Jeremiah 10

Idols and the Living God

1 Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. 2 Thus says the Lord:

"Learn not the way of the nations,

nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens

because the nations are dismayed at them,

3 *Isa. 44:9for the customs of the peoples are vanity.*10:3 Or vapor, or mist

*Isa. 40:20;45:20A tree from the forest is cut down

and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.

4 *Isa. 40:19They decorate it with silver and gold;

*Isa. 41:7they fasten it with hammer and nails

so that it cannot move.

5 Their idols*10:5 Hebrew They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field,

and *Ps. 115:5;135:16;Hab. 2:18,19;1 Cor. 12:2they cannot speak;

*Ps. 115:7;Isa. 46:7they have to be carried,

for they cannot walk.

Do not be afraid of them,

*Isa. 41:23for they cannot do evil,

neither is it in them to do good."

6 *ch. 49:19;Ex. 15:11;Ps. 86:8,10There is none like you, O Lord;

you are great, and your name is great in might.

7 *ch. 5:22;Rev. 15:4Who would not fear you, O King of the nations?

For this is your due;

for among all the wise ones of the nations

and in all their kingdoms

there is none like you.

8 *[Isa. 41:29;Hab. 2:18;Zech. 10:2] They are both *ver. 21stupid and foolish;

the instruction of idols is but wood!

9 *Isa. 40:19Beaten silver is brought from *Gen. 10:4;See 1 Kgs. 10:22Tarshish,

and gold from *Dan. 10:5Uphaz.

*Isa. 40:19They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith;

their clothing is violet and purple;

*Ps. 115:4they are all the work of skilled men.

10 *Deut. 32:4;Ps. 31:5But the Lord is the true God;

*Ps. 42:2he is the living God and the everlasting King.

At his wrath the earth quakes,

and the nations cannot endure his indignation.

11 Thus shall you say to them: *[Ps. 96:5] "The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth *ver. 15;Isa. 2:18;Zech. 13:2shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens."*10:11 This verse is in Aramaic

12 *For ver. 12-16, see ch. 51:15-19It is he who *Gen. 1:1,6,9;Ps. 104:5;Prov. 3:19made the earth by his power,

*Gen. 1:1,6,9;Ps. 104:5;Prov. 3:19who established the world by his wisdom,

and *Job 9:8by his understanding stretched out the heavens.

13 *[Job 38:34;Ps. 104:6,7] When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,

*Ps. 135:7and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth.

*Ps. 135:7He makes lightning *ch. 14:22;Job 5:10for the rain,

*Ps. 135:7and he brings forth the wind *Job 38:22from his storehouses.

14 *ver. 8;Prov. 30:2;[Rom. 1:22] Every man is stupid and without knowledge;

*See Isa. 42:17every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols,

for his images are false,

*Ps. 135:17;Hab. 2:19and there is no breath in them.

15 They are worthless, a work of delusion;

at the time of their punishment they shall perish.

16 Not like these is he who is *Ps. 16:5the portion of Jacob,

for he is the one who formed all things,

*Deut. 32:9and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance;

*ch. 31:35;32:18;50:34the Lord of hosts is his name.

17 *[ch. 6:1;Ezek. 12:3]Gather up your bundle from the ground,

O you who dwell under siege!

18 For thus says the Lord:

*1 Sam. 25:29"Behold, I am slinging out the inhabitants of the land

at this time,

*Deut. 28:20and I will bring distress on them,

that they may feel it."

19 Woe is me because of my hurt!

*ch. 14:17;30:12My wound is grievous.

But I said, "Truly this is an affliction,

and I must bear it."

20 *ch. 4:20;[Isa. 54:2] My tent is destroyed,

and all my cords are broken;

my children have gone from me,

*ch. 31:15and they are not;

there is no one to spread my tent again

and *ch. 4:20;[Isa. 54:2] to set up my curtains.

21 *ch. 23:1;Ezek. 34:2For the shepherds *ver. 8are stupid

and do not inquire of the Lord;

therefore they have not prospered,

*Ezek. 34:5,6and all their flock is scattered.

22 A voice, a rumor! Behold, it comes!—

*See ch. 1:13a great commotion out of the north country

to make *See ch. 9:11the cities of Judah a desolation,

*See ch. 9:11a lair of jackals.

23 *Prov. 16:1;20:24;Dan. 5:23I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself,

that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.

24 *ch. 30:11;46:28;Ps. 6:1;38:1Correct me, O Lord, but in justice;

not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.

25 *Ps. 79:6,7Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not,

and on the peoples that call not on your name,

*ch. 8:16;30:16;Ps. 14:4for they have devoured Jacob;

they have devoured him and consumed him,

and have laid waste his habitation.