Jeremiah 51:17

Jeremiah 51:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
• New International Version (NIV)“Everyone is senseless and without knowledge; every goldsmith is shamed by his idols. The images he makes are a fraud; they have no breath in them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge; Every metalsmith is put to shame by the carved image; For his molded image is falsehood, And there is no breath in them.

Context of Jeremiah 51:17

15The Lord made the earth by his power, and he preserves it by his wisdom. With his own understanding he stretched out the heavens. 16When he speaks in the thunder, the heavens roar with rain. He causes the clouds to rise over the earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses. The whole human race is foolish and has no knowledge! The craftsmen are disgraced by the idols they make, for their carefully shaped works are a fraud. These idols have no breath or power. 18Idols are worthless; they are ridiculous lies! On the day of reckoning they will all be destroyed. 19But the God of Israel is no idol! He is the Creator of everything that exists, including his people, his own special possession. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name!

Jeremiah 51:17 word by word

נִבְעַ֤ר כָּל־אָדָם֙ מִדַּ֔עַת הֹבִ֥ישׁ כָּל־צֹרֵ֖ף מִפָּ֑סֶל כִּ֛י שֶׁ֥קֶר נִסְכּ֖וֹ וְלֹא־ר֥וּחַ בָּֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Every manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• is brutishבָּעַרbâ‛ar · be brutishH1197
• knowledgeדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
• every founderצָרַףtsâraph · to refineH6884
• is confoundedיָבֵשׁyâbêsh · to witherH3001
• by the graven imageפֶּ֫סֶלpesel · idolH6459
• for his molten imageנֶ֫סֶךְnesek nêsek · drink offeringH5262
• falsehoodשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
• no breathרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307

Cross-references for Jeremiah 51:17

• Jeremiah 10:14The whole human race is foolish and has no knowledge! The craftsmen are disgraced by the idols they make, for their carefully shaped works are a fraud. These idols have no breath or power.
• Psalms 14:2The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God.
• Psalms 53:1Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!
• Psalms 115:5They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see.
• Psalms 135:18And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.
• Isaiah 44:18Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think.
• Romans 1:20For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
• 1 Corinthians 1:19As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”
• Jeremiah 50:2This is what the Lord says: “Tell the whole world, and keep nothing back. Raise a signal flag to tell everyone that Babylon will fall! Her images and idols will be shattered. Her gods Bel and Marduk will be utterly disgraced.
• Psalms 135:17They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe.
• Habakkuk 2:18“What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation— a god that can’t even talk!

Commentaries on Jeremiah 51:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Every man is brutish by his knowledge - He is brutish for want of real knowledge; and he is brutish when he acknowledges that an idol is any thing in the world. These verses, from fifteen to nineteen, are transcribed from Jeremiah 10:12-16.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-19Verses 15-19 A transcript of Jeremiah 10:12-16.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-19This song of praise highlights the Lord's uniqueness and greatness. It compares the true God with the emptiness of idols.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1915-19. Repeated from Jr 10:12-16; except that "Israel" is not in the Hebrew of Jr 51:19, which ought, therefore, to be translated, "He is the Former of all things, and (therefore) of the rod of His inheritance" (that is, of the nation peculiarly His own). In Jr 10:1-25 the contrast is between the idols and God; here it is between the power of populous Babylon and that of God: "Thou dwellest upon many waters" (Jr 51:13); but God can, by merely "uttering…Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 51:17

• Idolatry
• Persia

In the dictionaries

• Graven image
• Molten, Image
• Cankerworm
• Device
• Empty
• Hold
• Mount
• Brute; Brutish
• Ezekiel
• Founder

Commentaries on Jeremiah 51

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings