Jeremiah 10:13-23

13 When He utters His 1voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, And He causes the 2clouds to ascend from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain, And brings out the 3wind from His storehouses.
14 Every man is 4stupid, devoid of knowledge; Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols; For his molten images are deceitful, And there is no breath in them.
15 They are 5worthless, a work of mockery; In the 6time of their punishment they will perish.
16 The 7portion of Jacob is not like these; For the 8Maker of all is He, And 9Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; The 10LORD of hosts is His name.
17 11Pick up your bundle from the ground, You who dwell under siege!
18 For thus says the LORD, "Behold, I am 12slinging out the inhabitants of the land At this time, And will cause them distress, That they may be found."
19 13Woe is me, because of my injury! My 14wound is incurable. But I said, "Truly this is a sickness, And I 15must bear it."
20 My 16tent is destroyed, And all my ropes are broken; My 17sons have gone from me and are no more. There is 18no one to stretch out my tent again Or to set up my curtains.
21 For the shepherds have become stupid And 19have not sought the LORD; Therefore * they have not prospered, And 20all their flock is scattered.
22 The sound of a 21report! Behold, it comes - A great commotion 22out of the land of the north - To 23make the cities of Judah A desolation, a haunt of jackals.
23 I know, O LORD, that 24a man's way is not in himself, 25Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.

Jeremiah 10:13-23 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.

Cross References 25

  • 1. Psalms 29:3-9
  • 2. Job 36:27-29
  • 3. Psalms 135:7
  • 4. Jeremiah 10:8; Jeremiah 51:17, 18
  • 5. Isaiah 41:24; Jeremiah 8:19; Jeremiah 14:22
  • 6. Jeremiah 8:12; Jeremiah 51:18
  • 7. Psalms 16:5; Psalms 73:26; Psalms 119:57; Jeremiah 51:19; Lamentations 3:24
  • 8. Isaiah 45:7; Jeremiah 10:12
  • 9. Deuteronomy 32:9; Psalms 74:2
  • 10. Jeremiah 31:35; Jeremiah 32:18
  • 11. Ezekiel 12:3-12
  • 12. 1 Samuel 25:29
  • 13. Jeremiah 4:31
  • 14. Jeremiah 14:17
  • 15. Micah 7:9
  • 16. Jeremiah 4:20; Lamentations 2:4
  • 17. Jeremiah 31:15; Lamentations 1:5
  • 18. Isaiah 51:18
  • 19. Jeremiah 2:8
  • 20. Jeremiah 23:2
  • 21. Jeremiah 4:15
  • 22. Jeremiah 1:14; Jeremiah 25:9
  • 23. Jeremiah 9:11; Jeremiah 49:33
  • 24. Proverbs 16:1; Proverbs 20:24
  • 25. Isaiah 26:7

Footnotes 4

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