The Meaning of Jeremiah 10:10 Explained

Jeremiah 10:10

KJV: But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

YLT: And Jehovah is a God of truth, He is a living God, and a king age-during, From His wrath shake doth the earth, And nations endure not His indignation.

Darby: But Jehovah Elohim is truth; he is the living God, and the King of eternity. At his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations cannot abide his indignation.

ASV: But Jehovah is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But the LORD  [is] the true  God,  he [is] the living  God,  and an everlasting  king:  at his wrath  the earth  shall tremble,  and the nations  shall not be able to abide  his indignation. 

What does Jeremiah 10:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Yahweh is the true God; idols are false gods. He is alive; they are dead, really nonexistent. He is the King who lives forever; they are only temporary and destructible. He controls the earth and makes it quake when He is angry; they have no power at all. The nations are unable to endure His indignation when He manifests it; the idols have no indignation and are impotent to manifest any feelings whatsoever.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 10:1-10 - The Folly Of Idolatry
Jeremiah 10:1-10
We are here introduced into an idol-factory. Contrasted with the manufactured idols is the majesty of our God. There is none like Him. His name is great in might; He is the King of the nations, the true and living God, and the everlasting King! Christian, fear not or be dismayed when enemies plot against you. It is a vain device that they frame. To hide in God is a sure defence from all that man can do for our hurt. O thou true and living Savior, in thy wounds harried and faithful souls become strong and brave again.
Jeremiah 10:19-25
The prophet now bids the people prepare for their captivity. Their city would be as when a shepherd removed his slight and insubstantial tent, leaving no trace. But Jeremiah's soul is lacerated and torn with the message he must needs announce. Are we called to be shepherds? Let us see to it that we seek the Lord; so only shall our flocks not be scattered, Jeremiah 10:21. Are we in perplexity as to our path in life? It is not for us to direct ourselves, but to look up for God's sure guidance, which will be given to the soul that waits for it, Jeremiah 10:23. Are we being corrected? Let us be patient; it is only when we endure without complaining that our trial works out the highest good, and God will not give us more than we can bear, Jeremiah 10:24. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 10

1  The unequal comparison of God and idols
17  The prophet exhorts to flee from the calamity to come
19  He laments the spoil of the tabernacle by foolish pastors
23  He makes an humble supplication

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 10:10 mean?

But Yahweh [is] the God TRUE He [is] the God living and the King Everlasting at His wrath will tremble the earth and not will be able to endure the nations His indignation -
וַֽיהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ אֱמֶ֔ת הֽוּא־ אֱלֹהִ֥ים חַיִּ֖ים וּמֶ֣לֶךְ עוֹלָ֑ם מִקִּצְפּוֹ֙ תִּרְעַ֣שׁ הָאָ֔רֶץ וְלֹֽא־ יָכִ֥לוּ גוֹיִ֖ם זַעְמֽוֹ ס

וַֽיהוָ֤ה  But  Yahweh  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהִים֙  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֱמֶ֔ת  TRUE 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֱמֶת  
Sense: firmness, faithfulness, truth.
הֽוּא־  He  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
אֱלֹהִ֥ים  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
חַיִּ֖ים  living 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
וּמֶ֣לֶךְ  and  the  King 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
עוֹלָ֑ם  Everlasting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
מִקִּצְפּוֹ֙  at  His  wrath 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֶצֶף 
Sense: wrath, anger.
תִּרְעַ֣שׁ  will  tremble 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: רָעַשׁ 
Sense: to quake, shake.
הָאָ֔רֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָכִ֥לוּ  will  be  able  to  endure 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: כּוּל  
Sense: to seize, contain, measure.
גוֹיִ֖ם  the  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
זַעְמֽוֹ  His  indignation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זַעַם  
Sense: anger, indignation.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation