The Meaning of Jeremiah 51:16 Explained

Jeremiah 51:16

KJV: 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.

YLT: At the voice He giveth forth, A multitude of waters are in the heavens, And He causeth vapours to come up from the end of the earth, Lightnings for rain He hath made, And He bringeth out wind from His treasures.

Darby: When he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the end of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

ASV: when he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 51:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This verse describes His present activity. He is the one who gathers clouds together and sends rainstorms on the earth with lightning and wind. The Babylonian storm-god Bel was not responsible for this ( Jeremiah 50:2).

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 51

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 Euphrates,
64  in token of the perpetual sinking of Babylon

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 51:16 mean?

When [His] voice He utters [There is] a multitude of waters in the heavens and He causes to ascend the vapors from the ends of the earth lightnings for the rain He makes and He brings the wind out of His treasuries
לְק֨וֹל תִּתּ֜וֹ הֲמ֥וֹן מַ֙יִם֙ בַּשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיַּ֥עַל נְשִׂאִ֖ים מִקְצֵה־ אָ֑רֶץ בְּרָקִ֤ים לַמָּטָר֙ עָשָׂ֔ה וַיֹּ֥צֵא ר֖וּחַ מֵאֹצְרֹתָֽיו

לְק֨וֹל  When  [His]  voice 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
תִּתּ֜וֹ  He  utters 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
הֲמ֥וֹן  [There  is]  a  multitude 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הָמֹון 
Sense: (Qal) murmur, roar, crowd, abundance, tumult, sound.
מַ֙יִם֙  of  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
בַּשָּׁמַ֔יִם  in  the  heavens 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וַיַּ֥עַל  and  He  causes  to  ascend 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
נְשִׂאִ֖ים  the  vapors 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: נָשִׂיא 
Sense: one lifted up, chief, prince, captain, leader.
מִקְצֵה־  from  the  ends 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָצֶה 
Sense: end, extremity.
אָ֑רֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
בְּרָקִ֤ים  lightnings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בָּרָק  
Sense: lightning.
לַמָּטָר֙  for  the  rain 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָטָר  
Sense: rain.
עָשָׂ֔ה  He  makes 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וַיֹּ֥צֵא  and  He  brings 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
ר֖וּחַ  the  wind 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
מֵאֹצְרֹתָֽיו  out  of  His  treasuries 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹוצָר  
Sense: treasure, storehouse.