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 King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Jeremiah 10:3

1Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh to you, O house of Israel: 2Thus 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. 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. 4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it may not move. 5They 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.

Jeremiah 10:3 word by word

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

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

Cross-references for Jeremiah 10:3

• Jeremiah 10:8But they are altogether stupid and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
• Jeremiah 2:5Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and have become vain?
• Leviticus 18:30Therefore shall ye keep my ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves in them: I am the LORD your God.
• 1 Kings 18:26And they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
• Matthew 6:7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do : for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
• Romans 1:21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
• 1 Peter 1:18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain way of life received by tradition from your fathers;
• Isaiah 40:19The workman casteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
• Isaiah 44:9They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
• Isaiah 45:20Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that have escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray to a god that cannot save.
• Hosea 8:4They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made for themselves idols, that they may be cut off.
• Habakkuk 2:18What profiteth the graven image that its maker hath engraved it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth in it, to make dumb 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