Jeremiah 10:3

Jeremiah 10:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
• New International Version (NIV)For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.

Context of Jeremiah 10:3

1Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. 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. For 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. 5They 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.”

Jeremiah 10:3 word by word

כִּֽי־חֻקּ֥וֹת הָֽעַמִּ֖ים הֶ֣בֶל ה֑וּא כִּֽי־עֵץ֙ מִיַּ֣עַר כְּרָת֔וֹ מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵ֥י־חָרָ֖שׁ בַּֽמַּעֲצָֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For the customsחֻקָּהchûqqâh · statuteH2708
• of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• vainהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• cuttethכָּרַתkârath · to cut: cutH3772
• a treeעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
• out of the forestיַ֫עַרya‛ar · woodH3293
• the workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
• of the handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• of the workmanחָרָשׁ, חֲרָשִׁיםchârâsh · artificerH2796
• with the axeמַעֲצָדma‛ătsâd · axeH4621

Cross-references for Jeremiah 10:3

• Jeremiah 10:8But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish; A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.
• Jeremiah 2:5Thus says the Lord: “What injustice have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far from Me, Have followed idols, And have become idolaters?
• Leviticus 18:30‘Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the Lord your God.’ ”
• 1 Kings 18:26So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.
• Matthew 6:7And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
• Romans 1:21because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
• 1 Peter 1:18knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
• Isaiah 40:19The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains.
• Isaiah 44:9Those who make an image, all of them are useless, And their precious things shall not profit; They are their own witnesses; They neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed.
• Isaiah 45:20“Assemble yourselves and come; Draw near together, You who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god that cannot save.
• Hosea 8:4“They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them. From their silver and gold They made idols for themselves— That they might be cut off.
• Habakkuk 2:18“What profit is the image, that its maker should carve it, The molded image, a teacher of lies, That the maker of its mold should trust in it, To make mute idols?

Commentaries on Jeremiah 10:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3The customs of the people are vain - חקות chukkoth ; the statutes and principles of the science are vain, empty, and illusory. They are founded in nonsense, ignorance, idolatry, and folly. One cutteth a tree out of the forest - See the notes on Isaiah 40:19; (note), and Isaiah 44:9; (note), etc., which are all parallel places and where this conduct is strongly ridiculed.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The customs - Better, as the marg, “the ordinances,” established institutions, “of the peoples, i. e.” pagan nations.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The stars cannot predict anything; only the Lord knows the future. A craftsman carved a wooden idol from a tree until it resembled a creature on earth (Isaiah 40:18–20; 44:9–20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-251. Israel--the Jews, the surviving representatives of the nation.Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 10:3

• Gentiles
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Axe
• Cord
• Custom
• Ax (axe); Ax-Head
• Covenant, the New
• Custom (2)
• Exodus, the Book of
• Habakkuk
• Jeremy, the Epistle of
• Tongs

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