New King James Version
Jeremiah 10:2
2Thus says the Lord: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
Jeremiah 10:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
- New International Version (NIV)This is what the Lord says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the heavens, though the nations are terrified by them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Thus says the Lord: "Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them,
- New Living Translation (NLT)This is what the Lord says: “Do not act like the other nations, who try to read their future in the stars. Do not be afraid of their predictions, even though other nations are terrified by them.
Context of Jeremiah 10:2
1Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. 3For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. 4They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple.
Read all of Jeremiah 10Jeremiah 10:2 word by word
כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אֶל־דֶּ֤רֶךְ הַגּוֹיִם֙ אַל־תִּלְמָ֔דוּ וּמֵאֹת֥וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם אַל־תֵּחָ֑תּוּ כִּֽי־יֵחַ֥תּוּ הַגּוֹיִ֖ם מֵהֵֽמָּה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Learnלָמַדlâmad · to learn: learnH3925
- not the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- of the heathenגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- and be not dismayedחָתַתchâthath · to to be dismayedH2865
- at the signsאוֹת'ôth · sign: miraculousH226
- of heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- at themהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
Cross-references for Jeremiah 10:2
- Leviticus 18:3According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.
- Leviticus 20:23And you shall not walk in the statutes of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they commit all these things, and therefore I abhor them.
- Deuteronomy 12:30take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’
- Ezekiel 20:32What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’
- Isaiah 47:12“Stand now with your enchantments And the multitude of your sorceries, In which you have labored from your youth— Perhaps you will be able to profit, Perhaps you will prevail.
- Luke 21:25“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;
Commentaries on Jeremiah 10:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Learn not the way of the heathen - These words are more particularly addressed to the ten tribes scattered among the heathen by the Assyrians, who carried them away captive; they may also regard those in the land of Israel who still had the customs of the former heathen settlers before their eyes. Be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed - The Chaldeans and Egyptians were notoriously addicated to astrology; and the Israelites…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Signs of heaven - Extraordinary appearances, such as eclipses, comets, and the like, which seemed to the pagan to portend national calamities. To attribute importance to them is to walk in pagan ways.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2The Lord instructed Israel, especially Judah, to behave differently from other nations. He warned them to avoid people like astrologers who claim to predict the future using stars.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Eichorn thinks the reference here to be to some celestial portent which had appeared at that time, causing the Jews' dismay. Probably the reference is general, namely, to the Chaldeans, famed as astrologers, through contact with whom the Jews were likely to fall into the same superstition. way--the precepts or ordinances (Le 18:3; Ac 9:2). signs of heaven--The Gentiles did not acknowledge a Great First Cause: many thought events depended on the power…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 10:2
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries