Jeremiah 32:26-35 · Bible study
Jeremiah 32:26-35 Commentary: God's Sovereignty Justifies Judgment
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why God answers Jeremiah's prayer by declaring His power before cataloging Judah's sins, leading to both judgment and future hope.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God answers Jeremiah's prayer by affirming His sovereignty over all flesh, then justifying the coming judgment through a detailed catalogue of Judah's persistent sins from youth to present.
- Key words: "God of all flesh" (v.27), emphasizes Yahweh's authority over every living being; "rising up early" (v.33), idiom for persistent, repeated divine teaching; "didn't even come into my mind" (v.35), repudiation of child sacrifice as utterly foreign to God's will.
- Main debate: Whether this section is a later editorial expansion (Cambridge Bible) or an integral part of Jeremiah's original prophecy. Most commentators treat it as original and coherent with the surrounding narrative.
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty as the basis for both judgment and restoration. God's power does not make Him capricious; it grounds the justice of His actions and the certainty of His promises.
- Best use: A strong passage for teaching that God's judgment is not arbitrary but rooted in real, documented sin, and that the same God who judges is the God who redeems.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
26Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:
27“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?
28Therefore this is what the LORD says: Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will capture it.
29And the Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will come in, set it on fire, and burn it, along with the houses of those who provoked Me to anger by burning incense to Baal on their rooftops and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods.
30For the children of Israel and of Judah have done nothing but evil in My sight from their youth; indeed, they have done nothing but provoke Me to anger by the work of their hands, declares the LORD.
31For this city has aroused My wrath and fury from the day it was built until now. Therefore I will remove it from My presence
32because of all the evil the children of Israel and of Judah have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their officials, their priests and prophets, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem.
33They have turned their backs to Me and not their faces. Though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.
34They have placed their abominations in the house that bears My Name, and so have defiled it.
35They have built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Hinnom to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire to Molech—something I never commanded them, nor had it ever entered My mind, that they should commit such an abomination and cause Judah to sin.
WEB World English Bible 2000
26Then Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah, saying,
27“Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?
28Therefore Yahweh says: Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it.
29The Chaldeans, who fight against this city, will come and set this city on fire, and burn it with the houses on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal, and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger.
30“For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only that which was evil in my sight from their youth; for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, says Yahweh.
31For this city has been to me a provocation of my anger and of my wrath from the day that they built it even to this day, so that I should remove it from before my face,
32because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger—they, their kings, their princes, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
33They have turned their backs to me, and not their faces. Although I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction.
34But they set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it.
35They built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through fire to Molech, which I didn’t command them. It didn’t even come into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.”
KJV King James Version 1769
26Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
27Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
28Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:
29And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.
30For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the Lord.
31For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,
32Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
33And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.
34But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it.
35And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
26Then came the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah, saying,
27Behold, I am Jehovah, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?
28Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:
29and the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set this city on fire, and burn it, with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink-offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.
30For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only that which was evil in my sight from their youth; for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith Jehovah.
31For this city hath been to me a provocation of mine anger and of my wrath from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,
32because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
33And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: and though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.
34But they set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it.
35And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
26And the word of Jehovah is unto Jeremiah, saying:
27`Lo, I am Jehovah, God of all flesh: For Me is anything too wonderful?
28`Therefore, thus said Jehovah, Lo, I am giving this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he hath captured it;
29And come in have the Chaldeans who are fighting against this city, and they have set this city on fire, and have burned it, and the houses on whose roofs they made perfume to Baal, and poured out libations to other gods, so as to provoke Me to anger.
30For the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been only doing evil in Mine eyes, from their youth; for the sons of Israel are only provoking Me with the work of their hands--an affirmation of Jehovah.
31`For a cause of Mine anger, and a cause of My fury, hath this city been to Me, even from the day that they built it, and unto this day--to turn it aside from before My face,
32Because of all the evil of the sons of Israel, and of the sons of Judah that they have done, so as to provoke Me--they, their kings, their heads, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
33And they turn unto Me the neck, and not the face, and teaching them, rising early and teaching, and they are not hearkening to accept instruction.
34`And they set their abominations in the house over which My name is called, so as to defile it;
35And they build the high places of Baal, that are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come up on my heart to do this abomination, so as to cause Judah to sin.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
26And the word of Jehovah came unto Jeremiah, saying,
27Behold, I am Jehovah, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?
28Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, and he shall take it.
29And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come in and set fire to this city, and shall burn it, and the houses upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink-offerings unto othergods, to provoke me to anger.
30For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have been doing only evil in my sight from their youth; for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith Jehovah.
31For this city hath been to me [a provocation] of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,
32because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
33And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face; and though I taught them, rising early and teaching, they hearkened not to receive instruction.
34And they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it;
35and they have built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause to pass through [the fire] their sons and their daughters unto Molech: which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
26And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying:
27Behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh: shall any thing be hard for me?
28Therefore thus saith the Lord: Behold I will deliver this city into the hands of the Chaldeans, and into the hands of the king of Babylon, and they shall take it.
29And the Chaldeans that fight against this city, shall come and set it on fire, and burn it, with the houses upon whose roofs they offered sacrifice to Baal, and poured out drink offerings to strange gods, to provoke me to wrath.
30For the children of Israel, and the children of Juda, have continually done evil in my eyes from their youth: the children of Israel who even till now provoke me with the work of their hands, saith the Lord.
31For this city hath been to me a provocation and indignation from the day that they built it, until this day, in which it shall be taken out of my sight.
32Because of all the evil of the children of Israel, and of the children of Juda, which they have done, provoking me to wrath, they and their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets, the men of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
33And they have turned their backs to me, and not their faces: when I taught them early in the morning, and instructed them, and they would not hearken to receive instruction.
34And they have set their idols in the house, in which my name is called upon, to defile it.
35And they have built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Ennom, to consecrate their sons and their daughters to Moloch: which I commanded them not, neither entered it into my heart, that they should do this abomination, and cause Juda to sin.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 32:26
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this passage is God's direct answer to Jeremiah's prayer. The rhetorical question in verse 27, "Is anything too hard for Me?", echoes the prophet's own words in verse 17, showing God uses Jeremiah's confession to reframe the situation. Barnes divides the answer into two parts: the sins of Judah as the cause of punishment (vv.26-35) and the promise that this punishment aims at restoration, not destruction (vv.36-44). Calvin emphasizes that God's sovereignty is not merely about power; it grounds both the justice of judgment and the certainty of future mercy. The catalogue of sins, rooftop incense to Baal, drink offerings to other gods, defiling the temple, child sacrifice to Molech, is presented as chronic and total, from Israel's youth to the present moment, involving every level of society: kings, princes, priests, prophets, and all the people. The phrase "neither came it into my mind" (v.35) strongly repudiates any suggestion that God ever commanded child sacrifice. All agree the sovereignty declaration in verse 27 establishes the justice of judgment and prepares the way for the restoration that follows.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Direct historical judgment prophecy: Reads the passage as God's straightforward explanation of why Jerusalem is being destroyed; the sins listed are the real, concrete causes of the exile.
- Later editorial expansion: Cambridge Bible and some critical scholars see verses 26-35 as a later addition because of repetition with Jeremiah 7:30-31 and perceived differences in style.
- Rhetorical frame for restoration promise: Emphasizes that the judgment catalog serves to contrast the depth of sin with the magnitude of grace in verses 36-44; the passage is incomplete without the restoration that follows.
What is clear: God affirms His sovereignty, declares that Judah's persistent sin — including child sacrifice — justifies the coming judgment, and does so in a way that sets up the promise of future restoration.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'God of all flesh' | All traditions agree the phrase emphasizes Yahweh's authority over every human being, not just Israel. | Calvin stresses it as a declaration of omnipotence, while Keil and Delitzsch focus on it as a covenantal claim that includes the nations as subjects of God's rule. |
| Identity of Molech | Molech is a pagan deity associated with child sacrifice, worshipped by Ammonites and others. | Barnes identifies Molech with Baal as the sun-god in a destructive aspect; other commentators (e.g., Cambridge Bible) treat them as distinct deities, with Molech as a variant of Milcom. |
| Historicity of the passage | The passage reflects the historical context of the Babylonian siege and Judah's idolatry. | Some scholars (Cambridge Bible) argue verses 26-35 are a later editorial addition, while others (Calvin, Keil-Delitzsch) accept them as original to Jeremiah. |
| 'It did not even come into my mind' (v.35) | All agree the phrase is an anthropomorphic expression of God's absolute rejection of child sacrifice. | Calvin uses it to emphasize that God never commanded such a practice, cutting off any claim of good intention. Some modern readers debate whether the phrase implies God's foreknowledge or is purely rhetorical. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The scene is 589 BC, the final months of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. Jeremiah is imprisoned in the court of the guard. He has just purchased a field at Anathoth from his cousin, a sign that God would restore Judah after seventy years of exile. Yet the immediate reality is the opposite: siege ramps surround the city, food runs out, and death is everywhere. Jeremiah's prayer (vv.16-25) confesses God's power in creating heaven and earth but then questions how a field purchase makes sense when the city is about to fall.
God's response begins with the same language: "I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh." This title appears in Numbers 16:22 and 27:16, where it emphasizes God's authority over every living being. It is not a generic statement of power; it reclaims the covenant name as the basis for both judgment over Israel and authority over the nations, including Babylon. The valley of Ben-Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, was the site of child sacrifice to Molech, an Ammonite deity. The flat rooftops of Jerusalem's houses served as convenient high places for burning incense to Baal, the Canaanite storm god. Clarke notes that worshipping the sun god from rooftops at sunrise was a common practice.
The idiom "rising up early and teaching them" (v.33) reflects God's persistent, patient sending of prophets, morning after morning. The people's response is described as turning "the back, and not the face," a posture of deliberate rejection. The phrase "it didn't even come into my mind" (v.35) is a forceful anthropomorphism, child sacrifice was so abhorrent to God that the thought never occurred to Him. Keil and Delitzsch see this as cutting off every possible plea of good intention. The passage thus builds a case that Israel's sin is both ancient and comprehensive, making judgment not arbitrary but the just response of a sovereign God.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentary sources note no significant textual variants for this passage. The Cambridge Bible mentions that verses 26-35 may be a later editorial addition based on style and repetition, but this is a source-critical claim, not a textual variation. The manuscripts themselves are consistent across the main traditions.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been read primarily as a demonstration of God's justice in response to covenant unfaithfulness. Early Christian writers cited verses 34-35 to contrast the God of the Old Testament with pagan deities, emphasizing that child sacrifice is abhorrent to the true God. The Reformers, especially Calvin, used verse 27 to ground all of salvation history in God's sovereign power, arguing that the same sovereignty that judges is the sovereignty that saves. In modern theology, the passage is often used to discuss the problem of divine anger and theodicy, showing that God's judgment follows a clear moral logic. The valley of Hinnom became a symbol for divine judgment (Gehenna) in later Jewish and Christian thought, though the passage itself does not use the term in that way. Some contemporary scholars question the historical details of the catalogue of sins, but the theological point, that God's judgment is just and leads to restoration, has been affirmed across traditions.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Foundation of God's Answer (v.27): God anchors everything in who He is, the Lord of all flesh, the one for whom nothing is too difficult. This is not a philosophical statement but a covenantal claim that frames all that follows.
- The Catalogue of Sin (vv.28-35): Judgment is justified by sins that span Israel's entire history, infect every level of society, and reach the worst extreme of child sacrifice. Each sin is named concretely: idolatry on rooftops, defiling the temple, Molech worship in Hinnom.
- The Purpose Behind the Judgment: This answer prepares for the promise of restoration (vv.36-44). God's power is not only for judgment but for gathering, restoring, and making a new covenant. The same sovereignty that brings down Jerusalem will bring back the exiles.
Five-Point Outline
- God's Sovereignty as the Ground of All Action (v.27), He is the God of all flesh; nothing is too hard for Him.
- Immediate Judgment Announced (vv.28-29), The city will be given to the Chaldeans, burned with fire.
- The Root Cause: Persistent Sin from Youth (vv.30-33), Both Israel and Judah have done only evil from their earliest history; they have turned their backs and refused instruction.
- The Worst Offenses: Temple Defilement and Child Sacrifice (vv.34-35), They placed idols in God's own house and burned their children to Molech, something God never commanded.
- The Justice of the Judgment (v.31-32 echoed in context), The removal of Jerusalem from God's presence is the commensurate response to a total breach of covenant.
Illustration Hooks
- A parent who has spoken the same warning a hundred times: The child turns away each time, finally forcing the parent to follow through with a consequence. The phrase "rising up early" captures that long patience exhausted.
- A judge reading the charges: Before sentencing, the judge recites every offense to show the sentence is based on evidence. God does the same here, He does not punish arbitrarily but declares the cause.
- A house so damaged it must be demolished: The very roofs where incense was burned become the fuel for the fire. The punishment fits the crime in a visible, material way.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- If God is so powerful, why does He allow suffering? The passage shows that suffering can be a just consequence, not a failure of God's power.
- Does God get angry? How do we reconcile that with love? The text shows God's anger as a response to real evil, not a temper; it is His holy love refusing to tolerate abuse of His name and His people.
- How long does God put up with sin before acting? The answer: longer than we expect, but there is a limit when sin reaches a certain fullness.
Leading a Discussion
This passage comes at a moment when Jeremiah's faith is stretched. He has bought a field as a sign of future hope, yet the city is falling. God answers by reminding him who He is, the God of all flesh, and then showing why judgment is necessary. The same sovereignty that judges is the sovereignty that will restore. As you discuss, pay attention to how God uses the prophet's own words to deepen his understanding.
Discussion Questions
- Read verses 27-28. Why do you think God opens His answer with this rhetorical question? What does it tell you about the connection between God's power and His actions?
- Verses 29-35 list specific sins: rooftop worship, temple defilement, child sacrifice. What does this catalogue reveal about the depth of Israel's rebellion? Which detail strikes you most strongly?
- The phrase "from their youth" appears in verse 30. How does that shape your understanding of God's patience and the eventual judgment?
- Verse 33 says the people turned their backs and refused to receive instruction, even though God taught them "rising up early." How does this picture of God as a persistent teacher affect the way you think about His character?
- In verse 35, God says child sacrifice "didn't even come into my mind." What does this statement tell you about God's nature and about the human capacity for self-deception in religion?
- How does this passage prepare for the promise of restoration in verses 37-44? Why is it important to hear the judgment before the hope?
- Where do you see the danger of turning your back on God's instruction in your own context? How can a community guard against the kind of gradual drift described here?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 16:22 | They fell on their faces, and said, “God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?” |
| Numbers 27:16 | “Let Yahweh, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, |
| Psalms 65:2 | You who hear prayer, all men will come to you. |
| Isaiah 64:8 | But now, Yahweh, you are our Father. We are the clay and you our potter. We all are the work of your hand. |
| Jeremiah 32:17 | “Ah Lord Yahweh! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you. |
| Matthew 19:26 | Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” |
| Luke 3:6 | All flesh will see God’s salvation.’” |
| John 17:2 | even as you gave him authority over all flesh, so he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke connects the rooftop worship in this passage to Baal as the sun, noting incense was offered at sunrise. He sees God's repeated "rising up early" to teach as evidence that morning preaching was common in Judea. He also stresses that both Israel and Judah, especially the ten tribes, were persistent idolaters from the beginning.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes that God's new covenant has two balanced conditions: God never ceases doing good to His people, and He places fear in their hearts to keep them faithful. This mutual commitment, shown by God rejoicing and planting with His whole heart
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator argues that the verses following verse 27, which present the Lord's reply to Jeremiah, show clear signs of being a later addition. Although their content matches other Jeremianic prophecies, they feel unnatural in this immediate context. He also notes that the phrase "thus saith the Lord" in verse 28 is a formula suited for a prophet's utterance, not a direct divine speech.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes emphasize the deliberate, cumulative nature of Israel's sin: from their youth onward, every level of society turned their back on God despite His constant instruction. The ultimate provocation was child sacrifice to Molech, an abomination so foreign to God's nature that He says it never even entered His mind.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that God’s titles, the Lord and God of all flesh, underpin both the promised destruction and the later restoration. The same sovereign power that hands Jerusalem to the Chaldeans also guarantees that fields will be bought again. He underscores that nothing is too hard for this God, not even reversing his own judgment.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that God's omnipotence is the key to understanding both Jerusalem's destruction and its promised restoration. The same power that makes judgment certain also guarantees the future blessing, because nothing is too difficult for the Lord.