Jeremiah 10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Idolatry Has Brought Ruin on Israel
10 Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. 2 Thus says the Lord:
Do not learn the way of the nations
or be dismayed at the signs of the heavens,
for the nations are dismayed at them.(A)
3 For the customs of the peoples are false:
a tree from the forest is cut down
and worked with an ax by the hands of an artisan;(B)
4 they deck it with silver and gold;
they fasten it with hammers and nails
so that it cannot move.(C)
5 Their idols[a] are like scarecrows in a cucumber field,
and they cannot speak;
they have to be carried,
for they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of them,
for they cannot do evil,
nor is it in them to do good.(D)
6 There is none like you, O Lord;
you are great, and your name is great in might.(E)
7 Who would not fear you, O King of the nations?
For that is your due;
among all the wise ones of the nations
and in all their kingdoms
there is no one like you.(F)
8 They are both stupid and foolish;
the instruction given by idols
is no better than wood![b](G)
9 Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish
and gold from Uphaz.
They are the work of the artisan and of the hands of the goldsmith;
their clothing is blue and purple;
they are all the product of skilled workers.(H)
10 But the Lord is the true God;
he is the living God and the everlasting King.
At his wrath the earth quakes,
and the nations cannot endure his indignation.[c](I)
11 Thus shall you say to them: The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.[d](J)
12 It is he who made the earth by his power,
who established the world by his wisdom
and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.(K)
13 When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,
and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain
and brings out the wind from his storehouses.(L)
14 Everyone is stupid and without knowledge;
goldsmiths are all put to shame by their idols,
for their images are false,
and there is no breath in them.(M)
15 They are worthless, a work of delusion;
at the time of their punishment they shall perish.
16 The portion of Jacob is not like these,
for he is the one who formed all things,
and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance;
the Lord of hosts is his name.(N)
The Coming Exile
17 Gather up your bundle from the ground,
O you who live under siege!
18 For thus says the Lord:
I am going to sling out the inhabitants of the land
at this time,
and I will bring distress on them,
so that they shall feel it.
19 Woe is me because of my hurt!
My wound is severe.
But I said, “Truly this is my punishment,
and I must bear it.”(O)
20 My tent is destroyed,
and all my cords are broken;
my children have gone from me,
and they are no more;
there is no one to spread my tent again
and to set up my curtains.(P)
21 For the shepherds are stupid
and do not inquire of the Lord;
therefore they have not prospered,
and all their flock is scattered.(Q)
22 Hear, a noise! Listen, it is coming—
a great commotion from the land of the north
to make the cities of Judah a desolation,
a lair of jackals.(R)
23 I know, O Lord, that the way of humans is not in their control,
that mortals as they walk cannot direct their steps.(S)
24 Correct me, O Lord, but in just measure;
not in your anger, or you will bring me to nothing.(T)
25 Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not know you
and on the peoples that do not call on your name,
for they have devoured Jacob;
they have devoured him and consumed him
and have laid waste his habitation.(U)
Jeremiah 10
International Standard Version
The True God and Worthless Idols
10 Hear the message that the Lord has spoken to you, house of Israel. 2 This is what the Lord says:
“Don’t learn the way of the nations,
and don’t be terrified by signs in the heavens,
though the nations are terrified of them.
3 For the practices[a] of the people are worthless.
Indeed, a tree is cut down from the forest;
it’s the work of the hands of a craftsman[b] with an ax.
4 They decorate it with silver and gold.
They secure it with nails and hammers
so it won’t totter.
5 Their idols[c] are like scarecrows in a cucumber field.
They can’t speak!
They must always be carried
because they can’t walk!
Don’t be afraid of them
because they can do no harm,
nor can they do any good.”
6 There is no one like you, Lord.
You are great, and your name is great and powerful.
7 Who wouldn’t fear you, king of the nations?
This is what you deserve!
Indeed, among all the wise men of the nations,
and throughout all their kingdoms,
there is no one like you!
8 Everyone is stupid[d] and senseless.
They follow worthless instruction
from a piece of wood![e]
9 Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish,
and gold from Uphaz.
The idols are[f] the work of a craftsman[g]
and of the hands of a goldsmith.
Their clothing is violet and purple.
The idols[h] are all the work of skilled craftsmen.
10 The Lord is the true God;
he’s the living God and the everlasting king.
At his wrath the earth quakes,
and the nations cannot endure his indignation.
11 [i]Tell this to them: “The gods who[j] didn’t make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from these heavens.”
A Hymn of Praise to God
12 The Lord is[k] the one who made
the world by his power,
who established the earth by his wisdom
and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.
13 When his voice sounds there is thunder
from the waters of heaven,
and he makes clouds rise up from
the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain
and brings wind out of his storehouses.
14 Everyone is stupid[l] and without knowledge.
Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols,
for his images are false.[m]
There is no life[n] in them.
15 They’re worthless, a work of mockery,
and when the time of punishment comes,[o]
they’ll perish.
16 The Portion of Jacob[p] is not like these.
He made everything,
and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance.
The Lord of the Heavenly Armies is his name.
The Coming Captivity of Judah
17 You who live under siege,
Gather up your bundle[q] from the ground.[r]
18 For this is what the Lord says:
“I’m going to throw out the inhabitants
of the land at this time,
and I’ll bring distress on them
so they’ll experience[s] it.”
19 Woe is me because of my injury.
My wound is severe.
I said, “Truly this is my sickness,
and I must bear it.
20 My tent is destroyed,
and all my tent cords are broken.
My sons have gone away from me,
they no longer live.
There is no one to pitch my tent again
and set up my curtains.
21 Because the shepherds are stupid[t]
and don’t seek[u] the Lord,
therefore, they don’t prosper,
and their flock is scattered.
22 The sound of a report, it’s coming now!
There is a great commotion from a land in the north
to make the towns of Judah desolate,
a refuge for jackals.”
Jeremiah’s Prayer
23 Lord, I know that a person’s life is not his to control,[v]
nor does a person establish his way in life.[w]
24 Lord, correct me, but with justice,
not with anger.
Otherwise, you’ll bring me to nothing.
25 Pour out your anger on the nations
that don’t acknowledge you,
and on the families that don’t call on your name.
For they have devoured Jacob;
they have devoured and consumed him;
they have devastated his habitation.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 10:3 Or customs, ordinances
- Jeremiah 10:3 Or engraver; i.e. a wood carver
- Jeremiah 10:5 Lit. They
- Jeremiah 10:8 I.e. like a beast
- Jeremiah 10:8 Lit. it is worthless instruction from wood
- Jeremiah 10:9 Lit. It is
- Jeremiah 10:9 Or engraver; i.e. a wood carver
- Jeremiah 10:9 Lit. They
- Jeremiah 10:11 This verse is in Aramaic, the language the exiles would speak in Babylon.
- Jeremiah 10:11 Lit. the one who
- Jeremiah 10:12 The Heb. lacks The Lord is
- Jeremiah 10:14 I.e. like a beast
- Jeremiah 10:14 Lit. deception
- Jeremiah 10:14 Or breath
- Jeremiah 10:15 Lit. at the time of their punishment
- Jeremiah 10:16 I.e. The Portion of Jacob is a name for the Lord
- Jeremiah 10:17 I.e. your possessions
- Jeremiah 10:17 Or land
- Jeremiah 10:18 Lit. find
- Jeremiah 10:21 I.e. like a beast
- Jeremiah 10:21 Or inquire of
- Jeremiah 10:23 Or does not belong to him
- Jeremiah 10:23 Or step as he walks
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