Jeremiah 10:5

Jeremiah 10:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
• New International Version (NIV)Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good."
• New King James Version (NKJV)They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good.”

Context of Jeremiah 10:5

3The religion of the people is worthless. Woodcutters cut down trees from the forest. The hands of craftsmen prepare them with axes. 4Craftsmen decorate them with silver and gold and fasten them ⌞together⌟ with hammers and nails so that they won’t fall over. These trees are like scarecrows in cucumber gardens. They aren’t able to speak. They have to be carried, because they can’t walk. Don’t be afraid of them. They can’t harm you. They can’t do you any good either. 6No one is like you, O Lord. You are great. Your name is powerful. 7Everyone fears you, O King of the Nations. This is what you deserve. No one is like you among all the wise people in the nations or in all their kingdoms.

Jeremiah 10:5 word by word

כְּתֹ֨מֶר מִקְשָׁ֥ה הֵ֙מָּה֙ וְלֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ נָשׂ֥וֹא יִנָּשׂ֖וּא כִּ֣י לֹ֣א יִצְעָ֑דוּ אַל־תִּֽירְא֤וּ מֵהֶם֙ כִּי־לֹ֣א יָרֵ֔עוּ וְגַם־הֵיטֵ֖יב אֵ֥ין אוֹתָֽם׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• uprightמִקְשָׁהmiqshâh · hammered workH4749
• as the palm treeתֹּ֫מֶרtômer · palmH8560
• but speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• not: they must needsנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
• because they cannot goצָעַדtsâ‛ad · to marchH6805
• Be not afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• of them; for they cannot do evilרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• in them to do goodיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190

Cross-references for Jeremiah 10:5

• Psalms 115:5They have mouths, but they cannot speak. They have eyes, but they cannot see.
• Psalms 135:16They have mouths, but they cannot speak. They have eyes, but they cannot see.
• Habakkuk 2:19‘How horrible it will be for the one who says to a piece of wood, “Wake up!” and to a stone that cannot talk, “Get up!” ’ Can that thing teach ⌞anyone⌟? Just look at it! It’s covered with gold and silver, but there’s absolutely no life in it.”
• 1 Corinthians 12:2You know that when you were unbelievers, every time you were led to worship false gods you were worshiping gods who couldn’t even speak.
• Revelation 13:14It deceives those living on earth with the signs that it is allowed to do in front of the ⌞first⌟ beast. It tells those living on earth to make a statue for the beast who was wounded by a sword and yet lived.
• Isaiah 46:1The god Bel bows down; the god Nebo stoops low. Their statues are seated on animals and cattle. The gods that you carry are burdens, a load for weary people.
• Isaiah 41:23Tell us what’s going to happen so that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do something, good or evil, to intimidate us and make us afraid.
• Isaiah 44:9All who make idols are nothing. Their precious treasures are worthless. Their own witnesses do not see or know anything, so they will be put to shame.
• Isaiah 45:20Come here, you refugees from the nations. Ignorant people carry wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save ⌞anyone⌟.
• 1 Corinthians 8:4Now about eating food that was offered to false gods: We know that the false gods in this world don’t really exist and that no god exists except the one God.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 10:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5They are upright as the palm tree - As straight and as stiff as the trees out of which they are hewn.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5They are upright … - Rather, “They are like a palm tree of turned work, i. e.” like one of those stiff inelegant pillars, something like a palm tree, which may be seen in oriental architecture. Some translate thus: “They are like pillar‘s in a garden of cucumbers, i. e.” like the blocks set up to frighten away the birds; but none of the ancient versions support this rendering.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Scarecrows in a garden only scare birds that do not know better. Similarly, idols are feared only by people who do not know better.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. upright--or, "They are of turned work, resembling a palm tree" [Maurer]. The point of comparison between the idol and the palm is in the pillar-like uprightness of the latter, it having no branches except at the top. speak not--(Psa 115:5). cannot go--that is, walk (Psa 115:7; Is 46:1, 7). neither ... do good--(Is 41:23).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 10:5

• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Palm tree
• Cord
• Custom
• Covenant, the New
• Exodus, the Book of
• Habakkuk
• Jeremy, the Epistle of
• Zedekiah (2)

Commentaries on Jeremiah 10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings