Jeremiah 32:17

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:

Ah {H162} Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}! behold, thou hast made {H6213} the heaven {H8064} and the earth {H776} by thy great {H1419} power {H3581} and stretched out {H5186} arm {H2220}, and there is nothing {H1697} too hard {H6381} for thee:

"ADONAI, God! You made heaven and earth by your great power and outstretched arm; nothing is too hard for you.

“Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!

Ah Lord Jehovah! behold, thou hast made the heavens and the earth by thy great power and by thine outstretched arm; there is nothing too hard for thee,

Jeremiah 32:17 is a profound declaration of faith and an anchor of hope from the prophet Jeremiah during a time of immense national crisis. This verse forms the opening of Jeremiah's prayer to the Lord, uttered while he was imprisoned in Jerusalem, which was under siege by the Babylonian army.

Context

At this point in the book of Jeremiah, the prophet is literally in chains, and Jerusalem is facing imminent destruction. God had commanded Jeremiah to buy a field in Anathoth from his cousin Hanamel (Jeremiah 32:6-8), a seemingly absurd act given that the land was about to fall into enemy hands. This command was a symbolic act, demonstrating God's promise of future restoration for Israel. Jeremiah's prayer, beginning with this verse, reflects his human struggle to reconcile the dire present reality with God's seemingly illogical command and His overarching promises. It is a prayer that acknowledges God's immense power even amidst deep uncertainty.

Key Themes

  • God's Omnipotence and Sovereignty: The central message is God's limitless power. By creating the entire universe, God demonstrates His unparalleled ability to do anything He wills, regardless of human limitations or circumstances.
  • Divine Creative Power: The phrase "thou hast made the heaven and the earth" emphasizes God's role as the supreme Creator, establishing His authority and capacity over all things.
  • Nothing is Impossible for God: The concluding statement, "there is nothing too hard for thee," is a powerful affirmation of God's ability to overcome any obstacle, fulfill any promise, and bring about His divine will even in seemingly hopeless situations. This echoes the question posed in Genesis 18:14 regarding Sarah's ability to conceive.
  • Faith Amidst Despair: Jeremiah's prayer models how to approach God in times of confusion or despair, starting with an affirmation of His character and power before presenting one's questions or requests.

Linguistic Insights

The opening exclamation, "Ah Lord GOD!" translates the Hebrew 'Adonai Yahweh, an expression of profound reverence and submission to the sovereign God. The phrase "stretched out arm" (Hebrew: zeroa' netuyah) is a powerful anthropomorphic metaphor frequently used in the Old Testament to describe God's mighty acts of deliverance and judgment, most notably seen in the context of the Exodus from Egypt (e.g., Exodus 6:6). It conveys the idea of God actively intervening with irresistible power. The concluding declaration, "there is nothing too hard for thee," uses the Hebrew word pala', which means "to be wonderful," "to be marvelous," or "to be difficult/impossible." It encapsulates the idea that nothing is too amazing or too challenging for the Almighty.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 32:17 serves as a timeless reminder and source of encouragement for believers today. When facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, personal crises, or global uncertainties, this verse calls us to:

  • Trust in God's Omnipotence: Remember that the God who created the universe is the same God who is active in your life. No problem is too big for Him.
  • Anchor Hope in His Promises: Just as God promised restoration to Israel against all odds, He is faithful to His promises to us.
  • Pray with Bold Faith: Like Jeremiah, we can bring our confusion and questions to God, starting from a place of acknowledging His supreme power and character.

This verse encourages us to lift our eyes from our circumstances to the Creator of heaven and earth, knowing that with Him, all things are possible.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Luke 1:37

    For with God nothing shall be impossible.

  • Jeremiah 32:27

    Behold, I [am] the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

  • Genesis 18:14

    Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

  • Job 42:2

    I know that thou canst do every [thing], and [that] no thought can be withholden from thee.

  • Matthew 19:26

    But Jesus beheld [them], and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

  • Exodus 20:11

    For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

  • Genesis 1:1

    ¶ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
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