Jeremiah 10 13

Jeremiah 10:13 kjv

When 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.

Jeremiah 10:13 nkjv

When He utters His voice, There is a multitude of waters in the heavens: "And He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, He brings the wind out of His treasuries."

Jeremiah 10:13 niv

When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

Jeremiah 10:13 esv

When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.

Jeremiah 10:13 nlt

When he speaks in the thunder,
the heavens roar with rain.
He causes the clouds to rise over the earth.
He sends the lightning with the rain
and releases the wind from his storehouses.

Jeremiah 10 verses

Jeremiah 10 13 Meaning

Jeremiah 10:13 powerfully declares God's exclusive sovereignty over the natural world, specifically through His command of weather phenomena. It contrasts His omnipotent creative power—manifested in the cosmic water cycle, the sound of thunder, the formation of rain, and the dispatching of wind—with the utter powerlessness of idols. The verse highlights that the living God is not merely a force within nature but the ultimate orchestrator who dictates its every operation, affirming His singular authority as Creator.

Jeremiah 10 13 Context

Jeremiah 10:13 is embedded within a profound discourse (Jer 10:1-16) that starkly contrasts the living God of Israel with the lifeless, man-made idols worshipped by the surrounding nations and increasingly by Judah itself. The preceding verses vividly describe the futility and powerlessness of these idols, emphasizing their inert nature. This verse, therefore, serves as a culminating theological statement of Yahweh's unparalleled glory and creative might, directly challenging the prevailing pagan worldview that attributed control over natural phenomena like rain, thunder, and wind to various deities (e.g., Baal, the storm god). Jeremiah presents Yahweh as the sole and supreme ruler over all creation, including the weather, a sphere that was central to agricultural societies and pagan worship, thus directly dismantling the legitimacy of any competing "god." This passage, therefore, functions as a powerful polemic, an argument against contemporary idolatry, asserting that only the Lord of Hosts possesses such absolute and demonstrable power.

Jeremiah 10 13 Word analysis

• When He utters His voice, (נְתָנֹו קֹולוֹ - nətānô qōlō)

  • נְתָנֹו (nətānô): He gives/utters. This active verb highlights divine action. God's act is deliberate, intentional, and authoritative.
  • קֹולוֹ (qōlō): His voice. In Scripture, God's voice signifies raw power, creative force, and irresistible command (e.g., Gen 1, Pss 29). It implies spoken divine will, not just sound.

• there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, (הֲמוֹן-מַיִם בַּשָּׁמַיִם - hămôn-mayim baššāmayim)

  • הֲמוֹן (hămôn): tumult, multitude, abundance, roaring sound. Conveys the impression of vastness and overwhelming force, often associated with powerful water (Gen 7:11).
  • מַיִם (mayim): waters. Here referring to the vast reservoirs of water in the atmosphere.
  • בַּשָּׁמַיִם (baššāmayim): in the heavens. This indicates the locus of these phenomena, emphasizing the celestial origins of God's meteorological power, beyond human reach or control.

• and He causes the vapors to ascend (וּמַעֲלֶה נְשִׂאִים - ūma'ăleh nesi'īm)

  • וּמַעֲלֶה (ūma'ăleh): And He causes to ascend/bring up. The continuous participle highlights God's ongoing, active involvement in this process.
  • נְשִׂאִים (nesi'īm): vapors, clouds, mists. These are the building blocks of precipitation, showcasing God's control over the fundamental components of the water cycle.

• from the ends of the earth; (מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ - miqṣēh hā'āreṣ)

  • מִקְצֵה (miqṣēh): from the end, edge, farthest boundary.
  • הָאָרֶץ (hā'āreṣ): the earth. Signifies the universal scope of God's operation. His power reaches everywhere, drawing moisture from the entire globe to orchestrate weather.

• He makes lightnings for the rain, (בְּרָקִים לַמָּטָר עָשָׂה - beraqim lammāṭār 'āśâ)

  • בְּרָקִים (beraḳim): lightnings. Often a dramatic visual accompaniment to thunderstorms, signaling intense weather.
  • לַמָּטָר (lammāṭār): for the rain. The lightning is not random; it is part of the coordinated system leading to or accompanying the life-giving rain, showcasing purposeful design.
  • עָשָׂה ('āśâ): He makes, performs, does. God is the active agent in generating lightnings specifically "for" the rain, indicating divine intent and design.

• and brings forth the wind out of His treasuries. (וַיּוֹצֵא רוּחַ מֵאֹוצְרֹתָיו - wayyōṣē' rūaḥ mē'ôṣerōtāyw)

  • וַיּוֹצֵא (wayyōṣē'): And He brings forth/produces. Further emphasizes God's direct agency in releasing these natural forces.
  • רוּחַ (rūaḥ): wind, spirit, breath. Here specifically wind, another powerful and often unpredictable element under God's control.
  • מֵאֹוצְרֹתָיו (mē'ôṣerōtāyw): out of His treasuries/storehouses. This imagery signifies God's complete ownership, perfect order, and limitless supply of these elements. They are not random occurrences but disbursed from His divine storehouses at His command.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens": This phrase immediately establishes an unbreakable link between God's verbal command and a vast, powerful, and visible natural phenomenon. The sound of thunder is personified as the "voice" of God, directly refuting the idea that any pagan god (like Baal) controlled the storm.
• "He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth": This describes the preparatory phase of the water cycle, a hidden yet global operation, revealing God's intricate control over the planet's atmospheric processes and His universal reach, drawing from every corner of the globe.
• "He makes lightnings for the rain": This connects a striking and dramatic natural event (lightning) directly to a life-sustaining one (rain). It indicates divine purpose and orchestrations, showing that seemingly chaotic events are part of an ordered system designed to bring benefit (rain).
• "and brings forth the wind out of His treasuries": This concludes with another element of vast natural power—wind. The metaphor of "treasuries" paints a picture of infinite, ordered, and readily available resources under divine management, far from the capricious control attributed to lesser deities.

Jeremiah 10 13 Bonus section

• The structure of Jeremiah 10:11-16, containing a small Aramaic verse (v.11), indicates that Jeremiah may have been designed as a confutation for foreign or idolatrous audiences as well, making this declaration of God's power even more impactful in that broader context.
• The phrase "tumult of waters in the heavens" refers to the majestic, thunderous sounds that precede or accompany storms, vividly describing the grandeur and power associated with the divine. It's an auditory manifestation of God's presence and power in creation.
• The portrayal of God's control over the entire hydrological cycle—evaporation, cloud formation, precipitation, and wind—aligns remarkably with a scientific understanding of atmospheric processes, yet it presents this order as an active, continuous work of the Creator, not mere natural processes without a divine orchestrator. This speaks to the wisdom and knowledge of God reflected in His creation.

Jeremiah 10 13 Commentary

Jeremiah 10:13 is a succinct and potent theological declaration, affirming the absolute sovereignty of Yahweh over creation in direct opposition to the impotence of idols. While the surrounding verses vividly describe the fabrication and futility of man-made gods, this verse anchors God's incomparable greatness in His demonstrable power over the cosmos. His "voice" is not mere sound but a commanding force that triggers cosmic events—the tumultuous waters in the heavens, signifying powerful atmospheric activity. He actively orchestrates the complete hydrological cycle, causing "vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth" to form clouds. Furthermore, the lightning, a dramatic element often associated with pagan storm gods, is not random but divinely designed "for the rain," emphasizing purposeful creation for life and sustenance. Finally, the "wind" issues "out of His treasuries," a profound metaphor implying meticulous storage, ordered release, and boundless availability of nature's forces at His sovereign command. This passage offers a firm polemic, asserting that any belief in deities governing weather or creation is futile; only the Lord possesses such singular and unchallenged control. It underscores the rational order of creation emanating from an intelligent, active, and omnipotent Creator, thereby calling for exclusive worship and trust in Him alone.