The Meaning of Jeremiah 32:18 Explained

Jeremiah 32:18

KJV: 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,

YLT: Doing kindness to thousands, and recompensing iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their sons after them; God, the great, the mighty, Jehovah of Hosts is His name,

Darby: who shewest mercy unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them, thou, the great, the mighty God, Jehovah of hosts is his name;

ASV: who showest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them; the great, the mighty God, Jehovah of hosts is his name;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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, 

What does Jeremiah 32:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Jeremiah 32:1-44 - Shepherds That Mislead God's Flock
It is God's purpose to care for His people through shepherds (pastors) who are responsible to Him. Jesus our Lord is the Branch into which we may be grafted. He is our King who saves us and clothes us with His own spotless righteousness. God finds us in Him, Philippians 3:9. Because He reigns, we are saved and dwell in safety. When we are brought into contact with false shepherds, whether the failure be in doctrine or example, let us ask for the broken heart of Jeremiah 23:9.
God is everywhere present; as the latter paragraph indicates, He is near at hand to overhear the blasphemy of those who deride religion, and to be a very present help in time of trouble. If He fills heaven and earth, can He not fill thy heart? If His Word is like fire, let it cleanse thee! If it is as a hammer, let it pulverize thy pride! Let those of us who essay to teach and preach, not steal our words from our neighbors, or utter our own, but receive them from the source of all truth. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 32

1  Jeremiah, being imprisoned by Zedekiah for his prophecy,
6  buys Hanameel's field
13  Baruch must preserve the evidences, as tokens of the people's return
16  Jeremiah in his prayer complains to God
26  God confirms the captivity for their sins;
36  and promises a gracious return

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 32:18 mean?

[You] show lovingkindness to thousands and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them God the Great the Mighty Yahweh of hosts whose name [is]
עֹ֤שֶׂה חֶ֙סֶד֙ לַֽאֲלָפִ֔ים וּמְשַׁלֵּם֙ עֲוֺ֣ן אָב֔וֹת אֶל־ חֵ֥יק בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם הָאֵ֤ל הַגָּדוֹל֙ הַגִּבּ֔וֹר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמֽוֹ

עֹ֤שֶׂה  [You]  show 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
חֶ֙סֶד֙  lovingkindness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
לַֽאֲלָפִ֔ים  to  thousands 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, masculine plural
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
וּמְשַׁלֵּם֙  and  repay 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: .
עֲוֺ֣ן  the  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
אָב֔וֹת  of  the  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
חֵ֥יק  the  bosom 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֹוק 
Sense: bosom, hollow, bottom, midst.
בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם  of  their  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם  after  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
הָאֵ֤ל  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
הַגָּדוֹל֙  the  Great 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
הַגִּבּ֔וֹר  the  Mighty 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גִּבֹּור  
Sense: strong, mighty.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֖וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
שְׁמֽוֹ  whose  name  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.