Jeremiah 10 24

Jeremiah 10:24 kjv

O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

Jeremiah 10:24 nkjv

O LORD, correct me, but with justice; Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.

Jeremiah 10:24 niv

Discipline me, LORD, but only in due measure? not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing.

Jeremiah 10:24 esv

Correct me, O LORD, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.

Jeremiah 10:24 nlt

So correct me, LORD, but please be gentle.
Do not correct me in anger, for I would die.

Jeremiah 10 verses

Jeremiah 10 24 Meaning

Jeremiah 10:24 is a profound prayer and plea, attributed to Jeremiah on behalf of Judah, or a personal lament. It implores the Lord to administer discipline and correction for their sins, but to do so with fairness and measured justice, not in the full, consuming fire of His anger, which would inevitably lead to their utter annihilation or reduction to insignificance. It acknowledges God's absolute right and necessity to judge sin, while appealing to His mercy to preserve a remnant and allow for future restoration rather than complete destruction.

Jeremiah 10 24 Context

Jeremiah chapter 10 begins with a stark contrast between the true God, YHWH, and the futile idols of the nations. Verses 1-16 provide a strong polemic against the lifelessness and powerlessness of pagan deities, asserting YHWH's sole supremacy as the Creator and living God. Following this powerful declaration, Jeremiah then transitions into a lament and prophecy concerning the imminent destruction of Judah, depicted in vivid, painful imagery (vv. 17-22). The people are warned to gather their belongings for exile, and a cry of distress is raised over the coming devastation. Verse 23 is Jeremiah's personal acknowledgment of human inability to direct one's own steps, setting the stage for his appeal to divine guidance and moderation in judgment. Jeremiah 10:24 is therefore an intercessory prayer, situated amidst the certainties of God's judgment for sin, the power of YHWH compared to idols, and the prophet's own understanding of human frailty. It recognizes that judgment is deserved but pleads for mercy and the tempering of divine wrath.

Jeremiah 10 24 Word analysis

• Correct me: (Heb. יַסְּרֵ֥נִי, yass'rēni from yāsar) This is not merely asking for punishment, but for discipline, chastisement, or instruction. It implies an intent to teach, to refine, and to bring about repentance and righteousness. It suggests a process aimed at correction, similar to a father disciplining a child (Heb 12:5-11), rather than purely punitive action.
• LORD: (Heb. יְהוָה, YHWH) Refers to the covenant God of Israel. This designation highlights the prayer's appeal to God's covenantal character, which includes both justice and mercy, rather than a generic deity. The relationship implied is personal and intimate, making the plea all the more potent.
• but with justice; (Heb. בְּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט, b'mishpat) Signifies judgment that is fair, equitable, and measured according to what is right, not beyond what is deserved. It seeks a judgment that upholds righteousness without being excessive or annihilating. It recognizes God's absolute right to judge but pleads for an execution in keeping with His perfect standard of justice, which often includes proportionality.
• not in your anger, (Heb. אַ֣ף לֹא־בְאַפֶּ֑ךָ, 'af lo-b'apeka) The term 'af' literally means "nose" and is idiomatically used for "anger" because strong emotion causes the nostrils to flare. This phrase asks that God's discipline not stem from or be fueled by the full intensity of His consuming wrath, which human beings cannot bear. It's a plea against wrath untempered by mercy.
• lest you reduce me to nothing. (Heb. פֶּן־תַּמְעִטֵֽנִי, pen tamm'itēni from ma'at) This phrase means "lest you make me small," "diminish me," or "bring me to little." It expresses a fear of complete annihilation or being brought to such a state of desolation and weakness that no remnant would survive. It's a prayer for preservation, for remaining an entity, however small, capable of future restoration. It implies that severe, unrestrained anger would leave nothing behind.

Words-Group analysis:

• "Correct me, LORD, but with justice": This segment highlights the profound theological understanding of Jeremiah. He recognizes the necessity and righteousness of God's discipline (yāsar) due to the people's sins. However, he immediately tempers this recognition with a plea for the discipline to be delivered b'mishpat – with just measure, according to God's inherent fairness, acknowledging that God's justice is perfect but can also be overwhelming for sinful humans. This shows an acceptance of divine action but with a yearning for it to be restorative rather than purely punitive.
• "not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing": This phrase directly appeals to God's mercy and restraint. It distinguishes between corrective discipline and destructive wrath. It acknowledges that the full force of God's righteous anger ('af) would be utterly annihilating (pen tamm'itēni), leaving no hope for a future. This expresses a deep fear of complete divine abandonment or eradication, which implies an understanding that even in judgment, God's ultimate desire might be purification and preservation rather than absolute obliteration. The distinction is crucial for hope.

Jeremiah 10 24 Bonus section

This verse often forms a part of a larger literary unit with Jeremiah 10:23 ("I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself..."). This preceding verse emphasizes human fallibility and the inability to direct one's own steps, thereby justifying the need for divine correction and setting up the plea in verse 24. Jeremiah, despite being divinely commissioned to declare judgment, repeatedly wrestled with God's pronouncements, often interceding for the people or voicing their potential repentance. This verse shows Jeremiah's role as a prophetic intercessor, bearing the burden of his people's sins and the weight of God's impending judgment. It underscores a key theological concept throughout the Old Testament: while God certainly judges sin, His intention is often redemptive. He seeks to purify a people, leaving a faithful remnant, rather than indiscriminately destroying all. The request for justice "by measure" aligns with other biblical passages (e.g., Isa 27:8, Jer 30:11) where God promises a measured judgment for Israel, in contrast to the utter destruction often meted out to other nations, preserving the covenant hope.

Jeremiah 10 24 Commentary

Jeremiah 10:24 stands as a quintessential prayer for divine mercy in the face of deserved judgment. It expresses a right understanding of God's character: supremely just and righteous, compelling Him to punish sin, yet also abundant in steadfast love and compassion. Jeremiah, aware of Judah's deep-seated apostasy and the impending devastation, does not question God's right to judge, but rather appeals to the manner of that judgment. He asks for discipline that corrects and refines (yass'rēni) rather than obliterates. The distinction between discipline (yāsar) and consuming wrath ('af) is central; discipline aims at restoration, while unbridled anger would mean absolute end (tamm'itēni). This prayer reflects the tension in God's nature – justice demanding punishment, and mercy longing for the preservation of His people. It implicitly trusts that God's judgment will, ultimately, be purposeful and bounded, allowing for a remnant to remain. The verse teaches us to accept God's correction willingly, but to simultaneously seek His grace and temperance, understanding that His holy anger, though righteous, would be unendurable if fully unleashed upon humanity without His intervening mercy.