But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
Parallel translations
- WEB But they are together brutish and foolish, instructed by idols! It is just wood.
- BSB But they are altogether senseless and foolish, instructed by worthless idols made of wood!
- NKJV But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish; A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.
- NASB But they are altogether stupid and foolish; The instruction from idols is nothing but wood!
- NLT People who worship idols are stupid and foolish. The things they worship are made of wood!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Idol-worshipers are dull and foolish, instructed by gods that are nothing but wood. Trusting idols makes people as senseless as the idols themselves.
Overview
Yahweh declares that those taught by idols are 'brutish and foolish,' for their teacher 'is just wood.' Worshipers come to resemble the empty things they trust. The verse warns that idolatry corrupts the worshiper's own understanding, while pointing by contrast to the wisdom and life that come from knowing the true and living God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Jer 10:14Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
- Zech 10:2For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.
- Ps 135:18They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.
- Hab 2:18What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?
- Ps 115:8They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
- Rom 1:21–22Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
- Jer 51:17–18Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
- Isa 41:29Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.
- Jer 2:27Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
- Jer 4:22For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
- Isa 44:19And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
- Hos 4:12My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 10:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.