Jeremiah 10

1 Hear ye the word which Jehovah speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:2 thus saith Jehovah, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.3 For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cutteth 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, that it move not.5 They are like a palm-tree, of turned work, and speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.6 There is none like unto thee, O Jehovah; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.7 Who should not fear thee, O King of the nations? for to thee doth it appertain; forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is none like unto thee.8 But they are together brutish and foolish: the instruction of idols! it is but a stock.9 There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skilful men.10 But Jehovah is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation.11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens:13 when he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries.14 Every man is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven 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 shall perish.16 The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.17 Gather up thy wares out of the land, O thou that abidest in the siege.18 For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.19 Woe is me because of my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.20 My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth from me, and they are not: there is none to spread my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.21 For the shepherds are become brutish, and have not inquired of Jehovah: therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered.22 The voice of tidings, behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling-place of jackals.23 O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.24 O Jehovah, correct me, but in measure: not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.25 Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have devoured Jacob, yea, they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.

JEREMIAH 10

The [Lord] Talks about Idols

1-2 The [Lord] said:
Listen to me,
you people of Israel.
Don't follow the customs
of those nations
who become frightened
when they see something strange
happen in the sky.

3 Their religion is worthless!
They chop down a tree,
carve the wood into an idol,

4 cover it with silver and gold,
and then nail it down
so it won't fall over.

5 An idol is no better
than a scarecrow.
It can't speak,
and it has to be carried,
because it can't walk.
Why worship an idol
that can't help or harm you?

Jeremiah Praises the [Lord]

6 Our [Lord], great and powerful,
you alone are God.

7  t You are King of the nations.
Everyone should worship you.
No human anywhere on earth
is wiser than you.

8 Idols are worthless,
and anyone who worships them
is a fool!

9 Idols are made by humans.
A carver shapes the wood.
A metalworker hammers out
a covering of gold from Uphaz
or of silver from Tarshish.
Then the idol is dressed
in blue and purple clothes.

10 You, [Lord], are the only true
and living God.
You will rule for all time.
When you are angry
the earth shakes,
and nations are destroyed.

11 You told me to say
that idols did not create
the heavens and the earth,
and that you, the [Lord],
will destroy every idol.

12 With your wisdom and power
you created the earth
and spread out the heavens.

13 The waters in the heavens roar
at your command.
You make clouds appear—
you send the winds
from your storehouse
and make lightning flash
in the rain.

14 People who make idols
are so stupid!
They will be disappointed,
because their false gods
are not alive.

15 Idols are merely a joke,
and when the time is right,
they will be destroyed.

16 But you, Israel's God,
created all things,
and you chose Israel
to be your very own.
Your name is the [Lord]
All-Powerful.

Judah Will Be Thrown //from Its Land

17 I said to the people of Judah,
“Gather your things;
you are surrounded.

18 The [Lord] said these troubles
will lead to your capture,
and he will throw you
from this land
like a rock from a sling.”t

19 The people answered,
“We are wounded
and doomed to die.
Why did we say
we could stand the pain?

20 Our homes are destroyed;
our children are dead.
No one is left
to help us find shelter.”

21 But I told them,
“Our leaders were stupid failures,
because they refused
to listen to the [Lord].
And so we've been scattered
like sheep.

22 “Sounds of destruction
rumble from the north
like distant thunder.
Soon our towns will be ruins
where only jackalst live.”

Jeremiah Prays

23 I know, [Lord], that we humans
are not in control
of our own lives.

24 Correct me, as I deserve,
but not in your anger,
or I will be dead.

25 Our enemies refuse
to admit that you are God
or to worship you.
They have wiped out our people
and left our nation
lying in ruins.
So get angry
and sweep them away!