Jeremiah 10:2
in Jeremiah 10This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens, though the nations themselves are terrified by them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
thus saith Jehovah, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.
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.
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This verse in Jeremiah 10
Commentary
6 notes on this verseLearn 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 here are cautioned against it.
This site's exposition
O house of Israel
on Jeremiah 10:1-5
The oracle addresses the house of Israel directly, “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens”. It then gives the book's fullest account of making an idol, “shaped with a chisel”, adorned “with silver and gold”.
This site's exposition
the signs in the heavens
The signs are the omens astrologers read in the sky. Clarke notes that the Chaldeans and Egyptians were devoted to astrology. He takes the warning as addressed first to the northern tribes scattered among the nations.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Thus saith the Lord, learn not the way of the Heathen,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
All heavenly phenomena, eclipses, comets, &c., are included. one cutteth a tree, &c.--rather, "It (that which they busy themselves about: a sample of their 'customs') is a tree cut out of the forest" [MAURER].
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Signs 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.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּ֣ה׀ | koh | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֣ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֗ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | <to> | H413 → | 5510 times |
| דֶּ֤רֶךְ | derekh | [the] way of | H1870 → | 707 times |
| הַגּוֹיִם֙ | hagoyim | the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תִּלְמָ֔דוּ | tilmadu | you learn | H3925 → | 85 times |
| וּמֵאֹת֥וֹת | umeotot | and from [the] signs of | H226 → | 80 times |
| הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| אַל־ | ʾal- | may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| תֵּחָ֑תּוּ | techatu | you be dismayed | H2865 → | 52 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יֵחַ֥תּוּ | yechatu | they are dismayed | H2865 → | 52 times |
| הַגּוֹיִ֖ם | hagoyim | the nations | H1471 → | 561 times |
| מֵהֵֽמָּה׃ | mehemah | from them |
כֹּ֣ה׀thus
kohH3541 →577 times
אָמַ֣רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֗הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶל־<to>
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
דֶּ֤רֶךְ[the] way of
derekhH1870 →707 times
הַגּוֹיִם֙the nations
hagoyimH1471 →561 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תִּלְמָ֔דוּyou learn
tilmaduH3925 →85 times
וּמֵאֹת֥וֹתand from [the] signs of
umeototH226 →80 times
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
אַל־may not
ʾal-H408 →724 times
תֵּחָ֑תּוּyou be dismayed
techatuH2865 →52 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
יֵחַ֥תּוּthey are dismayed
yechatuH2865 →52 times
הַגּוֹיִ֖םthe nations
hagoyimH1471 →561 times
מֵהֵֽמָּה׃from them
mehemah
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Leviticus 18:3You must not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you.…
it leads to
- Exodus 23:24
You must not bow down to their gods or serve them or follow their practices. Instead, you are to demolish them and smash their sacred stones to pieces.
- Leviticus 20:23
You must not follow the statutes of the nations I am driving out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.
- 1 Peter 4:2–4
Consequently, he does not live out his remaining time on earth for human passions, but for the will of God.
- Ezekiel 20:7–8
And I said to them: ‘Each of you must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and you must not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’
- Exodus 23:24
Through
Leviticus 20:23You must not follow the statutes of the nations I am driving out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 9:5
It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD your God is driving…
- Leviticus 18:24
Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves.
- Leviticus 18:30
You must keep My charge not to practice any of the abominable customs that were practiced before you, so that you do not defile yourselves by them. I am the LORD your God.”
- Leviticus 18:3
You must not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you.…
- Deuteronomy 9:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Jeremiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.