16 At the sound of his voice there is a massing of the waters in the heavens, and he makes the mists go up from the ends of the earth; he makes the thunder-flames for the rain and sends out the wind from his store-houses.
And he said to them, Why are you full of fear, O you of little faith? Then he got up and gave orders to the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. And the men were full of wonder, saying, What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea do his orders?
He has made the earth by his power, he has made the world strong in its place by his wisdom, and by his wise design the heavens have been stretched out. At the sound of his voice there is a massing of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mists go up from the ends of the earth; he makes the thunder-flames for the rain, and sends out the wind from his store-houses.
The voice of the Lord is on the waters: the God of glory is thundering, the Lord is on the great waters. The voice of the Lord is full of power; the voice of the Lord has a noble sound. By the voice of the Lord are the cedar-trees broken, even the cedars of Lebanon are broken by the Lord. He makes them go jumping about like a young ox; Lebanon and Sirion like a young mountain ox. At the voice of the Lord flames of fire are seen. At the voice of the Lord there is a shaking in the waste land, even a shaking in the waste land of Kadesh. At the voice of the Lord the roes give birth, the leaves are taken from the trees: in his Temple everything says, Glory. The Lord had his seat as king when the waters came on the earth; the Lord is seated as king for ever.
Is your voice sent up to the cloud, so that you may be covered by the weight of waters? Do you send out the thunder-flames, so that they may go, and say to you, Here we are? Who has put wisdom in the high clouds, or given knowledge to the lights of the north? By whose wisdom are the clouds numbered, or the water-skins of the heavens turned to the earth, When the earth becomes hard as metal, and is joined together in masses?
Give ear to the rolling noise of his voice; to the hollow sound which goes out of his mouth. He sends it out through all the heaven, and his thunder-flame to the ends of the earth. After it a voice is sounding, thundering out the word of his power; he does not keep back his thunder-flames; from his mouth his voice is sounding. He does wonders, more than may be searched out; great things of which we have no knowledge; For he says to the snow, Make the earth wet; and to the rain-storm, Come down. He puts an end to the work of every man, so that all may see his work. Then the beasts go into their holes, and take their rest. Out of its place comes the storm-wind, and the cold out of its store-houses. By the breath of God ice is made, and the wide waters are shut in. The thick cloud is weighted with thunder-flame, and the cloud sends out its light;
Truly, God is great, greater than all our knowledge; the number of his years may not be searched out. For he takes up the drops from the sea; he sends them through his mist as rain, Flowing down from the sky, and dropping on the peoples. And who has knowledge of how the clouds are stretched out, or of the thunders of his tent? See, he is stretching out his mist, covering the tops of the mountains with it. For by these he gives food to the peoples, and bread in full measure. He takes the light in his hands, sending it against the mark. The thunder makes clear his passion, and the storm gives news of his wrath.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Jeremiah 51
Commentary on Jeremiah 51 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Because of the righteousness of Israel, Babylon is to be irretrievably destroyed. Jeremiah 51:5. "For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of Jahveh of hosts; but their land is full of guilt because of the Holy One of Israel. Jeremiah 51:6. Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save ye every one his life: do not perish for her iniquity; because it is a time of vengeance for Jahveh; He renders to her what she has committed. Jeremiah 51:7. Babylon [was] a golden cup in the hand of Jahveh, that intoxicated all the earth. Nations have drunk of her wine, therefore nations are mad. Jeremiah 51:8. Babylon has fallen suddenly and been broken: howl over her: take balsam for her pain; perhaps she may be healed. Jeremiah 51:9. 'We have tried to heal Babylon, but she is not healed. Leave her, and let us go each one to his own land; for her judgment reaches unto heaven, and is lifted up to the clouds.' Jeremiah 51:10. Jahveh hath brought forth our righteousnesses; come, and let us declare in Zion the doing of Jahveh our God. Jeremiah 51:11. Sharpen the arrow, fill the shields: Jahveh hath roused the spirit of the kings of Media; for His counsel is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of Jahveh, the vengeance of His temple. Jeremiah 51:12. Against the walls of Babylon raise a standard; strengthen the watch, set watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for Jahveh hath both devised and done what He spake against the inhabitants of Babylon. Jeremiah 51:13. O thou that dwellest upon many waters, rich in treasures, thine end hath sworn by Himself, 'Surely I have filled thee with men, as [with] the locust; and they shall raise a shout of joy against thee.'"