Jeremiah 10:20 kjv
My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.
Jeremiah 10:20 nkjv
My tent is plundered, And all my cords are broken; My children have gone from me, And they are no more. There is no one to pitch my tent anymore, Or set up my curtains.
Jeremiah 10:20 niv
My tent is destroyed; all its ropes are snapped. My children are gone from me and are no more; no one is left now to pitch my tent or to set up my shelter.
Jeremiah 10:20 esv
My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken; my children have gone from me, and they are not; there is no one to spread my tent again and to set up my curtains.
Jeremiah 10:20 nlt
My home is gone,
and no one is left to help me rebuild it.
My children have been taken away,
and I will never see them again.
Jeremiah 10 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 10:13 | He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth, bringing thunder and rain; he brings out the wind from his storehouses. | Sovereignty over Creation |
| Isaiah 44:12 | The ironsmith shapes it, works it over the coals, fashions it with hammers, and forges it with his strong arm. He gets hungry and loses strength; he drinks no water and grows faint. | Idols' Powerlessness |
| Isaiah 44:15 | The man makes a fire and warms himself; he also heats it and bakes his bread, but he also fashions a god and worships it, makes it an idol and falls down before it. | Idol Worship by Man |
| Psalm 115:4-7 | But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear; they have noses, but do not smell; they have hands, but do not feel; they have feet, but do not walk; they make no sound in their throats. | Idols' Inability |
| Habakkuk 2:18 | “What profit is an idol when its maker has carved it, and an image that teaches lies, that its maker trusts in it to make mute idols?” | Futility of Idols |
| 1 Corinthians 12:2 | You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. | Gentiles led by idols |
| Jeremiah 10:1 | Hear the word that the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. | Address to Israel |
| Jeremiah 10:3 | For the customs of the peoples are worthless; a tree is cut from the forest, and the work of the hands of a craftsman with an axe. | Origin of Idols |
| Jeremiah 10:5 | They are upright like a palm tree, but cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do good. | Idols' Limitations |
| Psalm 135:15-18 | The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear; nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them become like them, so do the foolish. Worship the LORD! | Makers like idols |
| Isaiah 46:1-2 | Bel bows down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock; these things you carry are burdens, a heavy weight to the weary. They stoop, they bow down together; they cannot help the burdened, but themselves go into captivity. | Burden of idols |
| Psalm 96:5 | For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. | Creator vs. idols |
| 1 Kings 18:26-29 | And they called out to Baal from morning till noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they limped badly all the day. | Baal worship |
| Deuteronomy 4:16-19 | lest you corrupt yourselves and make for yourselves an idol, any kind of form, like the likeness of any male or female, | Prohibition of Idols |
| Romans 1:22-23 | Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for representations of mortal man, birds, reptiles, and creatures. | Foolishness of idols |
| Ephesians 5:5 | For you may be sure of this, that the immoral or impure or greedy person, never mind the name of Christ or God, has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient. | Warning against idolatry |
| Colossians 3:5 | Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. | Greed as idolatry |
| Jeremiah 10:2 | Thus says the LORD: “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed by the signs of the heavens, although the nations are dismayed by them.” | Rejection of pagan practices |
| Jeremiah 2:27 | who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You bore me.’ They have turned their back to me and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they say, ‘Arise and save us!’ | Idolatrous cry for help |
| Isaiah 45:20 | “Gather yourselves and come; draw near, you remnant of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols and keep praying to a god that cannot save.” | Ignorance of idol worshipers |
Jeremiah 10 verses
Jeremiah 10 20 Meaning
The verse speaks to the inadequacy and ultimate failure of idols as spiritual guides and protectors for the people of Israel, contrasting them with the true God who is sovereign. It highlights the inability of crafted objects to offer guidance or assurance, pointing to a divine power that supersedes all human creations.
Jeremiah 10 20 Context
Jeremiah 10:20 is part of a larger section in Jeremiah chapter 10 where the prophet pronounces judgment against the idolatry of the people of Judah. Jeremiah is directly addressing the house of Israel, particularly emphasizing their unfaithfulness to the Lord by engaging in practices reminiscent of surrounding pagan nations. This passage is a powerful polemic against the worship of false gods, contrasting the true, living God with inanimate, man-made idols. The historical context involves the threat of Babylonian invasion and exile, a consequence of Israel's persistent disobedience and spiritual harlotry with other nations and their gods. Jeremiah's message aims to warn them, calling them to repentance and to turn away from the deceptive practices of idolatry.
Jeremiah 10 20 Word Analysis
- And (וְ - we): Conjunction indicating a continuation or consequence.
- my (לִי - li): Possessive pronoun, indicating belonging to God.
- tent (אָהֳלִי - oheli): Booth, tabernacle, tent. Refers to God’s dwelling or presence.
- my (לִי - li): Possessive pronoun, indicating belonging to God.
- tabernacle (מִשְׁכָּנִי - mishkeni): Dwelling place, tabernacle, habitation. Another term for God's dwelling.
- are (הֵם - hem): Third person masculine plural pronoun, "they are."
- I (אֲנִי - ani): First person singular pronoun, "I."
- am (הָיִיתִי - hayiti): First person singular imperfect form of "to be."
- not (לֹא - lo): Negation.
- in (בְּ - be): Preposition, "in," "at," "with."
- it (בּוֹ - bo): Pronoun referring to the tent or tabernacle, "in him" or "in it."
- man (אָדָם - adam): Mankind, man, Adam.
- dwell (שָׁכַן - shachan): To dwell, settle, tabernacle.
Grouped Analysis:
- "my tent my tabernacle are...": This phrasing, with two near-synonymous terms for God's dwelling, emphasizes God's abiding presence with His people, a presence tied to His covenant promises and His true dwelling place.
- "I am not man to dwell in it": This phrase explicitly states the divine nature. God is not like human beings, who are subject to physical limitations and reside in crafted dwellings that can be moved or destroyed. His dwelling, His presence, is not constrained in the same way as a human habitation or even a physical tent structure. The idols, which are man's creations, represent confined, limited "dwellings" of the false gods. God’s "tent" and "tabernacle" are spiritual and absolute, not material and subject to change or destruction.
- Contrast with Idolatry: The verse's core message contrasts God's omnipresent and sovereign dwelling with the material, manufactured "dwellings" of idols, which are crafted by human hands and incapable of any independent existence or action.
Jeremiah 10 20 Bonus Section
The Hebrew words for "tent" (אָהֳלִי - oheli) and "tabernacle" (מִשְׁכָּנִי - mishkeni) both evoke imagery of God's presence among His people. In the Old Testament, the Tabernacle was the portable sanctuary that housed God's presence as Israel journeyed through the wilderness (Exodus 25:8-9). Later, the Temple in Jerusalem became the focal point for worship. However, even the physical structures were symbols pointing to God's more profound, spiritual dwelling within His people and His sovereignty over all creation. This verse powerfully reminds the listener that God's true dwelling is not contained within any human construction, a concept further elaborated in the New Testament with Jesus Christ as Immanuel ("God with us," Matthew 1:23) and the concept of believers as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). The emphasis is on God's transcendence over all created and manufactured things.
Jeremiah 10 20 Commentary
Jeremiah 10:20 directly confronts the futility of idols by contrasting their nature with God's. Unlike man-made idols that are lifeless and immobile, God's "tent" and "tabernacle" represent His dynamic and sovereign presence that is not limited by physical structures. The prophet stresses that God is not a human being who requires a fixed dwelling place or is confined by material things. Therefore, any attempt to find spiritual guidance or protection in idols is a profound error and a rejection of the true, living God. The verse underscores that idols, being mere craft of man, can offer no genuine shelter, wisdom, or deliverance, setting a stark contrast with the all-encompassing reality of God's presence.