Jeremiah 18:16

Verse

They have made their land a desolation, a perpetual object of scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and shake their heads.

American Standard Version (1901)

to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.

Bible in Basic English

Making their land a thing of wonder, causing sounds of surprise for ever; everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder, shaking his head.

Douay-Rheims 1899

That their land might be given up to desolation, and to a perpetual hissing: every one that shall pass by it, shall be astonished, and wag his head.

Free Bible Version

They have turned their country into a horrific wasteland, a place that will always be treated with contempt. People passing by will be shocked, shaking their heads in disbelief.

Geneva Bible 1599

To make their land desolate and a perpetual derision, so that euery one that passeth thereby, shalbe astonished and wagge his head,

King James (Authorized) Version

To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

Translation for Translators

Therefore, their land will become desolate, and people who see it will hiss to ridicule it. Everyone who passes by will be appalled; they will shake their heads to show that they are shocked.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Their land will become a horror, an object of everlasting hissing. Everyone who passes by her will shudder and shake his head.

Noah Webster Bible

To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and wag his head.

World English Bible

to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished, and shake his head.

Young's Literal Translation

To make their land become a desolation, A hissing age-during, Every passer by it is astonished, And bemoaneth with his head.

Context

The Potter and the Clay

¹⁵Yet My people have forgotten Me. They burn incense to worthless idols that make them stumble in their ways, leaving the ancient roads to walk on rutted bypaths instead of on the highway. ¹⁶They have made their land a desolation, a perpetual object of scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and shake their heads. ¹⁷I will scatter them before the enemy like the east wind. I will show them My back and not My face in the day of their calamity.”

Summary

This verse in Jeremiah describes the consequences of turning away from God and following idols and false gods. It highlights the folly of forsaking the true God who provides living water for broken cisterns that can hold no water. The imagery of broken cisterns symbolizes the emptiness and futility of seeking fulfillment in anything other than God. Ultimately, the verse serves as a warning against idolatry and a call to return to the Lord for true satisfaction and sustenance.

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

hissing-- (Kg1 9:8). In sign of contempt. That which was to be only the event is ascribed to the purpose of the people, although altogether different from what they would have been likely to hope for. Their purpose is represented as being the destruction of their country, because it was the inevitable result of their course of acting. wag . . . head--in mockery (Kg2 19:21; Mat 27:39). As "wag . . . head" answers to "hissing," so "astonished" answers to "desolate," for which, therefore, MUNSTER and others rather translate, "an object of wonder" (Jer 19:8).

John Gill Bible Commentary

Then said they, come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah,.... Being enraged at the judgments threatened them, they propose to enter into a confederacy and consultation together, to think of ways and means to stop the mouth of the prophet, and even to take away his life; since he had told them that God had devised a device against them, they were for devising devices against him; that so they might walk after their own devices, without being teased and tormented with this prophet: for the law shall not perish from the priest; whose business it is to teach it; we have other priests besides Jeremiah, and we shall seek the law at their mouths, and not at his; and perhaps these are the words of the priests themselves, the men of Anathoth; so Jarchi thinks; pleasing themselves with their character and office, and the perpetuity of it; that, notwithstanding what Jeremiah had said, there would be a constant succession of this order of then; nor should the law ever cease from being aught by them, to whose instruction men ought to listen, and not to such a prophet: nor counsel from the wise; we have wise rulers and governors, counsellors of state, and members of the sanhedrim, and judges of all controversies, and who are capable of giving advice upon any occasion; nor shall we ever want such, to whose prudent counsel we do well to attend, and not to what this babbling man says; does he think to know better than our statesmen and sages, our counsellors in church and state? nor the word from the prophet; we have prophets among us, that prophesy as well as he, and better things; and whose words of prophecy shall be fulfilled, when his will not; who assure us that we shall have peace and prosperity; and therefore let us not regard what this man says, or be intimidated by his threatenings: come, and let us smite him with the tongue; by saying all the evil we can of him: by threatening him with pains and penalties; by loading him with reproaches and calumnies; by taking away his good name, and lessening his character and reputation among the people; and so the Targum, "let us bear false witness against him;'' or, "let us smite him in the tongue" (c); cut it out, as Abarbinel; or stop his mouth, and hinder him from speaking any more in this manner to the people; or, "let us smite him for the tongue" (d); because of the words he says, or the prophecies he delivers out: and let us not give heed to any of his words; or, "to all his words" (e); all which they reckoned his own, and not the words of the Lord. The Septuagint version is, "and we shall hear all his words"; we shall provoke him to say all he has to say, and shall hear and have enough out of his mouth to condemn him; and in all this, and in many other things that follow, Jeremiah was a type of Christ, to whom Jerom applies the whole passage. (c) "in lingua", Montanus, Castalio. (d) Propter "linguam istam", Junius & Tremellius. (e) "ad omnia verba ejus", Gataker; "ad universa verba ejus", Pagninus, Montanus.

Jeremiah 18:16

The Potter and the Clay

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

They have made their land a desolation, a perpetual object of scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and shake their heads.

American Standard Version (1901)

to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.

Bible in Basic English

Making their land a thing of wonder, causing sounds of surprise for ever; everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder, shaking his head.

Douay-Rheims 1899

That their land might be given up to desolation, and to a perpetual hissing: every one that shall pass by it, shall be astonished, and wag his head.

Free Bible Version

They have turned their country into a horrific wasteland, a place that will always be treated with contempt. People passing by will be shocked, shaking their heads in disbelief.

Geneva Bible 1599

To make their land desolate and a perpetual derision, so that euery one that passeth thereby, shalbe astonished and wagge his head,

King James (Authorized) Version

To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

Translation for Translators

Therefore, their land will become desolate, and people who see it will hiss to ridicule it. Everyone who passes by will be appalled; they will shake their heads to show that they are shocked.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Their land will become a horror, an object of everlasting hissing. Everyone who passes by her will shudder and shake his head.

Noah Webster Bible

To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and wag his head.

World English Bible

to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished, and shake his head.

Young's Literal Translation

To make their land become a desolation, A hissing age-during, Every passer by it is astonished, And bemoaneth with his head.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Jeremiah 18:16

Verse

Context

The Potter and the Clay

Summary

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Jeremiah 18:16

The Potter and the Clay

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes