Jeremiah 10:23 BSB — MannaFest

Jeremiah 10:23

I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not his own; no one who walks directs his own steps.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

KJV

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

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Commentary

2 voices

Jerome

Commentary on Jeremiah (420)

(Verse 23) I know, Lord, that it is not in man to direct his own steps: nor is it in man, to walk and guide his own footsteps. Let the new preachers be ashamed, who say that each one is ruled by his own will, when even the Prophet says: It is not in man to direct his own steps (Psalm 36:23). And let David sing in his lyric song: The steps of man are directed by the Lord, and his way he greatly desires.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

I know, O Jehovah, that the march of the Babylonian conqueror against me (Jeremiah identifying himself with his people) is not at his own discretion, but is overruled by Thee (Isa 10:5-7; compare Jer 10:19). that walketh--when he walketh, that is, sets out in any undertaking. direct . . . steps--to give a prosperous issue to (Ps 73:23).

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

12 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
יָדַ֣עְתִּי	ya.Da'.ti	I know	H3045 →
יְהוָ֔ה	Yah.weh	O Yahweh	H3068 →
כִּ֛י	ki	that	H3588 →
לֹ֥א	lo'	not	H3808 →
לָאָדָ֖ם	la.'a.Dam	[belongs] to <the> person	H120 →
דַּרְכּ֑וֹ	dar.Ko	way his	H1870 →
לֹֽא־	lo'-	not	H3808 →
לְאִ֣ישׁ	le.'Ish	[belongs] to a person	H376 →
הֹלֵ֔ךְ	ho.Lekh	[who] walks	H1980 →
וְהָכִ֖ין	ve.ha.Khin	<and> to direct	H3559 →
אֶֽת־	'et-	<obj.>	H853 →
צַעֲדֽוֹ׃	tza.'a.Do	step[s] his	H6806 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

H3559vehakhin<and> to direct217×

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Psalms 37:23
The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey.
leads to
- Proverbs 16:9
  A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
  Reached by 3 independent paths from here.
- Psalms 119:133
  Order my steps in Your word; let no sin rule over me.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 2:9
  He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Proverbs 4:26
  Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
- Psalms 40:2
  He lifted me up from the pit of despair, out of the miry clay; He set my feet upon a rock, and made my footsteps firm.
Through
Proverbs 16:1
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.
leads to
- Proverbs 19:21
  Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- Luke 21:14–15
  So make up your mind not to worry beforehand how to defend yourselves.
Through
Proverbs 20:24
A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?
leads to
- Psalms 25:12
  Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the path chosen for him.

Featured studies on this passage

Walks through Jeremiah 10

Mazzaroth

Twelve constellation groupings; one biblical word (Job 38:32). Bullinger and Seiss read them as a gospel-arc; modern critics trace their figures to Albumazar, not Adam. The objections below are presented at full strength, and the founder's own slot on the page is his to fill.

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About Jeremiah

The Prophet Jeremiah — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

Jeremiah: the study guide →Read chapter 10 →The featured study →

Continue: Jeremiah 10 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Jeremiah

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Jeremiah