Jeremiah 10:4
Jeremiah 10:4 in Multiple Translations
They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter.
They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
They make it beautiful with silver and gold; they make it strong with nails and hammers, so that it may not be moved.
They decorate it with silver and gold, and nail it down with a hammer so it won't fall over.
And another decketh it with siluer, and with golde: they fasten it with nailes, and hammers, that it fall not.
With silver and with gold they beautify it, With nails and with hammers they fix it, And it doth not stumble.
They deck it with silver and with gold. They fasten it with nails and with hammers, so that it can’t move.
They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it may not move.
He hath decked it with silver and gold: he hath put it together with nails and hammers, that it may not fall asunder.
Then people decorate the idol with silver and gold. Then they fasten it securely with nails in order that it will not topple/fall over.
Berean Amplified Bible — Jeremiah 10:4
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Jeremiah 10:4 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
בְּ/כֶ֥סֶף
וּ/בְ/זָהָ֖ב
יְיַפֵּ֑/הוּ
בְּ/מַסְמְר֧וֹת
וּ/בְ/מַקָּב֛וֹת
יְחַזְּק֖וּ/ם
וְ/ל֥וֹא
יָפִֽיק
בְּ/כֶ֥סֶף
keçeph
H3701
silver
Prep | N-ms
וּ/בְ/זָהָ֖ב
zâhâb
H2091
gold
Conj | Prep | N-ms
יְיַפֵּ֑/הוּ
yâphâh
H3302
be beautiful
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms | Suff
בְּ/מַסְמְר֧וֹת
maçmêr
H4548
nail
Prep | N-cp
וּ/בְ/מַקָּב֛וֹת
maqqâbâh
H4717
hammer
Conj | Prep | N-fp
יְחַזְּק֖וּ/ם
châzaq
H2388
to strengthen
V-Piel-Imperf-3mp | Suff
וְ/ל֥וֹא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Conj | Part
יָפִֽיק
pûwq
H6328
to reel
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Jeremiah 10:4
בְּ/כֶ֥סֶף
keçeph
H3701
"silver"
Prep | N-ms
Silver or money, often referring to payment or wealth, like the silver talents in Matthew 25. It can also describe silver as a valuable metal or ornament.
Definition: : money/payment/silver 1) silver, money 1a) silver 1a1) as metal 1a2) as ornament 1a3) as colour 1b) money, shekels, talents
Usage: Occurs in 343 OT verses. KJV: money, price, silver(-ling). See also: Genesis 13:2; Numbers 22:18; 2 Chronicles 1:17.
וּ/בְ/זָהָ֖ב
zâhâb
H2091
"gold"
Conj | Prep | N-ms
Gold is a valuable metal, also used to describe something yellow or brilliant, like oil or a clear sky. It is often mentioned in the Bible as a precious resource.
Definition: 1) gold 1a) as precious metal 1b) as a measure of weight 1c) of brilliance, splendour (fig.) Aramaic equivalent: de.hav (דְּהַב "gold" H1722)
Usage: Occurs in 336 OT verses. KJV: gold(-en), fair weather. See also: Genesis 2:11; Numbers 7:26; 1 Chronicles 28:17.
יְיַפֵּ֑/הוּ
yâphâh
H3302
"be beautiful"
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms | Suff
To be beautiful in the Bible means to be bright and handsome, as seen in the story of Esther, who was chosen for her beauty. The term is also used to describe the beauty of nature and the beauty of God's creation.
Definition: 1) to be bright, be beautiful, be handsome, be fair 1a) (Qal) to be beautiful 1b) (Piel) to beautify 1c) (Pual) to be beautiful 1d) (Hithpael) to beautify oneself
Usage: Occurs in 7 OT verses. KJV: be beautiful, be (make self) fair(-r), deck. See also: Psalms 45:3; Jeremiah 4:30; Jeremiah 10:4.
בְּ/מַסְמְר֧וֹת
maçmêr
H4548
"nail"
Prep | N-cp
This Hebrew word means a nail or peg, often used for building or hanging objects. It appears in the book of Exodus, describing the construction of the tabernacle. The word is also used in Ecclesiastes to describe a peg holding things together.
Definition: nail
Usage: Occurs in 4 OT verses. KJV: nail. See also: 1 Chronicles 22:3; Isaiah 41:7; Jeremiah 10:4.
וּ/בְ/מַקָּב֛וֹת
maqqâbâh
H4717
"hammer"
Conj | Prep | N-fp
A hammer is a tool used to shape or break things, and this word appears in the Bible as a symbol of strength or force. It is used in books like Judges and Isaiah to describe the power of God or the work of a craftsman. The idea is to shape or mold something into a new form.
Definition: hammer Another spelling of maq.qe.vet (מַקֶּ֫בֶת "hammer" H4718A)
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: hammer. See also: 1 Kings 6:7; Isaiah 44:12; Jeremiah 10:4.
יְחַזְּק֖וּ/ם
châzaq
H2388
"to strengthen"
V-Piel-Imperf-3mp | Suff
To strengthen means to be strong or courageous, and can also mean to seize or conquer, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: : strengthen/support/encourage 1) to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be strong, grow strong 1a1a) to prevail, prevail upon 1a1b) to be firm, be caught fast, be secure 1a1c) to press, be urgent 1a1d) to grow stout, grow rigid, grow hard (bad sense) 1a1e) to be severe, be grievous 1a2) to strengthen 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to make strong 1b2) to restore to strength, give strength 1b3) to strengthen, sustain, encourage 1b4) to make strong, make bold, encourage 1b5) to make firm 1b6) to make rigid, make hard 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to make strong, strengthen 1c2) to make firm 1c3) to display strength 1c4) to make severe 1c5) to support 1c6) to repair 1c7) to prevail, prevail upon 1c8) to have or take or keep hold of, retain, hold up, sustain, support 1c9) to hold, contain 1d) (Hithpael) 1d1) to strengthen oneself 1d2) to put forth strength, use one's strength 1d3) to withstand 1d4) to hold strongly with
Usage: Occurs in 266 OT verses. KJV: aid, amend, [idiom] calker, catch, cleave, confirm, be constant, constrain, continue, be of good (take) courage(-ous, -ly), encourage (self), be established, fasten, force, fortify, make hard, harden, help, (lay) hold (fast), lean, maintain, play the man, mend, become (wax) mighty, prevail, be recovered, repair, retain, seize, be (wax) sore, strengthen (self), be stout, be (make, shew, wax) strong(-er), be sure, take (hold), be urgent, behave self valiantly, withstand. See also: Genesis 19:16; 1 Chronicles 22:13; Psalms 27:14.
וְ/ל֥וֹא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Conj | Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
יָפִֽיק
pûwq
H6328
"to reel"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms
To reel means to waver or stumble, and can also refer to causing someone or something to totter or lose balance, as described in the Bible.
Definition: 1) to reel, totter, stumble 1a) (Qal) to reel 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to totter, wobble 1b2) to cause tottering
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: stumble, move. See also: Isaiah 28:7; Jeremiah 10:4.
Study Notes — Jeremiah 10:4
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Jeremiah 10:4 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 10:4
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 10:4
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 10:4
- Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 10:4
- Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 10:4
- Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 10:4
- Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 10:4
- Sermons on Jeremiah 10:4
Context — The Sovereignty of God
2This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens, though the nations themselves are terrified by them.
3For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman.
4They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter.
5Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.” 6There is none like You, O LORD. You are great, and Your name is mighty in power.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 46:7 | They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles. |
| 2 | Isaiah 40:19–20 | To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains? To one bereft of an offering who chooses wood that will not rot, who seeks a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple? |
| 3 | Psalms 115:4 | Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. |
| 4 | Psalms 135:15 | The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. |
| 5 | Isaiah 44:12 | The blacksmith takes a tool and labors over the coals; he fashions an idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arms. Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to drink water and grows faint. |
| 6 | Isaiah 41:6–7 | Each one helps the other and says to his brother, “Be strong!” The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who wields the hammer cheers him who strikes the anvil, saying of the welding, “It is good.” He nails it down so it will not be toppled. |
Jeremiah 10:4 Summary
[This verse is talking about how people make and decorate idols, which are fake gods, with silver and gold, and then try to make them stable so they won't fall over. But the truth is, these idols are worthless and have no power, as seen in Jeremiah 10:5. We should not put our trust in things that are made by human hands, but instead, we should trust in the one true God, who is mighty in power, as stated in Jeremiah 10:6. This is similar to what is warned against in Exodus 20:4-5, where we are commanded not to make or worship idols.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of adorning idols with silver and gold in Jeremiah 10:4?
The adornment of idols with silver and gold in Jeremiah 10:4 signifies the futile efforts of humans to give value and power to lifeless objects, as seen in the customs of the nations in Jeremiah 10:3, which are deemed worthless by God.
Why do the people fasten their idols with hammer and nails so that they will not totter?
The people fasten their idols with hammer and nails to give them a sense of stability and security, but this action ultimately reveals the weakness and powerlessness of these idols, as stated in Jeremiah 10:5, they cannot speak or move on their own.
How does this verse relate to the warning in Jeremiah 10:2 not to learn the ways of the nations?
This verse illustrates the warning in Jeremiah 10:2 by showing the emptiness and futility of the nations' customs and practices, which are based on a false sense of security and power, as opposed to the true power and might of the Lord, as proclaimed in Jeremiah 10:6.
What can we learn from the futility of idol worship in Jeremiah 10:4?
We can learn that true worship and trust should be directed towards the living God, who is mighty in power, as stated in Jeremiah 10:6, and not towards lifeless idols or human-made objects, as warned in Exodus 20:4-5 and Deuteronomy 5:8-9.
Reflection Questions
- What are some modern-day idols that we may be unknowingly worshiping, and how can we identify them in our lives?
- How can we apply the warning in Jeremiah 10:2 to our daily lives, avoiding the customs and practices of the world that may lead us astray?
- What does it mean to trust in the power and might of the Lord, as stated in Jeremiah 10:6, and how can we cultivate this trust in our own lives?
- In what ways can we be tempted to give power and value to things that are worthless, like the idols in Jeremiah 10:4, and how can we resist this temptation?
Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 10:4
They deck it with silver and with gold,.... Cover it with plates of silver and gold, for the sake of ornament, that it may look grand, majestic, and venerable; and by this means draw the eye and
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 10:4
They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 10:4
A further description of their workmanship, having no other comeliness but what they confer upon it, and they no greater security or certainty of it than as they can with hammer and nail make it fast, and fix it to some place, the wooden god being not able to preserve itself from falling; therefore it is rather to be meant of fastening to some wall or pillar, than of fastening their parts together, because they seem to be cut out of one entire piece, and therefore need it not.
Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 10:4
Jeremiah 10:4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.Ver. 4. They deck it with silver and with gold.] Gild it over to make it sightly; goodly gods there while. See Isaiah 4:4. That it move not.] Ut non amittat, saith Tremellius: that it lose not the cost bestowed upon it.
Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 10:4
4. The idol is covered with plates of silver and gold, and secured to its place. move] lit. shake. Cp. Isaiah 40:20; Isaiah 41:7.
Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 10:4
They deck it - It was covered with plates of gold and silver, and then fastened with nails in its place, that it might not “more, i. e.” tumble down. The agreement in this and the following verses with the argument in Isa.
Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 10:4
THE OF THE FALSE GODS, Jeremiah 10:1-5.Several eminent German critics have pronounced against the genuineness of the first sixteen verses of this chapter. Among these is the scholarly and evangelical Nagelsbach.
Sermons on Jeremiah 10:4
| Sermon | Description | |
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Worship and Witness by Alan Redpath | In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the parable of the sower from the eighth chapter of the gospel of Luke. He emphasizes the contrast between those who receive the word of God |
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Anatomy of a Prophetic Word by David Ravenhill | David Ravenhill discusses the importance of understanding the prophetic word, emphasizing the need for a balance between the Word of God and the Spirit of God. He highlights the co |
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Broken Cisterns by Chuck Smith | This sermon emphasizes the importance of worshiping the true and living God, highlighting the dangers of seeking fulfillment in broken cisterns, which represent false beliefs and i |
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The Worship of False Gods by Chuck Smith | This sermon delves into the concept of worship and the nature of false gods that people create, such as the pursuit of recognition, pleasure, money, and sex. It emphasizes the impo |
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Man Made God's by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the tragic truth that many people are caught up in idol worship, specifically idols made of silver and gold. He references the book of Deuter |
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(Through the Bible) Ezekiel 11-15 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that society today is not like the Victorian age or a puritan society. He warns against forsaking God's commandments and living like the peo |
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Unreached Peoples: The Drokpa People of the Himalayas by Paul Hattaway | This sermon delves into the unique traditions and lifestyle of the Drogpa people, who live in a fruitful yet isolated area, practicing ancient customs and idol worship. Despite the |