Jeremiah 10
10
A Satire on Idolatry
1Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. 2Thus says the Lord,
“Do not learn the way of the [pagan] nations,
And do not be terrified and distressed by the signs of the heavens
Although the pagans are terrified by them;
3For the customs and decrees of the peoples are [mere] delusion [exercises in futility];
It is only wood which one cuts from the forest [to make a god],
The work of the hands of the craftsman with the axe or cutting tool.
4“They adorn the idol with silver and with gold;
They fasten it with hammers and nails
So that it will not fall apart.
5“They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field;
They cannot speak;
They have to be carried,
Because they cannot walk!
Do not be afraid of them,
For they can do no harm or evil,
Nor can they do any good.”
6¶There is none like You, O Lord;
You are great, and great is Your mighty and powerful name.
7Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?
For it is appropriate and it is Your due!
For among all the wise men of the nations
And in all their kingdoms,
There is none like You.
8But they are altogether irrational and stupid and foolish
In their discipline of delusion—their idol is [only] wood [it is ridiculous, empty and worthless]!
9Silver that has been beaten [into plates] is brought from #10:9 Perhaps a reference to an ancient refinery located on the island of Sardinia.Tarshish,
And gold from #10:9 The location of this gold mining region is unknown.Uphaz,
The work of the craftsman and of the hand of the goldsmith;
Violet and purple are their clothing;
They are all the work of skilled men.
10But the Lord is the true God and the God who is Truth;
He is the living God and the everlasting King.
The earth quakes and shudders at His wrath,
And the nations are not able to endure His indignation.
11In this manner you shall say to them, “The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.”
12¶God made the earth by His power;
He established the world by His wisdom
And by His understanding and skill He has stretched out the heavens.
13When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of #10:13 Some ancient people believed that the sky was a canopy over the earth and that God stored rainwater behind it. Therefore, it rained only when God opened the windows of heaven.waters in the heavens,
And He causes the clouds and the mist to ascend from the end of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain,
And brings out the wind from His treasuries and from His storehouses.
14Every man has become [like a brute] irrational and stupid, without knowledge [of God];
Every goldsmith is shamed by his carved idols;
For his molten images are frauds and lies,
And there is no breath in them.
15They are worthless and devoid of promise, a work of delusion and mockery;
In their time of [trial and] punishment they will perish [without hope].
16The Portion of Jacob [the true God on whom Israel has a claim] is not like these;
For He is the Designer and Maker of all things,
And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance [and He will not fail them]—
The Lord of hosts is His name.
17¶Gather up your bundle [of goods] from the ground,
You who live under siege.
18For thus says the Lord;
“Behold, I am slinging out at this time the people of this land,
And will cause them [great] distress,
That they may find it [to be as I have said].”
19¶“Woe to me because of my [spiritual] brokenness!” [says Jeremiah, speaking for the nation.]
“My wound is incurable.”
But I said, “Surely this sickness and suffering and grief are mine,
And I must bear it.”
20My tent is destroyed,
And all my [tent] cords are broken;
My children have been taken from me [as captives] and are no more.
There is no one to stretch out my tent again
And to set up my [tent] curtains.
21For the shepherds [of the people] have become [like brutes,] irrational and stupid,
And have not searched for the Lord or asked about Him or realized their need for Him;
Therefore they have not been wise and have not prospered,
And all their flocks are scattered.
22The sound of a report! Behold, [the invader] comes—
A great commotion from the country of the north (Babylonia)—
To make the cities of Judah
A desolation, a haunt and dwelling place of jackals.
23¶O Lord, I know that the path of [life of] a man is not in himself;
It is not within [the limited ability of] man [even one at his best] to choose and direct his steps [in life]. [Ps 37:23; Prov 20:24]
24O Lord, correct me [along with Your people], but with mercy and in just measure—
Not in Your anger, or You will crush me and bring me to nothing.
25Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know nor recognize You
And on the families that do not call Your name.
For they have devoured Jacob;
They have devoured him and consumed him
And made his land a desolate waste.
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Jeremiah 10
10
1 Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, house of Israel! 2The LORD says,
“Don’t learn the way of the nations,
and don’t be dismayed at the signs of the sky;
for the nations are dismayed at 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 nails and with hammers,
so that it can’t move.
5 They are like a palm tree, of turned work,
and don’t speak.
They must be carried,
because they can’t move.
Don’t be afraid of them;
for they can’t do evil,
neither is it in them to do good.”
6 There is no one like you, LORD.
You are great,
and your name is great in might.
7 Who shouldn’t fear you,
King of the nations?
For it belongs to you.
Because amongst all the wise men of the nations,
and in all their royal estate,
there is no one like you.
8 But they are together brutish and foolish,
instructed by idols!
It is just wood.
9 There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish,
and gold from Uphaz,
the work of the engraver and of the hands of the goldsmith.
Their clothing is blue and purple.
They are all the work of skilful men.
10 But the LORD is the true God.
He is the living God,
and an everlasting King.
At his wrath, the earth trembles.
The nations aren’t able to withstand his indignation.
11“You shall say this to them: ‘The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.’”
12 God has made the earth by his power.
He has established the world by his wisdom,
and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens.
13 When he utters his voice,
the waters in the heavens roar,
and he causes the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightnings for the rain,
and brings the wind out of his treasuries.
14 Every man has become brutish and without knowledge.
Every goldsmith is disappointed by his engraved image;
for his molten image is falsehood,
and there is no breath in them.
15 They are vanity, a work of delusion.
In the time of their visitation they will perish.
16 The portion of Jacob is not like these;
for he is the maker of all things;
and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance.
The LORD of Armies is his name.
17Gather up your wares out of the land,
you who live under siege.
18 For the LORD says,
“Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time,
and will distress them, that they may feel it.”
19Woe is me because of my injury!
My wound is serious;
but I said,
“Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.”
20 My tent has been destroyed,
and all my cords are broken.
My children have gone away from me, and they are no more.
There is no one to spread my tent any more,
to set up my curtains.
21 For the shepherds have become brutish,
and have not enquired of the LORD.
Therefore they have not prospered,
and all their flocks have scattered.
22 The voice of news, behold, it comes,
and a great commotion out of the north country,
to make the cities of Judah a desolation,
a dwelling place of jackals.
23 LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself.
It is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
24 LORD, correct me, but gently;
not in your anger,
lest you reduce me to nothing.
25 Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you,
and on the families that don’t call on your name;
for they have devoured Jacob.
Yes, they have devoured him, consumed him,
and have laid waste his habitation.
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