Jeremiah 10


Jeremiah 10 is the tenth chapter of the Book of Jeremiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains prophecies attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, and is one of the Books of the Prophets.

Text

The original text was written in Hebrew language, except for verse 11 written entirely in Aramaic language. This chapter is divided into 25 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis, the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets, Aleppo Codex, Codex Leningradensis. Some fragments containing parts of this chapter were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, i.e., 4QJera with extant verses 9‑14, 23, 4QJerb with extant verses 1–5, 9, 11–21, and 4QJerc with extant verses 12‑13.
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Marchalianus. The Septuagint version doesn't contain parts what are generally known to be verses 6-8 and 10 in Christian Bibles.

Parashot

The parashah sections listed here are based on the Aleppo Codex. Jeremiah 10 is a part of the Fourth prophecy in the section of Prophecies of Destruction . : open parashah; : closed parashah.

The Sovereignty of God (10:1–16)

Verse 9

This verse is repositioned within verse 4 in the Jerusalem Bible.

Verse 11

Verse 11 in Aramaic and Hebrew

Original text
Transliteration of the Aramaic text
Hebrew translation for comparison:
Transliteration of the Hebrew text

Verse 11 Analysis

This is the only verse in the book of Jeremiah not written in Hebrew, but in Aramaic or Chaldean, the language which was commonly spoken in Babylonia in 6th century BC. Biblical scholars Michael Coogan et al. state that it is "a gloss in Aramaic". It is shown as a textual insert by the New International and New King James versions. The Targum of Jeremiah states that this verse is instructing the exiled Jews on how to respond in the face of idolatrous temptations as a part of a letter sent to the elders in exile, starting Jeremiah 10:11 with:
Garnett Reid writes that Jeremiah 10:11 is a summary of the Jews’ theology “designed as a kerygmatic challenge they are to deliver to their Babylonian captors”, placing the Babylonians on notice with this lone Aramaic statement in the prophecy.

Verse 13

  • Cross reference: Psalm 135:7
Jeremiah reminded the people that God has control of nature and their ongoing life.

The coming captivity of Judah (10:17–25)

The temporal threshold of exile is dramatically voiced by at least two
speakers:
  1. YHWH announcing the exile and the siege.
  2. Daughter Zion lamenting her fate and pleading YHWH for justice.
The voice in verses 24–25 speaking from exile that YHWH, in turn, would 'punish those who have devastated Israel, if Israel repents'.

Jewish

  • Christian

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