Question 1

What is Jeremiah doing when he prays in this passage?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah has just finished handing the deed of a field to Baruch as God told him to. This happens while he is shut up and Jerusalem is surrounded by the Chaldeans. After obeying the strange command to buy land in a city about to be taken, he turns to God in prayer. In his prayer he praises who God is, remembers what God has done in the past, admits Israel’s sin, recognizes the justice of the coming disaster, and then lays his confusion about the land purchase honestly before the Lord.

Question 2

What does nothing is too hard for thee mean in Jeremiah’s prayer?

Accepted Answer

When Jeremiah says there is nothing too hard for God, he is looking at God as the Maker of heaven and earth who created everything by great power and an outstretched arm. He is reminding himself that God can do what seems impossible, including keeping his promises even when the city is about to fall. This line is not just a slogan; it comes in the middle of a real struggle, as Jeremiah wrestles with how God’s command to buy a field fits with the present judgment.

Question 3

What does it mean that God shows lovingkindness to thousands and repays iniquity to children?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah describes God as both very kind and truly just. God shows lovingkindness to thousands, meaning his mercy and kindness reach far and wide. At the same time, he repays the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children who follow in their ways. The idea is not that innocent children are punished for others’ sins, but that when generations continue in the same rebellion, they share both the guilt and the consequences. This picture urges people to take sin seriously and not treat God’s patience lightly.

Question 4

Why does Jeremiah talk about signs and wonders in Egypt in this prayer?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah brings up the signs and wonders in Egypt to remember how God had already saved Israel in the past. God used powerful acts to bring his people out of slavery, gave them a land flowing with milk and honey, and made a name for himself among all nations. By recalling these events, Jeremiah is grounding his prayer in what God has already done. This helps him trust that the same God who worked powerfully before is still in control now, even as the Chaldeans surround the city and judgment falls.

Question 5

What was happening in Jerusalem when Jeremiah mentions the mounts around the city?

Accepted Answer

When Jeremiah says, Behold the mounts, he is describing the siege works and ramps the Chaldean army had built up against Jerusalem. These raised structures and war engines allowed the attackers to get close to the walls and try to break into the city. Sword, famine, and pestilence were already hurting the people inside. Jeremiah sees that what God had spoken about the city being given into the hands of the Chaldeans is coming true right in front of his eyes, and he brings that painful reality into his prayer.

Question 6

Why did God tell Jeremiah to buy a field when the city was about to fall?

Accepted Answer

God’s command for Jeremiah to buy a field during a siege seems strange, and Jeremiah himself struggles with it in this prayer. The field is in territory soon to be taken by the enemy, so from a human point of view it looks like a wasted purchase. Yet Jeremiah still obeys, then asks God about it. The command points beyond the present judgment to a future restoration, when land will again be bought and owned in peace. The passage shows that obedience can come before full understanding, and questions can be safely brought to God.

Question 7

What does this passage teach about God’s character?

Accepted Answer

This passage paints a rich picture of who God is. He is the Creator of heaven and earth, so nothing is too hard for him. He shows lovingkindness to thousands, yet he also repays iniquity and does not ignore sin. He is great in counsel and mighty in work, seeing all the ways of people and giving to each according to their deeds. He is the God who did signs and wonders in Egypt, brought Israel out with a strong hand, and gave them the promised land. At the same time, he is righteous in bringing judgment when his people refuse to obey.

Question 8

How does Jeremiah’s prayer model honest faith in confusing times?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah does not hide his confusion. He obeys God’s command to buy the field, then goes straight to prayer. He starts by praising God’s power, wisdom, and mercy, and remembering God’s past acts. He openly admits Israel’s disobedience and accepts that the suffering they face is deserved. Only after that does he bring his puzzle to God about buying land in a doomed city. This pattern shows that real faith can both trust God’s character and ask hard questions, without pretending to understand everything God is doing.

Jeremiah 32:16

¶ Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the Lord, saying,

Jeremiah Prays for Understanding

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Jeremiah 32:16

¶ Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the Lord, saying,

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Jeremiah Prays for Understanding

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