Yeremia 32:26-29

The Lord Answers Jeremiah’s Prayer

32:26 The Lord answered Jeremiah. ¹  32:27 “I am the Lord, the God of all humankind. There is, indeed, nothing too difficult for me. ²  32:28 Therefore I, the Lord, say: ³  ‘I will indeed hand ⁴  this city over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonian army. ⁵  They will capture it. 32:29 The Babylonian soldiers ⁶  that are attacking this city will break into it and set it on fire. They will burn it down along with the houses where people have made me angry by offering sacrifices to the god Baal and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods on their rooftops. ⁷ 

[32:26]  ¹ tn Heb “The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying.”

[32:27]  ² tn Heb “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” The question is rhetorical expecting an emphatic negative answer (cf. E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 949, citing the parallel in Gen 18:14). The Hebrew particle “Behold” (הִנֵּה, hinneh) introduces the grounds for this rhetorical negative (cf. T. O. Lambdin, Introduction to Biblical Hebrew, 170, §135 [3]), i.e., “Since I am the Lord, the God of all mankind, there is indeed nothing too hard for me [or is there anything too hard for me?].”

[32:27]  sn This statement furnishes the grounds both for the assurance that the city will indeed be delivered over to Nebuchadnezzar (vv. 28-29a) and that it will be restored and repopulated (vv. 37-41). This can be seen from the parallel introductions in vv. 28, “Therefore the Lord says” and “Now therefore the Lord says.” As the creator of all and God of all mankind he has the power and authority to do with his creation what he wishes (cf. Jer 27:5-6).

[32:28]  ³ tn Heb “Thus says the Lord.” However, the speech has already been introduced as first person. So the first person style has been retained for smoother narrative style.

[32:28]  ⁴ tn Heb “Behold, I will give this city into the hand of…”

[32:28]  ⁵ tn Heb “The Chaldeans.” See the study note on 21:4 for further explanation.

[32:29]  ⁶ tn Heb “The Chaldeans.” See the study note on 21:4 for further explanation.

[32:29]  ⁷ sn Compare Jer 19:13.