What does Jeremias Chapter 10 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Handmade idols are contrasted with the living creator. Siege shame and scattered flocks accompany northern commotion. A prayer for judged correction retains the edition’s free-will explanation.

Chapter breakdown

Jeremias 10 tells Israel to hear and not learn Gentile ways or fear heaven's signs. Wooden workmanship cut with an axe is decorated in silver and gold, joined by nails and hammers against falling apart, resembling a speechless palm and carried because unable to go. It does neither good nor evil. The Lord's unmatched might and kingship contrast with foolish wooden doctrine. Tharsis silver plates and Ophaz gold, artificer and coppersmith, violet and purple are handmade materials.

The Lord is true, living and everlasting, with trembling earth and nations unable to abide threatening. A commanded saying calls gods that made neither heaven nor earth to perish. Power, wisdom and knowledge make earth, world and heaven. Voice brings heavenly waters, clouds, lightning for rain and wind from treasures. Foolish artists face false, spiritless idols and visitation's perishing, unlike Jacob's portion, maker of all and Israel's inheritance.

The besieged one is told to gather shame from the land, not possessions. Inhabitants are cast far and afflicted so they may be found. A grievous wound is accepted as own evil; tabernacle, cords, absent children and none to pitch curtains portray loss. Foolish pastors fail to seek and scatter flocks; northern noise makes cities desert and dragons' dwelling. The prayer admits inability to direct steps. The edition explains free will, good requiring God's help, evil requiring permission and Nabuchodonosor's coming evils. Correction with judgment rather than reducing fury is requested, followed by indignation against nations and provinces that consumed Jacob's glory.

The story inside

Opening: Handmade idols are contrasted with the living creator. Development: Siege shame and scattered flocks accompany northern commotion. Conclusion: A prayer for judged correction retains the edition’s free-will explanation.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Handmade idols are contrasted with the living creator.
2
Siege shame and scattered flocks accompany northern commotion.
3
A prayer for judged correction retains the edition’s free-will explanation.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 85035–85047
10:2. Thus saith the Lord: Learn not according to the ways of the Gentiles: and be not afraid of the signs of heaven, which the heathens fear: 10:3. For the laws of the people are vain: for the works of the hand of the workman hath cut a tree out of the forest with an axe. 10:4. He hath decked it with silver and gold: he hath put it together with nails and hammers, that it may not fall asunder. 10:5. They are framed after the likeness of a palm tree, and shall not speak: they must be carried to be removed, because they cannot go. Therefore fear them not, for they can neither do evil nor good.
Lines 85064–85077
10:10. But the Lord is the true God: he is the living God, and the everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his threatening. 10:11. Thus then shall you say to them: The gods that have not made heaven and earth, let them perish from the earth, and from among those places that are under heaven. 10:12. He that maketh the earth by his power, that prepareth the world by his wisdom, and stretcheth out the heavens by his knowledge. 10:13. At his voice he giveth a multitude of waters in the heaven, and lifteth up the clouds from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings for rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
Lines 85104–85110
10:21. Because the pastors have done foolishly, and have not sought the Lord: therefore have they not understood, and all their flock is scattered. 10:22. Behold the sound of a noise cometh, a great commotion out of the land of the north: to make the cities of Juda a desert, and a dwelling for dragons.
Lines 85112–85119
10:23. I know, O Lord, that the way of a man is not his: neither is it in a man to walk, and to direct his steps. The way of a man is not his.... The meaning is, that notwithstanding man’s free will, yet he can do no good without God’s help, nor evil without his permission. So that, in the present case, all the evils which Nabuchodonosor was about to bring upon Jerusalem, could not have come but by the will of God.
Lines 85121–85127
10:24. Correct me, O Lord, but yet with judgment: and not in thy fury, lest thou bring me to nothing. 10:25. Pour out thy indignation upon the nations that have not known thee, and upon the provinces that have not called upon thy name: because they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have destroyed his glory.