Jer 10:10-15 | JFB | STEP | 10. true God-- literally, "God Jehovah is truth"; not merely true, that is, veracious, but truth in the reality of His essence, as opposed to the "vanity" or emptiness which all idols are ( , ; ; ; ). living God-- ( ; ). He hath life in Himself which no creature has. All else "live in Him" ( ). In contrast to dead idols. everlasting-- ( ). In contrast to the temporary existence of all other objects of worship.

‏ Jeremiah 10:10-15

10. true God--literally, "God Jehovah is truth"; not merely true, that is, veracious, but truth in the reality of His essence, as opposed to the "vanity" or emptiness which all idols are (Jr 10:3, 8, 15; 2Ch 15:3; Psa 31:5; 1Jo 5:20).

living God--(Joh 5:26; 1Ti 6:17). He hath life in Himself which no creature has. All else "live in Him" (Ac 17:28). In contrast to dead idols.

everlasting--(Psa 10:16). In contrast to the temporary existence of all other objects of worship.

11. This verse is in Chaldee, Jeremiah supplying his countrymen with a formula of reply to Chaldee idolaters in the tongue most intelligible to the latter. There may be also derision intended in imitating their barbarous dialect. Rosenmuller objects to this view, that not merely the words put in the mouths of the Israelites, but Jeremiah's own introductory words, "Thus shall ye say to them," are in Chaldee, and thinks it to be a marginal gloss. But it is found in all the oldest versions. It was an old Greek saying: "Whoever thinks himself a god besides the one God, let him make another world" (Psa 96:5).

shall perish--(Is 2:18; Zec 13:2).

these heavens--the speaker pointing to them with his fingers.

12. Continuation of Jr 10:10, after the interruption of the thread of the discourse in Jr 10:11 (Psa 136:5, 6).

13. Literally, "At the voice of His giving forth," that is, when He thunders. (Job 38:34; Psa 29:3-5).

waters--(Ge 1:7)--above the firmament; heavy rains accompany thunder.

vapours ... ascend--(Psa 135:7).

treasures--His stores.

14. in his knowledge--"is rendered brutish by his skill," namely, in idol-making (Jr 10:8, 9). Thus the parallel, "confounded by the graven image," corresponds (so Jr 51:17). Others not so well translate, "without knowledge," namely, of God (see Is 42:17; 45:16; Ho 4:6).

15. errors--deceptions; from a Hebrew root, "to stutter"; then meaning "to mock."

their visitation they--When God shall punish the idol-worshippers (namely, by Cyrus), the idols themselves shall be destroyed [Rosenmuller] (Jr 10:11).