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Yahweh Alone Is the Living God

10 Hear the word which Yahweh speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says Yahweh,

(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;
For the statutes of the peoples are (B)vanity
Because (C)it is wood cut from the forest,
The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.
They (D)make it beautiful with silver and with gold;
They (E)strengthen it with nails and with hammers
So that it will not totter.
Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they,
And they (F)cannot speak;
They must be (G)carried
Because they cannot take a step!
Do not fear them,
For they (H)can do no harm,
Nor can they do any good.”

(I)There is none like You, O Yahweh;
You are (J)great, and great is Your name in might.
(K)Who would not fear You, O (L)King of the nations?
Indeed it is Your due!
For among all the (M)wise men of the nations
And in all their kingdoms,
There is none like You.
But they are altogether (N)senseless and foolish;
They are in a discipline of [a]vanities—it is mere wood!
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;
Blue and purple are their clothing;
They are all the (R)work of wise craftsmen.
10 But Yahweh is the (S)true God;
He is the (T)living God and the (U)everlasting King.
At His wrath the (V)earth quakes,
And the nations cannot (W)endure His indignation.

11 [b]Thus 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 [c]the 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 gives forth His (AC)voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,
And He causes the (AD)clouds to ascend from the end of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain,
And brings out the (AE)wind from His storehouses.
14 Every man is (AF)senseless, devoid of knowledge;
Every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven images;
For his molten images are a lie,
And there is no breath in them.
15 They are (AG)vanity, a work of mockery;
In the (AH)time of their punishment they will perish.
16 The (AI)portion of Jacob is not like these;
For the [d](AJ)Maker of all is He,
And (AK)Israel is the tribe of His inheritance;
(AL)Yahweh of hosts is His name.

17 (AM)Gather up your bundle from the ground,
You who inhabit a land under siege!

18 For thus says Yahweh,

“Behold, I am (AN)slinging out the inhabitants of the land
At this time,
And will cause them distress,
That they may find it.”

19 (AO)Woe is me, because of my [e]injury!
My (AP)wound is desperately sick.
But I said, “Truly this is a sickness,
And I (AQ)must bear it.”
20 My (AR)tent is destroyed,
And all my ropes are torn out;
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 senseless
And (AU)have not sought Yahweh;
Therefore they have not prospered,
And (AV)all their flock is scattered.
22 The sound of a (AW)report! Behold, it comes—
A great quaking (AX)out of the land of the north—
To (AY)make the cities of Judah
A desolation, a haunt of jackals.

23 I know, O Yahweh, that (AZ)a man’s way is not in himself,
(BA)Nor is it in a man who walks to [f]direct his steps.
24 (BB)Discipline me, O Yahweh, but with justice;
Not with Your anger, lest You [g]bring me to nothing.
25 (BC)Pour out Your wrath on the nations that (BD)do not know You
And on the families that (BE)do not call Your name,
For they have devoured Jacob;
They have (BF)devoured him and consumed him
And have made desolate his [h]abode.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 10:8 Or idols
  2. Jeremiah 10:11 This verse is in Aram
  3. Jeremiah 10:11 Or these
  4. Jeremiah 10:16 Lit Fashioner
  5. Jeremiah 10:19 Lit breaking
  6. Jeremiah 10:23 Lit establish
  7. Jeremiah 10:24 Lit diminish me
  8. Jeremiah 10:25 Or pasture

10 Hear ye the word which Jehovah speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: thus saith Jehovah, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them. For the [a]customs of the peoples are vanity; for [b]one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are like a [c]palm-tree, of turned work, and speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.

There is none like unto thee, O Jehovah; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. Who should not fear thee, O King of the nations? for [d]to thee doth it appertain; forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is none like unto thee. But they are [e]together brutish and foolish: [f]the instruction of idols! it is but a stock. There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skilful men. 10 But Jehovah is [g]the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation.

11 [h]Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, [i]these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.

12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens. 13 [j]When he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries. 14 Every man [k]is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. 15 They are vanity, a work of [l]delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. 16 The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.

17 Gather up [m]thy wares out of the land, [n]O thou that abidest in the siege. 18 For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may [o]feel it.

19 Woe is me because of my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is my [p]grief, and I must bear it. 20 My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth from me, and they are not: there is none to spread my tent any more, and to set up my curtains. 21 For the shepherds are become brutish, and have not inquired of Jehovah: therefore they have not [q]prospered, and all their flocks are scattered. 22 The voice of tidings, behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling-place of jackals.

23 O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. 24 O Jehovah, correct me, but in [r]measure; not in thine anger, lest thou [s]bring me to nothing. 25 Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name; for they have devoured Jacob, yea, they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his [t]habitation.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 10:3 Hebrew statutes.
  2. Jeremiah 10:3 Or, it is but a tree which one cutteth
  3. Jeremiah 10:5 Or, pillar
  4. Jeremiah 10:7 Or, it beseemeth thee
  5. Jeremiah 10:8 Or, through one thing
  6. Jeremiah 10:8 Or, the stock is a doctrine of vanities
  7. Jeremiah 10:10 Or, God in truth
  8. Jeremiah 10:11 This verse is in Aramaic.
  9. Jeremiah 10:11 Or, they shall . . . under these heavens
  10. Jeremiah 10:13 Or, at the sound of his giving an abundance of waters . . . when he causeth etc. (or he causeth etc.)
  11. Jeremiah 10:14 Or, is too brutish to know
  12. Jeremiah 10:15 Or, mockery
  13. Jeremiah 10:17 Or, thy bundle from the ground
  14. Jeremiah 10:17 Or, O inhabitant (Hebrew inhabitress) of the fortress
  15. Jeremiah 10:18 Hebrew find.
  16. Jeremiah 10:19 Or, sickness
  17. Jeremiah 10:21 Or, dealt wisely
  18. Jeremiah 10:24 Hebrew judgment.
  19. Jeremiah 10:24 Hebrew diminish me.
  20. Jeremiah 10:25 Or, pasture

God and Idols(A)

10 Hear what the Lord says to you, people of Israel. This is what the Lord says:

“Do not learn the ways of the nations(B)
    or be terrified by signs(C) in the heavens,
    though the nations are terrified by them.
For the practices of the peoples are worthless;
    they cut a tree out of the forest,
    and a craftsman(D) shapes it with his chisel.(E)
They adorn it with silver(F) and gold;
    they fasten it with hammer and nails
    so it will not totter.(G)
Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field,
    their idols cannot speak;(H)
they must be carried
    because they cannot walk.(I)
Do not fear them;
    they can do no harm(J)
    nor can they do any good.”(K)

No one is like you,(L) Lord;
    you are great,(M)
    and your name is mighty in power.
Who should not fear(N) you,
    King of the nations?(O)
    This is your due.
Among all the wise leaders of the nations
    and in all their kingdoms,
    there is no one like you.

They are all senseless(P) and foolish;(Q)
    they are taught by worthless wooden idols.(R)
Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish(S)
    and gold from Uphaz.
What the craftsman and goldsmith have made(T)
    is then dressed in blue and purple—
    all made by skilled workers.
10 But the Lord is the true God;
    he is the living God,(U) the eternal King.(V)
When he is angry,(W) the earth trembles;(X)
    the nations cannot endure his wrath.(Y)

11 “Tell them this: ‘These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish(Z) from the earth and from under the heavens.’”[a]

12 But God made(AA) the earth(AB) by his power;
    he founded the world by his wisdom(AC)
    and stretched out the heavens(AD) by his understanding.
13 When he thunders,(AE) the waters in the heavens roar;
    he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.
He sends lightning(AF) with the rain(AG)
    and brings out the wind from his storehouses.(AH)

14 Everyone is senseless and without knowledge;
    every goldsmith is shamed(AI) by his idols.
The images he makes are a fraud;(AJ)
    they have no breath in them.
15 They are worthless,(AK) the objects of mockery;
    when their judgment comes, they will perish.
16 He who is the Portion(AL) of Jacob is not like these,
    for he is the Maker of all things,(AM)
including Israel, the people of his inheritance(AN)
    the Lord Almighty is his name.(AO)

Coming Destruction

17 Gather up your belongings(AP) to leave the land,
    you who live under siege.
18 For this is what the Lord says:
    “At this time I will hurl(AQ) out
    those who live in this land;
I will bring distress(AR) on them
    so that they may be captured.”

19 Woe to me because of my injury!
    My wound(AS) is incurable!
Yet I said to myself,
    “This is my sickness, and I must endure(AT) it.”
20 My tent(AU) is destroyed;
    all its ropes are snapped.
My children are gone from me and are no more;(AV)
    no one is left now to pitch my tent
    or to set up my shelter.
21 The shepherds(AW) are senseless(AX)
    and do not inquire of the Lord;(AY)
so they do not prosper(AZ)
    and all their flock is scattered.(BA)
22 Listen! The report is coming—
    a great commotion from the land of the north!(BB)
It will make the towns of Judah desolate,(BC)
    a haunt of jackals.(BD)

Jeremiah’s Prayer

23 Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own;
    it is not for them to direct their steps.(BE)
24 Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure—
    not in your anger,(BF)
    or you will reduce me to nothing.(BG)
25 Pour out your wrath on the nations(BH)
    that do not acknowledge you,
    on the peoples who do not call on your name.(BI)
For they have devoured(BJ) Jacob;
    they have devoured him completely
    and destroyed his homeland.(BK)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 10:11 The text of this verse is in Aramaic.