Jeremiah 10
Christian Standard Bible
False Gods Contrasted with the Creator
10 Hear the word that the Lord has spoken to[a] you, house of Israel. 2 This is what the Lord says:
Do not learn the way of the nations(A)
or be terrified by signs in the heavens,
although the nations are terrified by them,
3 for the customs of the peoples are worthless.
Someone cuts down a tree from the forest;
it is worked by the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.
4 He decorates it with silver and gold.(B)
It is fastened with hammer and nails,(C)
so it won’t totter.
5 Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch,
their idols cannot speak.(D)
They must be carried(E) because they cannot walk.
Do not fear them for they can do no harm(F)—
and they cannot do any good.(G)
6 Lord, there is no one like you.(H)
You are great;
your name is great in power.(I)
7 Who should not fear you,
King of the nations?(J)
It is what you deserve.
For among all the wise people of the nations
and among all their kingdoms,
there is no one like you.
8 They are both stupid and foolish,
instructed by worthless idols
made of wood!
9 Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish(K)
and gold from Uphaz.[b](L)
The work of a craftsman
and of a goldsmith’s hands
is clothed in blue and purple,
all the work of skilled artisans.
10 But the Lord is the true God;(M)
he is the living God(N) and eternal King.(O)
The earth quakes at his wrath,(P)
and the nations cannot endure his fury.
11 You are to say this to them: “The gods that did not make the heavens(Q) and the earth will perish from the earth(R) and from under these heavens.”[c]
12 He made the earth by his power,
established the world(S) by his wisdom,(T)
and spread out the heavens by his understanding.(U)
13 When he thunders,[d]
the waters in the heavens are in turmoil,(V)
and he causes the clouds to rise
from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain
and brings the wind from his storehouses.(W)
14 Everyone is stupid and ignorant.
Every goldsmith is put to shame
by his carved image,(X)
for his cast images are a lie;(Y)
there is no breath in them.(Z)
15 They are worthless, a work to be mocked.
At the time of their punishment
they will be destroyed.(AA)
16 Jacob’s Portion[e] is not like these
because he is the one who formed all things.(AB)
Israel is the tribe of his inheritance;(AC)
the Lord of Armies is his name.(AD)
Exile after the Siege
18 For this is what the Lord says:
Look, I am flinging away(AF)
the land’s residents at this time
and bringing them such distress
that they will feel it.
Jeremiah Grieves
19 Woe to me because of my brokenness—
I am severely wounded!(AG)
I exclaimed, “This is my intense suffering,
but I must bear it.”
20 My tent is destroyed;(AH)
all my tent cords are snapped.
My sons have departed from me and are no more.
I have no one to pitch my tent again
or to hang up my curtains.
21 For the shepherds are stupid:
They don’t seek the Lord.(AI)
Therefore they have not prospered,
and their whole flock is scattered.
22 Listen! A noise—it is coming—
a great commotion(AJ) from the land to the north.
The cities of Judah will be made desolate,
a jackals’ den.(AK)
23 I know, Lord,
that a person’s way of life is not his own;
no one who walks determines his own steps.(AL)
24 Discipline me, Lord, but with justice—
not in your anger,(AM)
or you will reduce me to nothing.
25 Pour out your wrath on the nations
that don’t recognize you
and on the families
that don’t call on your name,
for they have consumed Jacob;
they have consumed him and finished him off
and made his homeland desolate.(AN)
Jeremiah 10
New American Standard Bible
A Satire on Idolatry
10 Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, house of Israel. 2 This is what the Lord says:
“(A)Do not learn the way of the nations,
And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens,
Although the nations are terrified by them;
3 For the customs of the peoples are (B)futile;
For (C)it is wood cut from the forest,
The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.
4 They (D)decorate the idol with silver and gold;
They (E)fasten it with nails and hammers
So that it will not totter.
5 They are like a scarecrow in a cucumber field,
And they (F)cannot speak;
They must be (G)carried,
Because they cannot walk!
Do not fear them,
For they (H)can do no harm,
Nor can they do any good.”
6 (I)There is none like You, Lord;
You are (J)great, and Your name is great in might.
7 (K)Who would not fear You, O (L)King of the nations?
For it is Your due!
For among all the (M)wise men of the nations
And in all their kingdoms,
There is none like You.
8 But they are altogether (N)stupid and foolish;
The instruction from idols is nothing but wood!
9 Beaten (O)silver is brought from (P)Tarshish,
And (Q)gold from Uphaz,
The work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith;
Their clothing is of violet and purple;
They are all the (R)work of skilled people.
10 But the Lord is the (S)true God;
He is the (T)living God and the (U)everlasting King.
The (V)earth quakes at His wrath,
And the nations cannot (W)endure His indignation.
11 [a]This is what you shall say to them: “The (X)gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will (Y)perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”
12 It is (Z)He who made the earth by His power,
Who (AA)established the world by His wisdom;
And by His understanding He has (AB)stretched out the heavens.
13 When He utters His (AC)voice, there is a roar of waters in the heavens,
And He makes the (AD)clouds ascend from the end of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain,
And brings out the (AE)wind from His storehouses.
14 Every person is (AF)stupid, devoid of knowledge;
Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols,
For his cast metal images are deceitful,
And there is no breath in them.
15 They are (AG)worthless, a work of mockery;
At the (AH)time of their punishment they will perish.
16 The (AI)Portion of Jacob is not like these;
For He is the [b](AJ)Maker of everything,
And (AK)Israel is the tribe of His inheritance;
The (AL)Lord of armies is His name.
17 (AM)Pick up your bundle from the ground,
You who live under siege!
18 For this is what the Lord says:
“Behold, I am (AN)slinging out the inhabitants of the land
At this time,
And I will cause them distress,
So that they may [c]be found.”
19 (AO)Woe to me, because of my [d]injury!
My (AP)wound is incurable.
But I said, “This certainly is a sickness,
And I (AQ)must endure it.”
20 My (AR)tent is destroyed,
And all my ropes are broken.
My (AS)sons have gone from me and are no more.
There is (AT)no one to stretch out my tent again
Or to set up my curtains.
21 For the shepherds have become stupid
And (AU)have not sought the Lord.
Therefore they have not prospered,
And (AV)all their flock is scattered.
22 The sound of a (AW)report! Behold, it is coming—
A great roar (AX)from the land of the north—
To (AY)make the cities of Judah
A desolation, a haunt of jackals.
23 I know, Lord, that (AZ)a person’s way is not in himself,
(BA)Nor is it in a person who walks to direct his steps.
24 (BB)Correct me, Lord, but with justice;
Not with Your anger, or You will [e]bring me to nothing.
25 (BC)Pour out Your wrath on the nations that (BD)do not know You,
And on the families who (BE)do not call upon Your name;
For they have devoured Jacob;
They have (BF)devoured him and consumed him,
And have laid waste his [f]settlement.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 10:11 This verse is in Aram
- Jeremiah 10:16 Lit Fashioner
- Jeremiah 10:18 Lit find
- Jeremiah 10:19 Lit breaking
- Jeremiah 10:24 Lit diminish me
- Jeremiah 10:25 Or pasture
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
