Jeremiah 51:18 — Word Study
WLCהֶ֣בֶל הֵ֔מָּה מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים בְּעֵ֥ת פְּקֻדָּתָ֖ם יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃
BSATheyhêm [those men] are worthlesshebel [vanity, empty] a workmaʻăseh [deed, action] to be mockedtaʻtuaʻ [ridiculed, laughed at] In the timeʻêth [occasion] of their punishmentpᵉquddâh [visitation, inspection] they will perishʼâbad▸ [be destroyed, lost]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הֶ֣בֶל | [are] futility | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| הֵ֔מָּה | they | Pronoun |
| מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה | a work of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים | mockery | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| בְּעֵ֥ת | at [the] time of | Preposition, noun common both singular construct |
| פְּקֻדָּתָ֖ם | punishment their | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃ | they will perish | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They are worthless, a work to be mocked. In the time of their punishment they will perish. |
| KJV | They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. |
| ASV | They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. |
| YLT | Vanity [are] they — work of errors, In the time of their inspection they perish. |
| WEB | They are vanity, a work of delusion. In the time of their visitation, they will perish. |
| BBE | They are nothing, a work of error: in the time of their punishment, destruction will overtake them. |
Where they part company is מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause describing the idols' worthlessness, with additional phrases providing context and elaboration.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהֵמָּה
verbאָבַד
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Jeremiah 51:18
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Futility of Idolsgenerated
Jeremiah 51:18 addresses the worthlessness of idols crafted by human hands, emphasizing that they are mere vanity and will not endure through judgment. This verse is situated within a larger discourse that critiques the senselessness of idol worship, contrasting the impotence of idols with the sovereignty of God, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 10:8–15 | But they are altogether senseless and foolish, instructed by worthless idols made of wood! |
| 2 | Jonah 2:8 | Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion. |
| 3 | Acts 14:15 | “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 43:12–13 | I will kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and Nebuchadnezzar will burn those temples and take their gods as captives. So he will wrap himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd wraps himself in his garment, and he will depart from there unscathed. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 46:25 | The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הֶ֫בֶל, He.velgenerated
The word הֶ֫בֶל (hevel) signifies emptiness or vanity, describing something that is fleeting and unsatisfactory, much like a breath of air. It is often used in contexts that highlight the transitory nature of life, as seen in the book of Ecclesiastes.
In this verse, it underscores the futility of the idols being discussed. The parsing indicates that it is a masculine singular noun, emphasizing the singularity of the concept of vanity as it applies to these works.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses worthless to describe the idols, a term echoed by the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is built around a main clause with a predicate describing the idols as worthless. The finite verb is יֹאבֵֽדוּ, they will perish, which governs the overall meaning of the sentence.
The sentence includes additional phrases that elaborate on the nature of the idols, including a noun phrase that describes them as a מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה (work) and a prepositional phrase indicating the timing of their destruction.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, הֶ֫בֶל is rendered as μάταιά, which conveys a similar sense of worthlessness and futility. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may carry a slightly different nuance in the Greek context.
The term used for מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה is ἔργα, which also means 'works' or 'deeds,' indicating a focus on the actions associated with idol-making.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Jeremiah 51:18 states that idols are worthless and will face destruction during their time of punishment. This verse highlights the futility of worshipping idols, emphasizing that they are empty and lead to ultimate loss.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that idols have no real value or power, as they are mere creations of human hands and cannot save or protect.
The verse indicates that those who create and worship idols will face destruction as a consequence of their actions during a time of divine judgment.
Jeremiah emphasizes this futility to warn the people against placing their trust in false gods, highlighting the contrast between the living God and lifeless idols.
True worship should be directed towards the living God, who is the Creator and sustainer, rather than towards empty idols that cannot fulfill or save.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see the futility of modern 'idols' in my life?
- How can I ensure that my worship is directed towards God rather than towards empty things?
- What actions can I take to reflect the value of my relationship with God in my daily life?
- How does understanding the worthlessness of idols influence my faith and worship?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 51:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey [are] vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. [See comments on Jeremiah 10:15].
Read John Gill on Jeremiah 51 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding.
Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 51 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJeremiah 51:18 They [are] vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.Ver. 18. They are vanity.] See Jeremiah 10:15.
Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 51 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15-19) He hath made the earth by his power . . .—The five verses are a reproduction of Jer 10:12-16, fitted in here to enhance the majesty of Him Who decrees the destruction of Babylon, and appoints Israel to be the instrument of that destruction. The word “Israel,” as the italics show, is wanting in the Hebrew, and we have a sufficient sense without it. “He is the former of all things, and of the rod (i.e., the tribe) of his inheritance.” The English version follows the Vulgate and the Targum in treating the omission as an error of transcription. (See Notes on Jeremiah 10:12-16.)
Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 51 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15–19. These vv. are taken almost verbatim from Jeremiah 10:12-16. The object of the insertion is to emphasize the powerlessness of Babylon’s idols against Jehovah.
Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 51 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleGOD AGAINST THE IDOLS OF BABYLON, Jeremiah 51:15-26.15-19. He hath made the earth by his power — These verses are almost an exact transcript of Jer 10:12-16, and hold up before the people the
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Jeremiah 51 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
They are worthless, a work to be mocked. In the time of their punishment they will perish.
They are vanity, a work of delusion. In the time of their visitation, they will perish.
They are worthless, a work to be mocked. In the time of their punishment they will perish.
They are worthless, objects to be ridiculed. When the time comes to punish them, they will be destroyed.
Tyndale line
They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
They are vanitie, and the worke of errours: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
Strictly literal
They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
Vanity [are] they — work of errors, In the time of their inspection they perish.
They [are] vanity—a work of errors, || They perish in the time of their inspection.
They are vanity, the work of deception: in the time of their punishment shall they vanish.
They are useless, the work of mockers; they will perish at the time of their punishment.
From the Latin
They are vain works, and worthy to be laughed at, in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
Simplified
They are useless, an object to be laughed at. They will be destroyed at the time of their punishment.
They are nothing, a work of error: in the time of their punishment, destruction will overtake them.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text states, "הֶ֣בֶל הֵ֔מָּה מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים בְּעֵ֥ת פְּקֻדָּתָ֖ם יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃" which translates to "They are worthless, a work to be mocked. In the time of their punishment they will perish." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in meaning, as all seven corresponding words match, although the Greek translation may differ in word order and articles. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide differing readings for this verse, thus confirming the Masoretic Text's wording and meaning.
הֶ֣בֶל הֵ֔מָּה מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה תַּעְתֻּעִ֑ים בְּעֵ֥ת פְּקֻדָּתָ֖ם יֹאבֵֽדוּ׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Jeremiah 51:18
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
הֶ֫בֶל (hevel) refers to vapour or breath, and is often associated with concepts of emptiness or vanity, indicating something transitory and unsatisfactory. The word can function as an adverb meaning 'vainly.' It is derived from a root meaning 'to breathe' and appears in contexts discussing the fleeting nature of life.
הֶ֫בֶל 73 n.m. vapour, breath
base
H1892 הֶ֫בֶל vapour, breath
1892 hebel heh'bel
or (rarely in the abs.) habel {hab-ale'}; from 1891;
emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and
unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb:--X altogether, vain,
vanity.
see HEBREW for 01891
הֶ֫בֶל (he.vel) — vanity.
1) vapour, breath
1a) breath, vapour
1b) vanity (fig.)
adv
2) vainly
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
הֵ֫מָּה (hemmah) is a masculine plural pronoun meaning 'they.' The entries indicate that it can also mean 'these,' 'the same,' or refer to people in an emphatic context. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its usage.
הֵ֫מָּה and הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) pron. 3 pl. masc. they
base
H1992 הֵ֫מָּה, הֵם (without appreciable distinction in usage, except prob. in so far as the longer or shorter form was better adapted to the rhythm of particular sentences) they
1992 hem haym
or (prolonged) hemmah {haym'-maw}; masculine plural from
1981; they (only used when emphatic):--it, like, X (how, so)
many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, X so, X such,
their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.
see HEBREW for 01981
הֵ֫מָּה (hem.mah) — they(masc.).
they, these, the same, who
Pron — PronounHPp3mp
מַעֲשֶׂה (ma`aseh) means deed or work, encompassing a range of actions from good to bad, and includes concepts like business, labor, and products made. It can refer to specific achievements, works of God, or even customs. The entries suggest a broad application in various contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
מַעֲשֶׂה 233 n.m. deed, work
base
H4639 מַעֲשֶׂה deed, work
4639 ma`aseh mah-as-eh'
from 6213; an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction;
abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically,
a poem) or (generally) property:--act, art, + bakemeat,
business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making,
occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, X well,
((handy-, needle-, net-))work(ing, - manship), wrought.
see HEBREW for 06213
מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: work.
: work/product
1) deed, work
1a) deed, thing done, act
1b) work, labour
1c) business, pursuit
1d) undertaking, enterprise
1e) achievement
1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)
1g) work, thing made
1h) work (of God)
1i) product
מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: justice.
: justice/right/righteousness
1) deed, work
1a) deed, thing done, act
1b) work, labour
1c) business, pursuit
1d) undertaking, enterprise
1e) achievement
1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)
1g) work, thing made
1h) work (of God)
1i) product
מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: judgement.
: judgement/punishment
1) deed, work
1a) deed, thing done, act
1b) work, labour
1c) business, pursuit
1d) undertaking, enterprise
1e) achievement
1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)
1g) work, thing made
1h) work (of God)
1i) product
מַעֲשֶׂה (ma.a.seh) — deed: custom.
: custom/manner
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
תֵּעְתֻּעִים (ta'tua) refers to errors or delusions, with a specific mention of mockery in some entries. It is derived from a root meaning 'fraud' or 'error.' The term appears in contexts related to deception and falsehood.
תֵּעְתֻּעִים n.[m.]pl.abstr. mockery
base
H8595 תֵּעְתֻּעִים, תַּעְתֻּעַ
8595 ta`tua` tah-too'-ah
from 8591; a fraud:--error.
see HEBREW for 08591
תֵּעְתֻּעִים (ta.tu.a) — delusion.
1) errors, delusions
2) (BDB) mockery
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
עֵת (eth) means 'time,' covering various aspects such as the time of an event, a usual time, or an appointed time. It can also refer to experiences or occurrences. The entries suggest it can denote both specific and uncertain times, but they do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
עֵת 297 n.f. time
time of an event
= usual time
proper, suitable time
appointed time
as uncertain
= experience, fortunes
occurrence, occasion
base
H6256 עֵת time . time of an event
. . = usual time
. proper, suitable time
. appointed time
. as uncertain
. = experience, fortunes
. occurrence, occasion
6256 `eth ayth
from 5703; time, especially (adverb with preposition) now,
when, etc.:--+ after, (al-)ways, X certain, + continually, +
evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-,
noon-)tide, ((meal-)), what) time, when.
see HEBREW for 05703
עֵת (et) — time.
1) time
1a) time (of an event)
1b) time (usual)
1c) experiences, fortunes
1d) occurrence, occasion
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common both singular constructHR/Ncbsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
פְּקֻדָּה (pquddah) refers to concepts of oversight, mustering, and visitation, often in an official capacity. It can denote custody, charge, or a store of items, and is linked to punishment in some contexts. The term is derived from a related root and is noted in various lexicons for its range of meanings.
פְּקֻדָּה 32 n.f. oversight, mustering, visitation, store
base
H6486 פְּקֻדָּה oversight, mustering, visitation, store
6486 pquddah pek-ood-daw'
feminine passive participle of 6485; visitation (in many
senses, chiefly official):--account, (that have the) charge,
custody, that which...laid up, numbers, office(-r), ordering,
oversight, + prison, reckoning, visitation.
see HEBREW for 06485
פְּקֻדָּה (pe.qud.dah) — punishment.
1) oversight, care, custody, mustering, visitation, store
1a) visitation, punishment
1b) oversight, charge, office, overseer, class of officers
1c) mustering
1d) store
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3mp
אָבַד (abad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to perish or be lost. It encompasses a range of meanings, including dying, vanishing, and destruction, often in a moral or judgment context. The word appears in various forms in the Old Testament, with uses related to individuals, nations, and inanimate objects. The lexicons indicate that it can also imply causing something to perish or stray.
אָבַד vb. perish (M I אבד, As. abâtu Dl W 184 Aram אֲבַד, Syriac).—
Qal Pf. א׳ Nu 21:30 +; אָבְדוּ ψ 10:16 + (+ Ez 6:3 𝔊 Co) etc.; Impf. יֹאבַד Jb 3:3 Je 4:9; יֹאבֵ֑ד Jb 20:7 + 2t.; 3fs. תֹּאבַד Dt 22:3 + 4t.; תֹּאבֵ֑ד Jb 8:13 + 3t.; יֹאבְדוּ Ju 5:31 + 3t.; יֹאבֵ֑דוּ Jb 4:9 +; 3fpl. וַתֹּאבַדְנָה֙ I S 9:3; תֹּאבֵדוּן Dt 4:26 +; נֹאבֵ֑ד Jon 1:6…
Read the full entry →H6 אָבַד perish .. perish, die, of individuals
. fig. perish, vanish, subj. memory
. be lost, strayed
. . cause to perish, destroy, kill
. fig. cause to vanish, blot out, do away with
. cause to stray, lose
. . destroy, put to death, in judgment
. fig. obj. name of kings; hope; voice of mirth etc.
6 'abad aw-bad'
a primitive root; properly, to wander away, i.e. lose
oneself; by implication to perish (causative,
destroy):--break, destroy(- uction), + not escape, fail,
lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, X and surely, take, be
undone, X utterly, be void of, have no way to flee.
אָבַד (a.vad) — to perish.
1) perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) perish, die, be exterminated
1a2) perish, vanish (fig.)
1a3) be lost, strayed
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to destroy, kill, cause to perish, to give up (as lost), exterminate
1b2) to blot out, do away with, cause to vanish, (fig.)
1b3) cause to stray, lose
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to destroy, put to death
1c1a) of divine judgment
1c2) object name of kings (fig.)
Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (אֲבַד "to destroy" H0007)
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp