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Text -- Jeremiah 51:15 (NET)

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Context
51:15 He is the one who by his power made the earth. He is the one who by his wisdom fixed the world in place, by his understanding he spread out the heavens.
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: WISDOM | Sin | Persia | Heaven | God | Earth | Babylon | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
JFB , Clarke , Calvin , Defender , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

JFB: Jer 51:15-19 - -- Repeated from Jer 10:12-16; except that "Israel" is not in the Hebrew of Jer 51:19, which ought, therefore, to be translated, "He is the Former of all...

Repeated from Jer 10:12-16; except that "Israel" is not in the Hebrew of Jer 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 the tenth chapter 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" (Jer 51:13); but God can, by merely "uttering His voice," create "many waters" (Jer 51:16). The "earth" (in its material aspect) is the result of His "power"; the "world" (viewed in its orderly system) is the result of His "wisdom," &c. (Jer 51:15). Such an Almighty Being can be at no loss for resources to effect His purpose against Babylon.

Clarke: Jer 51:15 - -- He hath made the earth by his power - The omnipotence of God is particularly manifested in the works of creation

He hath made the earth by his power - The omnipotence of God is particularly manifested in the works of creation

Clarke: Jer 51:15 - -- He hath established the world by his wisdom - The omniscience of God is particularly seen in the government of תבל tebel , the inhabited surface...

He hath established the world by his wisdom - The omniscience of God is particularly seen in the government of תבל tebel , the inhabited surface of the globe. What a profusion of wisdom and skill is apparent in that wondrous system of providence by which he governs and provides for every living thing

Clarke: Jer 51:15 - -- And hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding - Deep thought, comprehensive design, and consummate skill are especially seen in the formati...

And hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding - Deep thought, comprehensive design, and consummate skill are especially seen in the formation, magnitudes, distances, revolutions, and various affections of the heavenly bodies.

Calvin: Jer 51:15 - -- The Prophet commends here, as I have already said, in high terms, the power of God; but we must bear in mind his purpose, for abrupt sentences would ...

The Prophet commends here, as I have already said, in high terms, the power of God; but we must bear in mind his purpose, for abrupt sentences would be otherwise uninteresting. His object was to encourage the Jews to entertain hope; for they were not to judge of Babylon according to its splendor, which dazzled the eyes of all; nor were they to measure by their own notions what God had testified, he bids the faithful to raise all their thoughts above the world, and to behold with admiration the incomprehensible power of God, that they might not doubt but that Babylon would at length be trodden under foot; for had they fixed their eyes on that monarchy, they could have hardly believed the words of prophecy; for the Prophet spoke of things which could not be comprehended by the human mind.

We now then understand why the Prophet set forth the power of God, even that. the faithful might learn to think of something sublimer than the whole world, while contemplating the destruction of Babylon, for that would not be effected in a way usual or natural, but through the incredible power of God. The same words are also found in the tenth chapter; and the five verses we meet with here were there explained. But Jeremiah had then a different object in view, for he addressed the Jewish exiles, and bade them firmly to persevere in the worship of God: though religion was oppressed, and though the victorious Chaldeans proudly derided God, he yet bade them to stand firm in their religion, and then said,

“When ye come to Babylon, say, Cursed are all the gods who made not the heaven and the earth.” (Jer 10:11)

And there, indeed, he used a foreign language, and taught them to speak in the Chaldee, that they might more plainly profess that they would persevere in the worship of the only true God. He afterwards added what he now repeats, even that the power of God was not diminished, though he had chastised for a time his own people. But now, as we have said, he speaks in sublime terms of the power of God, in order that the faithful might know that what the judgment of the flesh held as impossible, could easily be done by that God who can do all things.

He says first, He who made the earth He does not mention God’s name; but the expression is more emphatical, when he says, the Maker of the earth; as though he had said, “Who can be found to be the creator of the heaven and the earth except the only true God?” We hence see more force in the sentence than if God’s name had been expressed; for he thus excluded all the fictitious gods, who had been devised by the heathens; as though he had said, “The only true God is He who made the earth.” Then he says, by his power He speaks of God’s power in connection with the earth, as it is probable, on account of its stability.

He afterwards adds, Who hath constituted the world by his wisdom, and by his knowledge extended the heavens The wisdom of God is visible through the whole world, but especially in the heavens. The Prophet indeed speaks briefly, but he leads us to contemplate God’s wonderful work in its manifold variety, which appears above and below. For though it may seem a light matter, when he says, that the world was constituted by the wisdom of God, yet were any one to apply his mind to the meditation of God’s wisdom in the abundance of all fruits, in the wealth of the whole world, in the sea, (which is included in the world,) it could not, doubtless, be, but that he must be a thousand times filled with wonder and admiration: for the more carefully we attend to the consideration of God’s works, we ourselves in a manner vanish into nothing; the miracles which present themselves on every side, before our eyes, overwhelm us. As to the heavens, what do we see there? an innumerable multitude of stars so arranged, as though an army were so in order throughout, all its ranks; and then the wandering planets, not fixed, having each its own course, and yet appearing among the stars. Then the course of the sun, how much admiration ought it to produce in us! — I say, not in those only who understand the whole system of astronomy, but also in those who see it only with their own eyes; for when the sun, in its daily course, completes so great and so immense a distance, they who are not amazed at such a miracle must be more than stupid; and then the sun, as it is well known, has its own course, which is performed every year, and never passes in the least beyond its own boundaries; and the bulk of that body is immense (for, as it is well known, it far exceeds the earth,) and yet it rolls with great celerity and at the same time in such order as though it advanced by degrees quietly. Surely it is a wonderful specimen of God’s wisdom. The Prophet, then, though he speaks in an ordinary way, yet suppress the godly with materials of thought, so that they might apply their minds to the consideration of God’s works. Some explain the words, that God expands the heavens whenever they are covered with clouds; but this is wholly foreign to the meaning of the Prophet; for there is no doubt but that he points out in this verse the perpetual order of nature, as in the next verse he speaks of those changes which sometimes happen.

Defender: Jer 51:15 - -- This great testimony of divine creation is repeated from Jer 10:12, Jer 10:13, note; and Jer 51:15, note; is very similar to Psa 135:7, note. See the ...

This great testimony of divine creation is repeated from Jer 10:12, Jer 10:13, note; and Jer 51:15, note; is very similar to Psa 135:7, note. See the notes on these verses, all of which contain a remarkably modern anticipatory commentary on the hydrologic cycle."

TSK: Jer 51:15 - -- hath made : Jer 10:12-16, Jer 32:17; Gen 1:1-6; Psa 107:25, Psa 146:5, Psa 146:6, Psa 148:1-5; Isa 40:26; Act 14:15, Act 17:24; Rom 1:20; Col 1:16, Co...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Jer 51:15-19 - -- A transcript of Jer 10:12-16.

A transcript of Jer 10:12-16.

Gill: Jer 51:15 - -- 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. The Targum p...

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. The Targum prefaces the words thus,

"these things saith he who hath made the earth, &c.''

The verses Jer 51:16 are the same with Jer 10:12. God is described by his sovereignty, power, and wisdom; and the stupidity of men that trust in idols, and the vanity of them, are exposed, to convince the Babylonians that the Lord, who had determined on their destruction, would surely effect it, and that it would not be in the power of their idols to prevent it. See Gill on Jer 10:12.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Jer 51:15 The participle here is intended to be connected with “Lord who rules over all” in the preceding verse. The passage is functioning to under...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Jer 51:1-64 - --1 The severe judgment of God against Babylon, in revenge of Israel.59 Jeremiah delivers the book of this prophecy to Seraiah, to be cast into Euphrate...

MHCC: Jer 51:1-58 - --The particulars of this prophecy are dispersed and interwoven, and the same things left and returned to again. Babylon is abundant in treasures, yet n...

Matthew Henry: Jer 51:1-58 - -- The particulars of this copious prophecy are dispersed and interwoven, and the same things left and returned to so often that it could not well be d...

Keil-Delitzsch: Jer 51:15-26 - -- The omnipotence of the Lord and Creator of the whole world will destroy the idols of Babylon, and break the mighty kingdom that rules the world. Jer...

Constable: Jer 46:1--51:64 - --III. Prophecies about the nations chs. 46--51 In Jeremiah, prophecies concerning foreign nations come at the end...

Constable: Jer 50:1--51:64 - --I. The oracle against Babylon chs. 50-51 Jeremiah wrote almost as much about Babylon's future as he did about the futures of all the other nations in ...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) JEREMIAH, son of Hilkiah, one of the ordinary priests, dwelling in Anathoth of Benjamin (Jer 1:1), not the Hilkiah the high priest who discovered the ...

JFB: Jeremiah (Outline) EXPOSTULATION WITH THE JEWS, REMINDING THEM OF THEIR FORMER DEVOTEDNESS, AND GOD'S CONSEQUENT FAVOR, AND A DENUNCIATION OF GOD'S COMING JUDGMENTS FOR...

TSK: Jeremiah 51 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Jer 51:1, The severe judgment of God against Babylon, in revenge of Israel; Jer 51:59, Jeremiah delivers the book of this prophecy to Ser...

Poole: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH THE ARGUMENT IT was the great unhappiness of this prophet to be a physician to, but that could not save, a dying sta...

Poole: Jeremiah 51 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 51 The severe judgment of God against voluptuous, covetous, tyrannical, and idolatrous Babel, in the revenge and for the redemption of Isra...

MHCC: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) Jeremiah was a priest, a native of Anathoth, in the tribe of Benjamin. He was called to the prophetic office when very young, about seventy years afte...

MHCC: Jeremiah 51 (Chapter Introduction) (v. 1-58) Babylon's doom; God's controversy with her; encouragements from thence to the Israel of God. (Jer 51:59-64) The confirming of this.

Matthew Henry: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah The Prophecies of the Old Testament, as the Epistles of the New, are p...

Matthew Henry: Jeremiah 51 (Chapter Introduction) The prophet, in this chapter, goes on with the prediction of Babylon's fall, to which other prophets also bore witness. He is very copious and live...

Constable: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) Introduction Title The title of this book derives from its writer, the late seventh an...

Constable: Jeremiah (Outline) Outline I. Introduction ch. 1 A. The introduction of Jeremiah 1:1-3 B. T...

Constable: Jeremiah Jeremiah Bibliography Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. London: C...

Haydock: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) THE PROPHECY OF JEREMIAS. INTRODUCTION. Jeremias was a priest, a native of Anathoth, a priestly city, in the tribe of Benjamin, and was sanct...

Gill: Jeremiah (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH The title of the book in the Vulgate Latin version is, "the Prophecy of Jeremiah"; in the Syriac and Arabic versions, "the...

Gill: Jeremiah 51 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 51 The former part of this chapter is a continuation of the prophecy of the preceding chapter, concerning the destruction ...

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