou hast made thyself a glorious name.

Jeremiah 32:16-22

16 Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying,

17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:

18 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,

19 Great in counsel, and mighty in work:c for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:

20 Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day;

21 And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;

22 And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;