Jeremías 10:3-13

3 Porque las ordenanzas de los pueblos son vanidad; porque leño del monte cortaron, obra de manos de artífice con cepillo.

4 Con plata y oro lo engalanan; con clavos y martillo lo afirman, para que no se caiga.

5 Como palma lo igualan, y no hablan; son llevados, porque no pueden andar. No tengáis temor de ellos; porque ni pueden hacer mal, ni para hacer bien tienen poder.

6 No hay semejante a ti, oh SEÑOR; grande eres tú, y grande tu Nombre en fortaleza.

7 ¿Quién no te temerá, oh Rey de los gentiles? Porque a ti compete ello ; porque entre todos los sabios de los gentiles, y en todos sus reinos, no hay semejante a ti.

8 Y todos se volverán locos y carnales. Enseñanza de vanidades es el mismo leño.

9 Traerán plata extendida de Tarsis, y oro de Ufaz; obrará el artífice, y las manos del fundidor; los vestirán de cárdeno y de púrpura; obra de peritos es todo.

10 Mas el SEÑOR Dios es la Verdad; él mismo es Dios Vivo y Rey Eterno; de su ira tiembla la tierra, y los gentiles no pueden sufrir su furor.

11 Les diréis así: dioses que no hicieron los cielos ni la tierra, perezcan de la tierra y de debajo de estos cielos.

12 El que hace la tierra con su potencia, el que pone en orden el mundo con su saber, y extiende los cielos con su prudencia;

13 a su voz se da muchedumbre de aguas en el cielo, y hace subir las nubes de lo postrero de la tierra; hace los relámpagos con la lluvia, y hace salir el viento de sus escondederos.

Jeremías 10:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 10

This chapter shows that there is no comparison to be made between God and the idols of the Gentiles; represents the destruction of the Jews as near at hand; and is closed with some petitions of the prophet. It begins by way of preface with an exhortation to hear the word of the Lord, and a dehortation not to learn the way of the Heathens, or be dismayed at their signs, since their customs were in vain, Jer 10:1-3 which lead on to expose their idols, and set forth the greatness and glory of God. Their idols are described by the matter and makers of them, Jer 10:3,4,9 and from their impotence to speak, to stand, to move, or do either good or evil, Jer 10:4,5, but, on the other hand, God is described by the greatness of his name and power, and by the reverence that belongs unto him; in comparison of whom all the wise men of the nations are brutish, foolish, and vain, Jer 10:6-8, by the epithets of true, living, and everlasting, and by the terribleness of his wrath, Jer 10:10, by his power and wisdom, in making the heavens and the earth, in causing thunder and lightning, wind and rain, when the gods that have no share in these shall utterly perish, Jer 10:11-13 their makers being brutish, and brought to shame; and they falsehood and breathless vanity, the work of errors, and so shall come to ruin, Jer 10:14,15, but he, who is Jacob's portion, and whose inheritance Israel is, is not like them; being the former of all things, and his name the Lord of hosts, Jer 10:16 and next follows a prophecy of the destruction of the Jews; wherefore they are bid to gather up their wares, since in a very little time, and at once, the Lord would fling them out of the land, and bring them into distress, Jer 10:17,18, upon which the prophet expresses his sympathy with his people in trouble, and the part of grief he took and bore with them, Jer 10:19, the particulars of his distress, through the desolation of the land, and the captivity of the people, with the cause and authors of it, by whose means these things were brought upon them, are mentioned, Jer 10:20,21, and the Chaldean army, the instruments of their ruin, are represented as just at hand, Jer 10:22, when the prophet, directing himself to God, acknowledges the impotence of man in general to help and guide himself, deprecates correction in anger to himself in particular, and prays that the wrath of God might be poured down upon the Heathens, by whom his people were devoured, consumed, and made desolate, Jer 10:23-25.