^32:18You show unfailing love to thousands.³¹ But you also punish children for the sins of their parents.³² You are the great and powerful God who is known as the Lord who rules over all.³³^32:19You plan great things and you do mighty deeds.³⁴ You see everything people do.³⁵ You reward each of them for the way they live and for the things they do.³⁶

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Footnotes

31 Or “to thousands of generations.” The contrast of showing steadfast love to “thousands” to the limitation of punishing the third and fourth generation of children for their parents’ sins in Exod 20:5–6; Deut 5:9–10; Exod 34:7 has suggested to many commentators and translators (cf., e.g., , , ) that reference here is to “thousands of generations.” The statement is, of course, rhetorical emphasizing God’s great desire to bless as opposed to the reluctant necessity to punish. It is part of the attributes of God spelled out in Exod 34:6–7.
32 Heb “pays back into the bosom of their children the sin of their parents.”
33 Heb “Nothing is too hard for you who show … and who punishes … the great [and] powerful God whose name is Yahweh of armies, [you who are] great in counsel … whose eyes are open … who did signs …” Jer 32:18–22 is a long series of relative clauses introduced by participles or relative pronouns in vv. 18–20a followed by second person vav consecutive imperfects carrying on the last of these relative clauses in vv. 20b–22. This is typical of hymnic introductions to hymns of praise (cf., e.g., Ps 136) but it is hard to sustain the relative subordination which all goes back to the suffix on “hard for you.” The sentences have been broken up but the connection with the end of v. 17 has been sacrificed for conformity to contemporary English style.
34 Heb “[you are] great in counsel and mighty in deed.”
35 Heb “your eyes are open to the ways of the sons of men.”
36 Heb “giving to each according to his way [= behavior/conduct] and according to the fruit of his deeds.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds. You have shown signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and to this day in Israel and among all mankind, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents’ sins into the laps of their children after them. Great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve. You performed signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

You show faithful love to thousands but lay the fathers’ iniquity on their sons’ laps after them, great and mighty God whose name is the Lord of Armies, the one great in counsel and powerful in action. Your eyes are on all the ways of the children of men in order to reward each person according to his ways and as the result of his actions. You performed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt and still do today, both in Israel and among all mankind. You made a name for yourself, as is the case today.

NLTNew Living Translation

You show unfailing love to thousands, but you also bring the consequences of one generation’s sin upon the next. You are the great and powerful God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles. You see the conduct of all people, and you give them what they deserve. You performed miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt—things still remembered to this day! And you have continued to do great miracles in Israel and all around the world. You have made your name famous to this day.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

showing loyal love to the thousands, and repaying the guilt of parents into the laps of their children after them. Powerful, great, mighty, his name is Yahweh of hosts, great in counsel and great in deed, whose eyes are opened to all the ways of the children of humankind, to give to each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds, who accomplished signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, up to this day, and in Israel, and among humankind, and you have made for yourself a name, as it is this day.

KJV 1900King James Version

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, Great in counsel, and mighty in work: 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: 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;

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