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,

JEREMIAH 32:18KJV
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Jeremiah 32:18 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 32:18 mean?

Jeremiah 32:18 describes God as someone who shows steadfast love to thousands but also brings consequences for wrongdoing, even affecting later generations. The verse calls God “the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts,” highlighting both His power and His justice.

Jeremiah is speaking to God during a time when Jerusalem is under siege, acknowledging God’s character and actions in history. The verse balances God’s kindness (especially to many people) with His justice, which sometimes means that the results of a generation’s sins are felt by their children. Jeremiah’s words reflect both awe for God’s greatness and a sober recognition of His fairness.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 32:18

  • חֶסֶד (chesed, “lovingkindness”): This word means loyal love or steadfast kindness, not just a feeling but a committed, covenantal care. It emphasizes that God’s goodness is reliable and enduring.
  • שִׁלַּם (shillem, “recompensest”): This verb means to repay or to make whole, showing that God responds to actions with appropriate consequences, whether good or bad.
  • עָוֹן (avon, “iniquity”): This word refers to guilt or wrongdoing, especially the kind that has lasting effects. The verse notes that the impact of such wrongdoing can reach into the lives of children.
  • בֶּן (ben, “children”) and חֵיק (cheq, “bosom”): The phrase “into the bosom of their children” paints a picture of consequences being delivered personally and closely, not just in a distant or abstract way.

Why Jeremiah 32:18 matters

  • Jeremiah 32:18 clarifies that God’s love is vast and faithful, but it does not cancel out His justice; both are part of His nature.
  • The verse helps explain why some consequences of wrongdoing seem to affect later generations, not as blind punishment, but as part of the natural and moral order God oversees.
  • In the wider chapter, Jeremiah is wrestling with hope and judgment during a national crisis, and this verse shows his understanding of God’s character as both merciful and just, which is central to the message of the book.

Where else these words appear

“bosom” Hebrew H2436 · used in 34 verses

  • Genesis 16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.
  • 1 Kings 3:20 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
  • Proverbs 17:23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

“recompensest” Hebrew H7999 · used in 107 verses

  • Genesis 44:4 And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
  • 1 Kings 9:25 And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD, and he burnt incense upon the altar that was before the LORD. So he finished the house.
  • Proverbs 6:31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.