Jeremiah 10:4

Jeremiah 10:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
• New International Version (NIV)They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move.
• New Living Translation (NLT)They decorate it with gold and silver and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails so it won’t fall over.

Context of Jeremiah 10:4

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. 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. They 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.” 6Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord (You are great, and Your name is great in might),

Jeremiah 10:4 word by word

בְּכֶ֥סֶף וּבְזָהָ֖ב יְיַפֵּ֑הוּ בְּמַסְמְר֧וֹת וּבְמַקָּב֛וֹת יְחַזְּק֖וּם וְל֥וֹא יָפִֽיק׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• They deckיָפָהyâphâh · be beautifulH3302
• it with silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• and with goldזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
• they fastenחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
• it with nailsמַסְמֵרmasmêr mismêr masmerâh mismerâh · nailH4548
• and with hammersמַקָּבָהmaqqâbâh · hammerH4717
• that it moveפּוּקpûq · to reelH6328

Cross-references for Jeremiah 10:4

• Psalms 115:4Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands.
• Psalms 135:15The idols of the nations are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands.
• Isaiah 40:19The workman molds an image, The goldsmith overspreads it with gold, And the silversmith casts silver chains.
• Isaiah 41:6Everyone helped his neighbor, And said to his brother, “Be of good courage!”
• Isaiah 44:12The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, Fashions it with hammers, And works it with the strength of his arms. Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails; He drinks no water and is faint.
• Isaiah 46:7They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it And set it in its place, and it stands; From its place it shall not move. Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer Nor save him out of his trouble.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 10:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4They deck it - It was covered with plates of gold and silver, and then fastened with nails in its place, that it might not “more, i. e.” tumble down. The agreement in this and the following verses with the argument in Jeremiah 9:23-24) their true glory is their God, not an idol of wood, but the King of nations. Then comes the sad feeling that they have rejected God and chosen idols Jeremiah 10:17-18; then the nation‘s deep grief Jeremiah 10:19-22 and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The carved image had no beauty or value by itself. People had to add gold and silver to make it impressive (see Jeremiah 10:9). Similarly, the image could not stand on its own. It needed to be secured to a foundation with a hammer and nails.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. fasten ... move not--that is, that it may stand upright without risk of falling, which the god (!) would do, if left to itself (Is 41:7).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 10:4

• Hammer
• Idolatry
• Nail

In the dictionaries

• Cord
• Custom
• Covenant, the New
• Exodus, the Book of
• Gold
• Habakkuk
• Hammer
• Jeremy, the Epistle of
• Nail
• Tools

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