Jeremiah 10

A Satire on Idolatry

1Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. 2Thus says the Lord, “1Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by them;3For the customs of the peoples are 23delusion; Because 4it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.4They 5decorate it with silver and with gold; They 6fasten it with nails and with hammers So that it will not totter.5Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, And they 7cannot speak; They must be 8carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, For they 9can do no harm, Nor can they do any good.”

610There is none like You, O Lord; You are 11great, and great is Your name in might.712Who would not fear You, O 13King of the nations? Indeed it is Your due! For among all the 14wise men of the nations And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You.8But they are altogether 15stupid and foolish In their discipline of 16delusion--17their idol is wood!9Beaten 18silver is brought from 19Tarshish, And 20gold from Uphaz, The work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith; Violet and purple are their clothing; They are all the 21work of skilled men.10But the Lord is the 22true God; He is the 23living God and the 24everlasting King. At His wrath the 25earth quakes, And the nations cannot 26endure His indignation.

1127Thus you shall say to them, “The 28gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will 29perish from the earth and from under the 30heavens.”

12It is 31He who made the earth by His power, Who 32established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has 33stretched out the heavens.13When He utters His 34voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, And He causes the 35clouds to ascend from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain, And brings out the 36wind from His storehouses.14Every man is 37stupid, devoid of knowledge; Every goldsmith is put to shame by his 38idols; For his molten images are deceitful, And there is no breath in them.15They are 39worthless, a work of mockery; In the 40time of their punishment they will perish.16The 41portion of Jacob is not like these; For the 4243Maker of all is He, And 44Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; The 45Lord of hosts is His name.

1746Pick up your bundle from the ground, You who dwell under siege!18For thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am 47slinging out the inhabitants of the land At this time, And will cause them distress, That they may 48be found.”

1949Woe is me, because of my 50injury! My 51wound is incurable. But I said, “Truly this is a sickness, And I 52must bear it.”20My 53tent is destroyed, And all my ropes are broken; My 54sons have gone from me and are no more. There is 55no one to stretch out my tent again Or to set up my curtains.21For the shepherds have become stupid And 56have not sought the Lord; Therefore they have not prospered, And 57all their flock is scattered.22The sound of a 58report! Behold, it comes-- A great commotion 59out of the land of the north-- To 60make the cities of Judah A desolation, a haunt of jackals.

23I know, O Lord, that 61a man’s way is not in himself, 62Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.2463Correct me, O Lord, but with justice; Not with Your anger, or You will 64bring me to nothing.2565Pour out Your wrath on the nations that 66do not know You And on the families that 67do not call Your name; For they have devoured Jacob; They have 68devoured him and consumed him And have laid waste his 69habitation.