Jeremiah 51:16 — Meaning and Application

The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself, {saying}, Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillers; and they shall lift up a shout against thee. {by himself: Heb. by his soul} {lift up: Heb. utter}

He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding.

When he uttereth {his} voice, {there is} a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. {multitude: or, noise}

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. {is brutish...: or, is more brutish than to know}

They {are} vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.