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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.
Jeremiah 51:15 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB “He has made the earth by his power. He has established the world by his wisdom. By his understanding he has stretched out the heavens.
  • BSB The LORD made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.
  • NKJV He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom, And stretched out the heaven by His understanding.
  • NASB ¶It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom, And by His understanding He stretched out the heavens.
  • NLT The Lord made the earth by his power, and he preserves it by his wisdom. With his own understanding he stretched out the heavens.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

God made the earth by His power, established the world by His wisdom, and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. The Creator's might guarantees His power to judge Babylon.

Overview

This hymn of creation (repeated from 10:12) is set against Babylon's idols to magnify the true God. The God who formed and governs the cosmos is more than able to topple any empire and expose every false god. Recognizing the Creator's supremacy leads to worship and trust, ultimately in the One through whom all things were made, Jesus Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 26

  • Jer 10:12–16He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
  • Rev 4:11Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
  • Jer 32:17Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
  • Col 1:16–17For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
  • Rom 1:20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
  • Acts 14:15And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
  • Job 9:8Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
  • Ps 148:1–5Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.
  • Prov 3:19The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
  • Isa 42:5Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
  • Ps 104:2Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
  • Ps 136:5To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
  • Isa 40:22It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
  • Ps 146:5–6Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
  • Isa 40:26Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
  • Rom 11:33O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
  • Heb 1:2–3Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
  • Gen 1:1–6In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
  • Isa 45:12I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
  • Jer 51:15–19He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding.
  • Acts 17:24God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
  • Isa 48:13Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.
  • Ps 107:25For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
  • Ps 104:24O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
  • Isa 44:24Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
  • Isa 51:13And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Jeremiah videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Jeremiah 51:15YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JeremiahMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.

How Jeremiah 51:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.