Jeremiah 10:1
Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
Original Language Analysis
שִׁמְע֣וּ
Hear
H8085
שִׁמְע֣וּ
Hear
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
1 of 9
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
2 of 9
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
הַדָּבָ֗ר
ye the word
H1697
הַדָּבָ֗ר
ye the word
Strong's:
H1697
Word #:
3 of 9
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
4 of 9
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
דִּבֶּ֧ר
speaketh
H1696
דִּבֶּ֧ר
speaketh
Strong's:
H1696
Word #:
5 of 9
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
יְהוָ֛ה
which the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֛ה
which the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
6 of 9
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם
H5921
עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
7 of 9
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
Historical Context
This chapter may have been composed during the exile or shortly before, addressing the temptation to worship Babylonian gods whose power seemed demonstrated by their victory over Judah. The exiles needed reassurance that YHWH remained the true God despite Jerusalem's fall. Similar anti-idol polemic appears in Isaiah's later chapters and Daniel's accounts of Babylonian religious practice.
Questions for Reflection
- Why does God begin this oracle with a command to 'hear,' and what does this demand from the audience?
- How does the contrast between YHWH and idols address the theological crisis caused by Jerusalem's fall?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
This verse opens a new oracle: 'Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel.' The Hebrew shim'u (שִׁמְעוּ, hear) with eth-haddavar (אֶת־הַדָּבָר, the word) emphasizes attentive obedience to divine revelation. This verse introduces an extended polemic against idolatry, contrasting the true God with worthless idols. The address to 'house of Israel' encompasses the entire covenant people, though by Jeremiah's time it primarily meant Judah. The chapter's theme—the incomparability of YHWH versus the nothingness of idols—resonates throughout prophetic literature, especially Isaiah 40-48.