Jeremiah 32:21
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This verse isn't just recounting the Exodus; it highlights that God's power inspired "great terror" not just in Pharaoh, but in all surrounding nations. This awe-inspiring display wasn't just about delivering Israel, but about establishing His formidable reputation throughout the region.
You brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and outstretched arm, and with great terror.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is praying during a time of intense national crisis, having just purchased a field as a sign of future restoration despite Jerusalem's impending destruction. He reminds God of His powerful deliverance of Israel from Egypt, recounting the miraculous plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the awe-inspiring power that terrified their enemies. This recollection of God's faithfulness in the past serves as a foundation for his plea for present intervention.
Why does Jeremiah remind God (and himself) about the Exodus from Egypt in this prayer?
Jeremiah's prayer in chapter 32 is steeped in a time of national crisis. The people are in exile, their land is under siege, and hope feels distant. In moments like these, it’s easy to feel forgotten by God.
Jeremiah grounds his prayer by recalling God’s past faithfulness, specifically the monumental event of the Exodus. He’s not just reciting history; he’s reminding God of His covenant promises and His proven power. This act of remembering isn't passive; it's a powerful way to bolster faith when current circumstances are bleak.
It’s a pattern seen throughout Scripture: when people faced overwhelming odds, they looked back to God’s mighty acts, particularly the Exodus, as proof that God can and will deliver.
What does it mean that God delivered Israel with 'signs and wonders' and 'great terror'?
The Exodus wasn't a quiet, subtle departure. It was dramatic and undeniable. The 'signs and wonders' were miraculous events designed to demonstrate God’s power over Egypt and confirm His authority.
Think of the ten plagues – each a targeted strike against Egyptian gods and a clear sign of Jehovah's supremacy. The parting of the Red Sea was a spectacle of divine intervention that secured their escape.
The 'great terror' refers to the fear and awe that gripped both the Israelites and their enemies. For Israel, it was reverence in the face of God's majesty. For the Egyptians and surrounding nations, it was paralyzing fear as they witnessed God’s judgment and irresistible power. This wasn't just about getting Israel out; it was about establishing God's reputation as the one true sovereign.
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What's the significance of 'a strong hand and outstretched arm'?
These phrases, 'strong hand' and 'outstretched arm,' are powerful metaphors for God’s direct, active, and unstoppable intervention. They paint a vivid picture of God personally engaging in the liberation of His people.
Imagine a king extending his arm to assert his authority, or a protective parent shielding their child with a strong hand. God is depicted as personally and powerfully acting on behalf of Israel. This wasn't a delegation of power; it was God Himself, with immense strength and reach, breaking the chains of slavery.
This imagery emphasizes that God’s deliverance is not passive or distant. He actively exerts His power, demonstrating His commitment and capability to save those who belong to Him.
Understand the original words
oth, mophet · Hebrew Noun
Divine acts that display God's power and confirm His message, often serving to authenticate His presence and authority. They are intended to prompt belief and demonstrate His sovereignty over creation and history.
yad chazaqah uzeroa netuyah · Hebrew Noun phrase
An anthropomorphic expression denoting God's sovereign, irresistible power applied in history to deliver His people or execute His judgment. It emphasizes that God is active, intentional, and mighty in fulfilling His purposes.
Jeremiah is recalling the foundational act of God's deliverance – the Exodus – to remind himself and God of His established pattern of powerful intervention, even in the face of the terrifying Babylonian conquest.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
The Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously delivered the Israelites from over 400 years of slavery in Egypt through a series of plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and a powerful divine presence. This event established Israel as God's chosen nation.
c. 1446-1406 BC
Wilderness Wanderings
Following the Exodus, the Israelites wandered in the Sinai desert for 40 years. During this time, God continued to demonstrate His power through signs, wonders, and direct guidance, while also judging their disobedience.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites entered and began conquering the Promised Land. The memory of God's powerful intervention during the Exodus instilled fear in the surrounding nations.
c. 1000 BC
United Monarchy Established
Saul, David, and Solomon reigned over a united Israel. This period saw Israel reach its zenith of power and influence, though seeds of division were sown.
931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death, the kingdom split into two: Israel (North) and Judah (South). This division weakened the nation and led to increased vulnerability.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel, scattering its people. This event served as a stark warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonian Empire conquered Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, and exiled much of the population. This marked the end of the Davidic monarchy and a period of profound national crisis.
This section of Exodus details the ten plagues God brought upon Egypt, the 'signs and wonders' that paved the way for Israel's liberation, highlighting the 'strong hand' and 'outstretched arm' of God in action.
This verse speaks of God trying to go and take for himself a people from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, directly echoing the language used in Jeremiah's prayer.
Psalm 136:11-12This psalm recounts God's mighty deliverance of Israel from Egypt, attributing it to His steadfast love and recounting the acts of power: 'He brought out Israel from among them with a strong hand and outstretched arm.'
Joshua 2:9-11Rahab's testimony reveals the 'great terror' the surrounding nations felt upon hearing of God's mighty acts, particularly the parting of the Red Sea, demonstrating how God's power extended beyond Israel to instill fear in their enemies.
pooleJeremiah 32:21: "And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;"
The history of this we have in the eleven or twelve first chapters of Exodus. God sent ten plagues upon Egypt one after another, before Pharaoh would let them go; and when he pursued after them, divided the Red Sea for them, that they might pass through, and then brought the waters back upon the Egyptians,…
ellicottJeremiah 32:21: "And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;"
(21-23) And hast brought forth thy people Israel . . . —The verses travel over ground so familiar as to require no comment, but the parallelism with Deuteronomy 26:8 , with the other prophetic prayers above referred to, and with Psalm 136:11-12 , is significant. The thoughts of all true worshippers moved mo…
This verse isn't just recounting the Exodus; it highlights that God's power inspired "great terror" not just in Pharaoh, but in all surrounding nations. This awe-inspiring display wasn't just about delivering Israel, but about establishing His formidable reputation throughout the region.
Jeremiah is praying during a time of intense national crisis, having just purchased a field as a sign of future restoration despite Jerusalem's impending destruction. He reminds God of His powerful deliverance of Israel from Egypt, recounting the miraculous plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the awe-inspiring power that terrified their enemies. This recollection of God's faithfulness in the past serves as a foundation for his plea for present intervention.
Jeremiah is praying during a time of intense national crisis, having just purchased a field as a sign of future restoration despite Jerusalem's impending destruction. He reminds God of His powerful deliverance of Israel from Egypt, recounting the miraculous plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the awe-inspiring power that terrified their enemies. This recollection of God's faithfulness in the past serves as a foundation for his plea for present intervention.
"You brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and outstretched arm, and with great terror." — This verse isn't just recounting the Exodus; it highlights that God's power inspired "great terror" not just in Pharaoh, but in all surrounding nations. This awe-inspiring display wasn't just about d…
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Last reviewed October 2026
