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

3For the customs of the peoples are futile; For it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. 4They decorate the idol with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not totter. They are like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, For they can do no harm, Nor can they do any good.” 6There is none like You, Lord; You are great, and Your name is great in might. 7Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For it is Your due! For among all the wise men of the nations And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You.

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

• They are like a scarecrowתֹּ֫מֶרtômer · palmH8560
• in a cucumberמִקְשָׁהmiqshâh · cucumber fieldH4750
• cannotלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• They mustנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
• Becauseכִּיkîy · forH3588
• walkצָעַדtsâ‛ad · to marchH6805
• Do not fearיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
• can doרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• harmרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• Norגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• Norאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
• can they doיָטַבyâţab · 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 do not speak; They have eyes, but they do not see;
• Habakkuk 2:19Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’ To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’ That is your teacher? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, Yet there is no breath at all inside it.
• 1 Corinthians 12:2You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led.
• Revelation 13:14And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.
• Isaiah 46:1Bel has bowed down, Nebo stoops over; Their idols have become loads for the animals and the cattle. The things that you carry are burdensome, A load for the weary animal.
• Isaiah 41:23Declare the things that are going to come afterward, So that we may know that you are gods; Indeed, do good or evil, that we may be afraid and fear together.
• Isaiah 44:9Those who fashion an idol are all futile, and their treasured things are of no benefit; even their own witnesses fail to see or know, so that they will be put to shame.
• Isaiah 45:20“Gather yourselves and come; Come together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge, Who carry around their wooden idol And pray to a god who cannot save.
• 1 Corinthians 8:4Therefore, concerning the eating of food sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one.

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