Jeremiah 10 5

Jeremiah 10:5 kjv

They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

Jeremiah 10:5 nkjv

They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good."

Jeremiah 10:5 niv

Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good."

Jeremiah 10:5 esv

Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good."

Jeremiah 10:5 nlt

Their gods are like
helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field!
They cannot speak,
and they need to be carried because they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of such gods,
for they can neither harm you nor do you any good."

Jeremiah 10 verses

Jeremiah 10 5 Meaning

Jeremiah 10:5 vividly describes idols as inanimate objects, likening them to rigid, upright poles, such as a palm tree. It asserts their complete inability to speak, move, or perform any action, whether good or evil, thereby demonstrating their absolute impotence. The verse counsels against fearing these idols, highlighting their dependency on humans for movement and their utter lack of power.

Jeremiah 10 5 Context

Jeremiah chapter 10 is a powerful prophetic declaration contrasting the Creator God, Yahweh, with the lifeless idols worshipped by surrounding nations and increasingly by Judah. It opens with a warning to God's people not to learn the way of the Gentiles or be dismayed by astrological signs, which are empty pagan superstitions. The subsequent verses (v.3-4) describe the elaborate, yet ultimately futile, process of making these wooden idols, decorating them with silver and gold, and securing them with hammers and nails to prevent them from falling. Verse 5 follows directly from this description, providing a cutting, almost satirical, exposé of the idols' fundamental incapacity, which further underscores the folly of their worship. Historically, Judah was in a period of apostasy, constantly tempted by the polytheistic practices of powerful empires like Assyria and Babylon. Jeremiah’s message serves as a polemic, asserting the unique sovereignty and living power of God against these dead, man-made objects.

Jeremiah 10 5 Word analysis

• They are upright (כִּתֹ֥מֶר / kitomer):
  • Word: kitomer meaning "like a palm tree."
  • Significance: This metaphor is not for vitality but for form. Palm trees are tall, straight, and fixed. Idols, once carved and set, are rigid and immovable, like a decorative, planted pole. It implies an artificial posture, a statue, not a living entity. The Hebrew evokes a sense of vertical rigidity, making the contrast with their lack of movement even more striking. This can refer to the practice of using actual tree trunks as objects of worship, or carved images resembling fixed, unbending forms.
• like a palm tree:
  • Significance: Palm trees provided sustenance and beauty but could not move or interact. This highlights the idol's fixed, passive, and decorative nature. It underscores the irony of a visually impressive, yet fundamentally inert, object.
• but cannot speak (לֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ / lo yedaberu):
  • Word: lo yedaberu means "they will not speak" or "they do not speak."
  • Significance: Emphasizes the idols' lack of life and consciousness. Speech is a primary indicator of intelligence and interaction. Contrast this with the living God who speaks powerfully (Jer 10:13, Ps 33:6) and whose word creates and sustains. Idols are dumb and cannot respond to petitions or provide guidance.
• they must needs be carried (נָשׂוֹא יִנָּשׂוּא / naso yinnasu):
  • Word: naso yinnasu is an emphatic construction (infinitive absolute + imperfect) meaning "they are certainly carried" or "they absolutely must be carried."
  • Significance: Stresses their absolute lack of independent movement. They are dependent on human strength, an irony given that humans worship them. This points to the utter degradation of idols, as the ones they are supposed to help must instead bear their weight. It also highlights the folly of worshipping something that needs your help to move.
• because they cannot go (כִּי־לֹ֥א יִצְעָֽדוּ / ki lo yits'adu):
  • Word: ki lo yits'adu meaning "because they do not step/walk."
  • Significance: Reinforces their immobility and passivity. They cannot initiate any action, physical or spiritual. Their inability to walk means they cannot approach a worshipper, flee from danger, or move to accomplish anything. This directly challenges the pagan idea of active, localized deities.
• Do not be afraid of them (אַל־תִּירְא֖וּ מֵהֶ֑ם / al tiru mehem):
  • Word: al tiru mehem is a strong negative command, "do not fear them."
  • Significance: Direct command from God through Jeremiah. This addresses a common aspect of ancient idolatry – the fear of offending or being harmed by deities. Jeremiah reassures God's people that these objects are powerless and thus incapable of inspiring legitimate fear. Their perceived power is a human projection.
• for they cannot do evil (לֹא־יָרֵ֥עוּ / lo yare'u):
  • Word: lo yare'u means "they do no harm" or "they do not do evil."
  • Significance: They lack the power to inflict judgment or punishment. Any suffering experienced by worshippers is not a result of an idol's will but often God's judgment or natural consequences. They pose no threat because they are not alive.
• neither is it in them to do good (וְגַם־הֵטִ֖יב אֵין־אוֹתָֽם / wegam hetiv ein'otam):
  • Word: ein'otam means "there is no with them." hetiv means "to do good." The phrase means "nor is good in them to do."
  • Significance: Completes the statement of their absolute impotence. They cannot help, save, bless, or provide. They are utterly devoid of any beneficial capacity. This binary inability (neither good nor evil) emphasizes their complete neutrality and spiritual nullity, serving as a stark contrast to Yahweh, who is the source of all good and has the power to bless and curse.

Jeremiah 10 5 Bonus section

The polemic in Jeremiah 10:1-16, culminating in this verse, might also implicitly mock ancient astronomical or stellar worship, which often assigned divine powers to celestial bodies and fashioned idols representing these deities. By referring to "disasters that will happen on earth" and astrological "signs" (v.2), Jeremiah highlights the inability of cosmic phenomena (and by extension, the idols representing them) to cause or avert true divine judgment. The emphasis on the idols' inability to move themselves resonates with Babylonian practice, where cult statues of gods were paraded through cities in religious festivals, requiring significant human effort for their movement, illustrating their dependence rather than their inherent power. Jeremiah’s language in this passage has a biting, satirical edge, which often characterizes biblical critiques of idolatry. This kind of rhetoric aims not just to inform but to shame and persuade worshippers of idols into recognizing the ultimate futility of their devotion.

Jeremiah 10 5 Commentary

Jeremiah 10:5 is a sharp and concise declaration of the utter worthlessness of idols. Following the description of their human manufacture and elaborate decoration (v.3-4), this verse strips them bare of any imagined power or divine attribute. By portraying them as static, mute, immobile objects that need to be carried by their own devotees, Jeremiah exposes the absurdity and folly of their worship. The injunction "Do not be afraid of them" directly confronts the psychological hold idols had on people, reassuring them that these creations of human hands possess no intrinsic power for either blessing or curse. This profound impotence highlights the unique nature of Yahweh, the living, speaking, acting God, who contrasts starkly with these silent, motionless, and powerless fabrications. The verse serves as a crucial theological reminder for Judah and for all believers: only the Creator God possesses genuine power and deserves fear, reverence, and worship.Example: Consider a highly decorated garden gnome; it stands rigid, never speaks, must be picked up to move, and can neither help nor harm your garden's growth. Its value is purely aesthetic or symbolic, possessing no agency or inherent power beyond what you project onto it. Similarly, idols are presented as mere ornamental objects lacking any real impact on the world.