God and Idols

10:12–16pp—Jer 51:15–19

10 Hear what the Lord says to you, people of Israel. 2 This is what the Lord says:

“Do not learn the ways of the nationsn

or be terrified by signso in the heavens,

though the nations are terrified by them.

3 For the practices of the peoples are worthless;

they cut a tree out of the forest,

and a craftsmanp shapes it with his chisel.q

4 They adorn it with silverr and gold;

they fasten it with hammer and nails

so it will not totter.s

5 Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field,

their idols cannot speak;t

they must be carried

because they cannot walk.u

Do not fear them;

they can do no harmv

nor can they do any good.”w

6 No one is like you,x Lord;

you are great,y

and your name is mighty in power.

7 Who should not fearz you,

King of the nations?a

This is your due.

Among all the wise leaders of the nations

and in all their kingdoms,

there is no one like you.

8 They are all senselessb and foolish;c

they are taught by worthless wooden idols.d

9 Hammered silver is brought from Tarshishe

and gold from Uphaz.

What the craftsman and goldsmith have madef

is then dressed in blue and purple—

all made by skilled workers.

10 But the Lord is the true God;

he is the living God,g the eternal King.h

When he is angry,i the earth trembles;j

the nations cannot endure his wrath.k

11 “Tell them this: ‘These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perishl from the earth and from under the heavens.’ ”a

12 But God madem the earthn by his power;

he founded the world by his wisdomo

and stretched out the heavensp by his understanding.

13 When he thunders,q the waters in the heavens roar;

he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.

He sends lightningr with the rains

and brings out the wind from his storehouses.t

14 Everyone is senseless and without knowledge;

every goldsmith is shamedu by his idols.

The images he makes are a fraud;v

they have no breath in them.

15 They are worthless,w the objects of mockery;

when their judgment comes, they will perish.

16 He who is the Portionx of Jacob is not like these,

for he is the Maker of all things,y

including Israel, the people of his inheritancez—

the Lord Almighty is his name.a

Coming Destruction

17 Gather up your belongingsb to leave the land,

you who live under siege.

18 For this is what the Lord says:

“At this time I will hurlc out

those who live in this land;

I will bring distressd on them

so that they may be captured.”

19 Woe to me because of my injury!

My wounde is incurable!

Yet I said to myself,

“This is my sickness, and I must enduref it.”

20 My tentg is destroyed;

all its ropes are snapped.

My children are gone from me and are no more;h

no one is left now to pitch my tent

or to set up my shelter.

21 The shepherdsi are senselessj

and do not inquire of the Lord;k

so they do not prosperl

and all their flock is scattered.m

22 Listen! The report is coming—

a great commotion from the land of the north!n

It will make the towns of Judah desolate,o

a haunt of jackals.p

Jeremiah’s Prayer

23 Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own;

it is not for them to direct their steps.q

24 Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure—

not in your anger,r

or you will reduce me to nothing.s

25 Pour out your wrath on the nationst

that do not acknowledge you,

on the peoples who do not call on your name.u

For they have devouredv Jacob;

they have devoured him completely

and destroyed his homeland.w