The Meaning of Jeremiah 10:16 Explained

Jeremiah 10:16

KJV: The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name.

YLT: Not like these is the Portion of Jacob, For framer of all things is He, And Israel is the rod of His inheritance, Jehovah of Hosts is His name.

Darby: The portion of Jacob is not like them; for it is he that hath formed all things, and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.

ASV: The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The portion  of Jacob  [is] not like them: for he [is] the former  of all [things]; and Israel  [is] the rod  of his inheritance:  The LORD  of hosts  [is] his name. 

What does Jeremiah 10:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Yahweh, the God who gave Himself in a special relationship to such an unworthy person as Jacob, is not like the idols because He is the Creator. He adopted Israel as His special treasure among the nations ( Exodus 19:5-6). He is Yahweh Almighty.

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 10:16 mean?

[is] not like these the Portion of Jacob for the Maker of all [things] He [is] and Israel [is] the tribe of His inheritance Yahweh of hosts [is] His name -
לֹֽא־ כְאֵ֜לֶּה חֵ֣לֶק יַעֲקֹ֗ב כִּֽי־ יוֹצֵ֤ר הַכֹּל֙ ה֔וּא וְיִ֨שְׂרָאֵ֔ל שֵׁ֖בֶט נַֽחֲלָת֑וֹ יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמֽוֹ ס

לֹֽא־  [is]  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
כְאֵ֜לֶּה  like  these 
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
חֵ֣לֶק  the  Portion 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֵלֶק 
Sense: portion, share, part, territory.
יַעֲקֹ֗ב  of  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
יוֹצֵ֤ר  the  Maker 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄוצֵר 
Sense: to form, fashion, frame.
הַכֹּל֙  of  all  [things] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
ה֔וּא  He  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וְיִ֨שְׂרָאֵ֔ל  and  Israel  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
שֵׁ֖בֶט  the  tribe 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁבֶט  
Sense: rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe.
נַֽחֲלָת֑וֹ  of  His  inheritance 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נַחֲלָה  
Sense: possession, property, inheritance, heritage.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֖וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
שְׁמֽוֹ  [is]  His  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation