Jeremiah 10
Jubilee Bible 2000
10 ¶ Hear ye the word which the LORD has spoken over you, O house of Israel:
2 Thus hath the LORD said, Do not learn the way of the Gentiles, and do not fear the signs of heaven, even though the Gentiles fear them.
3 For the customs of the peoples are vanity: for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails, that it not move.
5 They compare them to the palm tree, and they do not speak: they must be carried, because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither do they have power to do good.
6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
7 Who would not fear thee, O King of the Gentiles? for unto thee does it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the Gentiles and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
8 But they shall become altogether carnal and foolish. The stock is a doctrine of vanities.
9 Silver spread into plates shall be brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, shall the workman work and the hands of the founder: they shall dress them in blue and purple: they are all the work of cunning men.
10 But the LORD God is the Truth, he himself is Living God and Everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembles, and the Gentiles shall not be able to abide his indignation.
11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens or the earth, even they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.
12 He that makes the earth by his power, he that orders the world with his wisdom and extends the heavens with his intelligence:
13 at his voice, there is given a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causes the clouds to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes the lightnings with the rain and brings forth the wind out of his treasures.
14 Every man is carnal in his knowledge: let every founder be ashamed of his graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no spirit in them.
15 They are vanity and the work of scorn: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
16 The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the Former of all things, and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of the hosts is his name.
17 ¶ Gather up thy wares out of the lands, O inhabitant of the fortress.
18 For thus hath the LORD said, Behold, that this time I will throw out the inhabitants of the land with a sling and will afflict them, that they may find it.
19 Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous, but I said, Truly this is my sickness, and I must bear it.
20 My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken: my sons were taken from me, and they are lost; there is no one to stretch forth my tent any more and to set up my curtains.
21 For the pastors are become carnal and have not sought the LORD; therefore they did not understand, and all their flocks scattered.
22 Behold, the voice of the rumour is come, and a great commotion out of the land of the north wind to make the cities of Judah desolate and a den of dragons.
23 O LORD, I know that man is not the lord of his own way: it is not in man that walks to order his steps.
24 O LORD, chastise me, but with judgment; not with thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing.
25 Pour out thy fury upon the Gentiles that do not know thee and upon the nations that do not call on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob and devoured him and consumed him and have destroyed his habitation.
Jeremiah 10
New King James Version
Idols and the True God
10 Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel.
2 Thus says the Lord:
(A)“Do not learn the way of the Gentiles;
Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven,
For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the peoples are [a]futile;
For (B)one cuts a tree from the forest,
The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
4 They decorate it with silver and gold;
They (C)fasten it with nails and hammers
So that it will not topple.
5 They are upright, like a palm tree,
And (D)they cannot speak;
They must be (E)carried,
Because they cannot go by themselves.
Do not be afraid of them,
For (F)they cannot do evil,
Nor can they do any good.”
6 Inasmuch as there is none (G)like You, O Lord
(You are great, and Your name is great in might),
7 (H)Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?
For this is Your rightful due.
For (I)among all the wise men of the nations,
And in all their kingdoms,
There is none like You.
8 But they are altogether (J)dull-hearted and foolish;
A wooden idol is a [b]worthless doctrine.
9 Silver is beaten into plates;
It is brought from Tarshish,
And (K)gold from Uphaz,
The work of the craftsman
And of the hands of the metalsmith;
Blue and purple are their clothing;
They are all (L)the work of skillful men.
10 But the Lord is the true God;
He is (M)the living God and the (N)everlasting King.
At His wrath the earth will tremble,
And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation.
11 Thus you shall say to them: (O)“The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth (P)shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”
12 He (Q)has made the earth by His power,
He has (R)established the world by His wisdom,
And (S)has stretched out the heavens at His discretion.
13 (T)When He utters His voice,
There is a [c]multitude of waters in the heavens:
(U)“And He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain,
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.”
14 (V)Everyone is (W)dull-hearted, without knowledge;
(X)Every metalsmith is put to shame by an image;
(Y)For his molded image is falsehood,
And there is no breath in them.
15 They are futile, a work of errors;
In the time of their punishment they shall perish.
16 (Z)The Portion of Jacob is not like them,
For He is the Maker of all things,
And (AA)Israel is the tribe of His inheritance;
(AB)The Lord of hosts is His name.
The Coming Captivity of Judah
18 For thus says the Lord:
“Behold, I will (AD)throw out at this time
The inhabitants of the land,
And will distress them,
(AE)That they may find it so.”
19 (AF)Woe is me for my hurt!
My wound is severe.
But I say, (AG)“Truly this is an infirmity,
And (AH)I must bear it.”
20 (AI)My tent is plundered,
And all my cords are broken;
My children have gone from me,
And they are (AJ)no more.
There is no one to pitch my tent anymore,
Or set up my curtains.
21 For the shepherds have become dull-hearted,
And have not sought the Lord;
Therefore they shall not prosper,
And all their flocks shall be (AK)scattered.
22 Behold, the noise of the report has come,
And a great commotion out of the (AL)north country,
To make the cities of Judah desolate, a (AM)den of jackals.
23 O Lord, I know the (AN)way of man is not in himself;
It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
24 O Lord, (AO)correct me, but with justice;
Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.
25 (AP)Pour out Your fury on the Gentiles, (AQ)who do not know You,
And on the families who do not call on Your name;
For they have eaten up Jacob,
(AR)Devoured him and consumed him,
And made his dwelling place desolate.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 10:3 Lit. vanity
- Jeremiah 10:8 vain teaching
- Jeremiah 10:13 Or noise
- Jeremiah 10:17 Or you who dwell under siege
Jeremiah 10
English Standard Version
Idols and the Living God
10 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 (A)for the customs of the peoples are vanity.[a]
(B)A tree from the forest is cut down
and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.
4 (C)They decorate it with silver and gold;
(D)they fasten it with hammer and nails
so that it cannot move.
5 Their idols[b] are like scarecrows in a cucumber field,
and (E)they cannot speak;
(F)they have to be carried,
for they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of them,
(G)for they cannot do evil,
neither is it in them to do good.”
6 (H)There is none like you, O Lord;
you are great, and your name is great in might.
7 (I)Who 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 (J)They are both (K)stupid and foolish;
the instruction of idols is but wood!
9 (L)Beaten silver is brought from (M)Tarshish,
and gold from (N)Uphaz.
(O)They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith;
their clothing is violet and purple;
(P)they are all the work of skilled men.
10 (Q)But the Lord is the true God;
(R)he 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: (S)“The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth (T)shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.”[c]
12 (U)It is he who (V)made the earth by his power,
(W)who established the world by his wisdom,
and (X)by his understanding stretched out the heavens.
13 (Y)When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,
(Z)and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth.
(AA)He makes lightning (AB)for the rain,
(AC)and he brings forth the wind (AD)from his storehouses.
14 (AE)Every man is stupid and without knowledge;
(AF)every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols,
for his images are false,
(AG)and 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 (AH)the portion of Jacob,
for he is the one who formed all things,
(AI)and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance;
(AJ)the Lord of hosts is his name.
17 (AK)Gather up your bundle from the ground,
O you who dwell under siege!
18 For thus says the Lord:
(AL)“Behold, I am slinging out the inhabitants of the land
at this time,
(AM)and I will bring distress on them,
that they may feel it.”
19 Woe is me because of my hurt!
(AN)My wound is grievous.
But I said, “Truly this is an affliction,
and I must bear it.”
20 (AO)My tent is destroyed,
and all my cords are broken;
my children have gone from me,
(AP)and they are not;
there is no one to spread my tent again
and (AQ)to set up my curtains.
21 (AR)For the shepherds (AS)are stupid
and do not inquire of the Lord;
therefore they have not prospered,
(AT)and all their flock is scattered.
22 A voice, a rumor! Behold, it comes!—
(AU)a great commotion out of the north country
to make (AV)the cities of Judah a desolation,
(AW)a lair of jackals.
23 (AX)I 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 (AY)Correct me, O Lord, but in justice;
not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.
25 (AZ)Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not,
and on the peoples that call not on your name,
(BA)for they have devoured Jacob;
they have devoured him and consumed him,
and have laid waste his habitation.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 10:3 Or vapor, or mist
- Jeremiah 10:5 Hebrew They
- Jeremiah 10:11 This verse is in Aramaic
Copyright © 2013, 2020 by Ransom Press International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
