Jeremiah 10

Jeremiah · Chapter 10

Jeremiah 10:21

1Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto 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.3For 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 move not.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.6Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.7Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.8But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.9Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.10But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.11Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.12He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.13When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.14Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.15They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.16The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name.17Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.18For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.19Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.20My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.21For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.22Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.23O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.24O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.25Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
21For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.For the shepherds have become senseless; they do not seek the LORD. Therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.For the shepherds are become brutish, and have not inquired of Jehovah: therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
forכִּ֤יkiH3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

they have behaved stupidlyנִבְעֲרוּ֙niv-'a-RUH1197B
be brutish

בָּעַר (ba.ar) v denom 1) to be stupid, brutish, barbarous 1a) (Qal) to be stupid, dull-hearted, unreceptive 1b) (Niphal) to be stupid, dull-hearted 1c) (Piel) to feed, graze 1d) (Hiphil) to cause to be grazed over

the shepherdsהָֽרֹעִ֔יםha-ro-'IMH7462B
to pasture

רָעָה (ra.ah) 1) to pasture, tend, graze, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to tend, pasture 1a1a) to shepherd 1a1b) of ruler, teacher (fig) 1a1c) of people as flock (fig) 1a1d) shepherd, herdsman (subst) 1a2) to feed, graze 1a2a) of cows, sheep etc (literal) 1a2b) of idolater, Israel as flock (fig) 1b) (Hiphil) shepherd, shepherdess Also means: ro.i (רֹעִי "to shepherd" H7473)

Yahwehיְהוָ֖הYAH-wehH3068G
Lord

אֲדֹנָי (a.do.nai) Lord - a title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

notלֹ֣אlo'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

they have soughtדָרָ֑שׁוּda-RA-shuH1875
to seek

דָּרַשׁ (da.rash) 1) to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to resort to, frequent (a place), (tread a place) 1a2) to consult, enquire of, seek 1a2a) of God 1a2b) of heathen gods, necromancers 1a3) to seek deity in prayer and worship 1a3a) God 1a3b) heathen deities 1a4) to seek (with a demand), demand, require 1a5) to investigate, enquire 1a6) to ask for, require, demand 1a7) to practice, study, follow, seek with application 1a8) to seek with care, care for 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to allow oneself to be enquired of, consulted (only of God) 1b2) to be sought, be sought out …

there-עַל־'al-H5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

-foreכֵּן֙kenH3651C
right

כֵּן (ken) adv adj 1) right, just, honest, true, veritable 1a) right, just, honest 1b) correct 1c) true, veritable

notלֹ֣אlo'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

they have prosperedהִשְׂכִּ֔ילוּhis-KI-luH7919A
be prudent

שָׂכַל (sa.khal) 1) to be prudent, be circumspect, wisely understand, prosper 1a) (Qal) to be prudent, be circumspect 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to look at or upon, have insight 1b2) to give attention to, consider, ponder, be prudent 1b3) to have insight, have comprehension 1b3a) insight, comprehension (subst) 1b4) to cause to consider, give insight, teach 1b4a) the teachers, the wise 1b5) to act circumspectly, act prudently, act wisely 1b6) to prosper, have success 1b7) to cause to prosper Aramaic equivalent: se.khal (שְׂכַל "to contemplate" H7920)

and allוְכָל־ve-kholH3605
all

כֹּל (kol) 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

flock theirמַרְעִיתָ֖םmar-'i-TAMH4830
pasturing

מַרְעִית (mir.it) 1) pasturing, pasturage, shepherding 1a) pasturing, shepherding 1b) pasturage 1c) flock (meton)

it has been scatteredנָפֽוֹצָה׃ סna-FO-tzahH6327A
to scatter

פּוּץ (puts) 1) to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered 1a) (Qal) to be dispersed, be scattered 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be scattered 1b2) to be spread abroad 1c) (Hiphil) to scatter 1d) Hithpael) scatter

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.