Jeremiah 51:17

¹⁵ The LORD made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.

¹⁶ When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.

¹⁸ They are worthless, a work to be mocked. In the time of their punishment they will perish.

¹⁹ The Portion of Jacob is not like these, for He is the Maker of all things, and of the tribe of His inheritance— the LORD of Hosts is His name.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.
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.
WEB: “Every man has become stupid and without knowledge. Every goldsmith is disappointed by his image, for his molten images are falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
ASV: Every man is become brutish [and is] without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
DARBY: Every man is become brutish, so as to have no knowledge; every founder is put to shame by the graven image, for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
BLB: Every man is brutish, without knowledge; every metalsmith is put to shame by the carved image, for deception [is] his molten image, and no breath [is] in them.

ÅB: Hvert menneske blir ufornuftig, uten forstand; hver gullsmed har skam av sine utskårne bilder, hans støpte bilder er løgn, og det er ingen ånd i dem.
OTB: Da vil jeg sette fremmede over henne, Og de onde vil være i hennes midte; Jeg vil gjøre slutt på deres ondskap, Og lyden av deres sanger vil ikke bli hørt mer.
B1930: Hvert menneske blir ufornuftig, uten forstand; hver gullsmed har skam av sine utskårne billeder, hans støpte billeder er løgn, og det er ingen ånd i dem.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Jeremiah 10:14
Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.
Read in context
Habakkuk 2:18–19
What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it— or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.
Read in context
Isaiah 44:18–20
They do not comprehend or discern, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and closed their minds so they cannot understand.
Read in context
Psalms 14:2
The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.
Read in context
Romans 1:20–23
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
Read in context
Jeremiah 50:2
“Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.’
Read in context
1 Corinthians 1:19–21
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
Read in context
Psalms 53:1–2
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their ways are vile. There is no one who does good.
Read in context