Jeremiah 10

A Satire on Idolatry

1Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, house of Israel. 2This is what the Lord says: “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 2futile; For 3it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.4They 4decorate the idol with silver and gold; They 5fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not totter.5They are like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, And they 6cannot speak; They must be 7carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, For they 8can do no harm, Nor can they do any good.”

69There is none like You, Lord; You are 10great, and Your name is great in might.711Who would not fear You, O 12King of the nations? For it is Your due! For among all the 13wise men of the nations And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You.8But they are altogether 14stupid and foolish; The instruction from idols is nothing but wood!9Beaten 15silver is brought from 16Tarshish, And 17gold from Uphaz, The work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith; Their clothing is of violet and purple; They are all the 18work of skilled people.10But the Lord is the 19true God; He is the 20living God and the 21everlasting King. The 22earth quakes at His wrath, And the nations cannot 23endure His indignation.

1124This is what you shall say to them: “The 25gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will 26perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”

12It is 27He who made the earth by His power, Who 28established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has 29stretched out the heavens.13When He utters His 30voice, there is a roar of waters in the heavens, And He makes the 31clouds ascend from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain, And brings out the 32wind from His storehouses.14Every person is 33stupid, devoid of knowledge; Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, For his cast metal images are deceitful, And there is no breath in them.15They are 34worthless, a work of mockery; At the 35time of their punishment they will perish.16The 36Portion of Jacob is not like these; For He is the 3738Maker of everything, And 39Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; The 40Lord of armies is His name.

1741Pick up your bundle from the ground, You who live under siege!18For this is what the Lord says: “Behold, I am 42slinging out the inhabitants of the land At this time, And I will cause them distress, So that they may 43be found.”

1944Woe to me, because of my 45injury! My 46wound is incurable. But I said, “This certainly is a sickness, And I 47must endure it.”20My 48tent is destroyed, And all my ropes are broken. My 49sons have gone from me and are no more. There is 50no one to stretch out my tent again Or to set up my curtains.21For the shepherds have become stupid And 51have not sought the Lord. Therefore they have not prospered, And 52all their flock is scattered.22The sound of a 53report! Behold, it is coming-- A great roar 54from the land of the north-- To 55make the cities of Judah A desolation, a haunt of jackals.

23I know, Lord, that 56a person’s way is not in himself, 57Nor is it in a person who walks to direct his steps.2458Correct me, Lord, but with justice; Not with Your anger, or You will 59bring me to nothing.2560Pour out Your wrath on the nations that 61do not know You, And on the families who 62do not call upon Your name; For they have devoured Jacob; They have 63devoured him and consumed him, And have laid waste his 64settlement.