Jeremiah 10-11
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.
The Broken Covenant
11 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “(BG)Hear the words of this (BH)covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 3 and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: “(BI)Cursed is the one who does not obey the words of this covenant 4 which I commanded your forefathers on the (BJ)day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the (BK)iron furnace, saying, ‘(BL)Listen to My voice, and [g]do according to all that I command you; so you shall be (BM)My people, and I will be your God,’ 5 in order to confirm the (BN)oath which I swore to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.”’” Then I replied, “(BO)Amen, Lord.”
6 And the Lord said to me, “(BP)Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, ‘(BQ)Hear the words of this covenant and (BR)do them. 7 For I solemnly (BS)warned your fathers on the (BT)day I brought them up from the land of Egypt, even to this day, (BU)warning them persistently, saying, “(BV)Listen to My voice.” 8 Yet they (BW)did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in the stubbornness of their evil heart, each one of them; therefore I brought on them all the (BX)words of this covenant which I commanded them to do, but they did not.’”
9 Then the Lord said to me, “A (BY)conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have (BZ)turned back to the wrongdoings of their [h]ancestors who (CA)refused to hear My words, and they (CB)have followed other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have (CC)broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.” 11 Therefore this is what the Lord says: “Behold, I am (CD)bringing disaster on them which they will (CE)not be able to escape; though they will (CF)cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will (CG)go and cry out to the gods to whom they [i]burn incense, but they certainly will not save them in the time of their disaster. 13 For your gods are [j](CH)as many as your cities, Judah; and [k]as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up to the (CI)shameful thing, altars for [l](CJ)burning incense to Baal.
14 “So as for you, (CK)do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will (CL)not listen when they call to Me because of their disaster.
15 What right has My (CM)beloved in My house
When (CN)she has carried out many evil schemes?
Can the sacrificial flesh take away from you your disaster,
[m]So that you can rejoice?”
16 The Lord named you
“A (CO)green olive tree, beautiful in fruit and form”;
With the (CP)noise of a great [n]tumult
He has (CQ)set fire to it,
And its branches are worthless.
17 The Lord of armies, who (CR)planted you, has (CS)pronounced evil against you because of the evil of the house of Israel and the house of Judah, which they have [o]done to provoke Me by [p](CT)offering sacrifices to Baal.
Plots against Jeremiah
18 Moreover, the Lord (CU)made it known to me and I knew it;
Then You showed me their deeds.
19 But I was like a gentle (CV)lamb led to the slaughter;
And I did not know that they had (CW)devised plots against me, saying,
“Let’s destroy the tree with its [q]fruit,
And (CX)let’s cut him off from the (CY)land of the living,
So that his (CZ)name will no longer be remembered.”
20 But, Lord of armies, who (DA)judges righteously,
Who (DB)puts the [r]feelings and the heart to the test,
Let me see Your vengeance on them,
For to You I have [s]committed my cause.
21 Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the people of (DC)Anathoth, who are (DD)seeking your life, saying: “(DE)Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, so that you do not (DF)die by our hand”; 22 therefore, this is what the Lord of armies says: “Behold, I am going to (DG)punish them! The (DH)young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters will die by famine; 23 and a remnant (DI)will not be left to them, because I will (DJ)bring disaster on the people of Anathoth—(DK)the year of their punishment.”
Notas al pie
- 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
- Jeremiah 11:4 Lit do them
- Jeremiah 11:10 Lit former fathers
- Jeremiah 11:12 Or offer sacrifices
- Jeremiah 11:13 Lit the number of
- Jeremiah 11:13 Lit the number of
- Jeremiah 11:13 Or offering sacrifices to
- Jeremiah 11:15 Lit Then
- Jeremiah 11:16 I.e., confused noise
- Jeremiah 11:17 Or done for themselves
- Jeremiah 11:17 Or burning incense
- Jeremiah 11:19 Lit bread
- Jeremiah 11:20 Lit kidneys
- Jeremiah 11:20 Lit rolled
Jeremiah 10-11
New Living Translation
Idolatry Brings Destruction
10 Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O Israel! 2 This is what the Lord says:
“Do not act like the other nations,
who try to read their future in the stars.
Do not be afraid of their predictions,
even though other nations are terrified by them.
3 Their ways are futile and foolish.
They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.
4 They decorate it with gold and silver
and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails
so it won’t fall over.
5 Their gods are like
helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field!
They cannot speak,
and they need to be carried because they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of such gods,
for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.”
6 Lord, there is no one like you!
For you are great, and your name is full of power.
7 Who would not fear you, O King of nations?
That title belongs to you alone!
Among all the wise people of the earth
and in all the kingdoms of the world,
there is no one like you.
8 People who worship idols are stupid and foolish.
The things they worship are made of wood!
9 They bring beaten sheets of silver from Tarshish
and gold from Uphaz,
and they give these materials to skillful craftsmen
who make their idols.
Then they dress these gods in royal blue and purple robes
made by expert tailors.
10 But the Lord is the only true God.
He is the living God and the everlasting King!
The whole earth trembles at his anger.
The nations cannot stand up to his wrath.
11 Say this to those who worship other gods: “Your so-called gods, who did not make the heavens and earth, will vanish from the earth and from under the heavens.”[a]
12 But the Lord made the earth by his power,
and he preserves it by his wisdom.
With his own understanding
he stretched out the heavens.
13 When he speaks in the thunder,
the heavens roar with rain.
He causes the clouds to rise over the earth.
He sends the lightning with the rain
and releases the wind from his storehouses.
14 The whole human race is foolish and has no knowledge!
The craftsmen are disgraced by the idols they make,
for their carefully shaped works are a fraud.
These idols have no breath or power.
15 Idols are worthless; they are ridiculous lies!
On the day of reckoning they will all be destroyed.
16 But the God of Israel[b] is no idol!
He is the Creator of everything that exists,
including Israel, his own special possession.
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name!
The Coming Destruction
17 Pack your bags and prepare to leave;
the siege is about to begin.
18 For this is what the Lord says:
“Suddenly, I will fling out
all you who live in this land.
I will pour great troubles upon you,
and at last you will feel my anger.”
19 My wound is severe,
and my grief is great.
My sickness is incurable,
but I must bear it.
20 My home is gone,
and no one is left to help me rebuild it.
My children have been taken away,
and I will never see them again.
21 The shepherds of my people have lost their senses.
They no longer seek wisdom from the Lord.
Therefore, they fail completely,
and their flocks are scattered.
22 Listen! Hear the terrifying roar of great armies
as they roll down from the north.
The towns of Judah will be destroyed
and become a haunt for jackals.
Jeremiah’s Prayer
23 I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own.
We are not able to plan our own course.
24 So correct me, Lord, but please be gentle.
Do not correct me in anger, for I would die.
25 Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge you—
on the peoples that do not call upon your name.
For they have devoured your people Israel[c];
they have devoured and consumed them,
making the land a desolate wilderness.
Judah’s Broken Covenant
11 The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, 2 “Remind the people of Judah and Jerusalem about the terms of my covenant with them. 3 Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Cursed is anyone who does not obey the terms of my covenant! 4 For I said to your ancestors when I brought them out of the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt, “If you obey me and do whatever I command you, then you will be my people, and I will be your God.” 5 I said this so I could keep my promise to your ancestors to give you a land flowing with milk and honey—the land you live in today.’”
Then I replied, “Amen, Lord! May it be so.”
6 Then the Lord said, “Broadcast this message in the streets of Jerusalem. Go from town to town throughout the land and say, ‘Remember the ancient covenant, and do everything it requires. 7 For I solemnly warned your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, “Obey me!” I have repeated this warning over and over to this day, 8 but your ancestors did not listen or even pay attention. Instead, they stubbornly followed their own evil desires. And because they refused to obey, I brought upon them all the curses described in this covenant.’”
9 Again the Lord spoke to me and said, “I have discovered a conspiracy against me among the people of Judah and Jerusalem. 10 They have returned to the sins of their ancestors. They have refused to listen to me and are worshiping other gods. Israel and Judah have both broken the covenant I made with their ancestors. 11 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I am going to bring calamity upon them, and they will not escape. Though they beg for mercy, I will not listen to their cries. 12 Then the people of Judah and Jerusalem will pray to their idols and burn incense before them. But the idols will not save them when disaster strikes! 13 Look now, people of Judah; you have as many gods as you have towns. You have as many altars of shame—altars for burning incense to your god Baal—as there are streets in Jerusalem.
14 “Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, for I will not listen to them when they cry out to me in distress.
15 “What right do my beloved people have to come to my Temple,
when they have done so many immoral things?
Can their vows and sacrifices prevent their destruction?
They actually rejoice in doing evil!
16 I, the Lord, once called them a thriving olive tree,
beautiful to see and full of good fruit.
But now I have sent the fury of their enemies
to burn them with fire,
leaving them charred and broken.
17 “I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who planted this olive tree, have ordered it destroyed. For the people of Israel and Judah have done evil, arousing my anger by burning incense to Baal.”
A Plot against Jeremiah
18 Then the Lord told me about the plots my enemies were making against me. 19 I was like a lamb being led to the slaughter. I had no idea that they were planning to kill me! “Let’s destroy this man and all his words,” they said. “Let’s cut him down, so his name will be forgotten forever.”
20 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
you make righteous judgments,
and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets.
Let me see your vengeance against them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
21 This is what the Lord says about the men of Anathoth who wanted me dead. They had said, “We will kill you if you do not stop prophesying in the Lord’s name.” 22 So this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says about them: “I will punish them! Their young men will die in battle, and their boys and girls will starve to death. 23 Not one of these plotters from Anathoth will survive, for I will bring disaster upon them when their time of punishment comes.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
