Jeremiah 10:5
New International Version
Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.”

New Living Translation
Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field! They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.”

English Standard Version
Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”

Berean Standard Bible
Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”

King James Bible
They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

New King James Version
They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good.”

New American Standard Bible
“They are like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, For they can do no harm, Nor can they do any good.”

NASB 1995
“Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, For they can do no harm, Nor can they do any good.”

NASB 1977
“Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, For they can do no harm, Nor can they do any good.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, And they cannot speak; They must be carried Because they cannot take a step! Do not fear them, For they can do no harm, Nor can they do any good.”

Amplified Bible
“They are like scarecrows in a cucumber field; They cannot speak; They have to be carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not be afraid of them, For they can do no harm or evil, Nor can they do any good.”

Christian Standard Bible
Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them for they can do no harm — and they cannot do any good.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them for they can do no harm— and they cannot do any good.

American Standard Version
They are like a palm-tree, of turned work, and speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
They stand like palm trees and they do not speak; certainly they move them because they do not walk. You shall not be in awe of them, because they do no evil, neither do good’

Brenton Septuagint Translation
they will set them up that they may not move; it is wrought silver, they will not walk, it is forged silver They must certainly be borne, for they cannot ride of themselves. Fear them not; for they cannot do any evil, and there is no good in them.

Contemporary English Version
An idol is no better than a scarecrow. It can't speak, and it has to be carried, because it can't walk. Why worship an idol that can't help or harm you?

Douay-Rheims Bible
They are framed after the likeness of a palm tree, and shall not speak: they must be carried to be removed, because they cannot go. Therefore, fear them not, for they can neither do evil nor good.

English Revised Version
They are like a palm tree, of turned work, and speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
These trees are like scarecrows in cucumber gardens. They aren't able to speak. They have to be carried, because they can't walk. Don't be afraid of them. They can't harm you. They can't do you any good either.

Good News Translation
Such idols are like scarecrows in a field of melons; they cannot speak; they have to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them: they can cause you no harm, and they can do you no good."

International Standard Version
Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field. They can't speak! They must always be carried because they can't walk! Don't be afraid of them because they can do no harm, nor can they do any good."

JPS Tanakh 1917
They are like a pillar in a garden of cucumbers, and speak not; They must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, Neither is it in them to do good.

Literal Standard Version
They [are] stiff as a palm, and they do not speak, | They are surely carried, for they do not step, | Do not be afraid of them, for they do no evil, | Indeed, to do good is also not in them.”

Majority Standard Bible
Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”

New American Bible
Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, they cannot speak; They must be carried about, for they cannot walk. Do not fear them, they can do no harm, neither can they do good.

NET Bible
Such idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field. They cannot talk. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them because they cannot hurt you. And they do not have any power to help you."

New Revised Standard Version
Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor is it in them to do good.

New Heart English Bible
They are like a palm tree, of turned work, and do not speak: they must be carried, because they can't go. Do not be afraid of them; for they can't do evil, neither is it in them to do good."

Webster's Bible Translation
They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

World English Bible
They are like a palm tree, of turned work, and don’t speak. They must be carried, because they can’t move. Don’t be afraid of them; for they can’t do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”

Young's Literal Translation
As a palm they are stiff, and they speak not, They are surely borne, for they step not, Be not afraid of them, for they do no evil, Yea, also to do good is not in them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Sovereignty of God
4They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter. 5Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.” 6There is none like You, O LORD. You are great, and Your name is mighty in power.…

Cross References
1 Corinthians 12:2
You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.

1 Kings 18:26
And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.

Psalm 115:5
They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;

Psalm 115:7
they have hands, but cannot feel; they have feet, but cannot walk; they cannot even clear their throats.

Isaiah 41:23
Tell us the things that are to come, so that we may know that you are gods. Yes, do something good or evil, that we may look on together in dismay.

Isaiah 41:24
Behold, you are nothing and your work is of no value. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.

Isaiah 44:10
Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?


Treasury of Scripture

They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

speak.

Psalm 115:5-8
They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: …

Psalm 135:16-18
They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; …

Habakkuk 2:19
Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

be borne.

Isaiah 46:1,7
Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast

do evil.

Isaiah 41:23,24
Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together…

Isaiah 44:9,10
They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed…

Isaiah 45:20
Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

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Able Afraid Borne Carried Cucumber Cucumbers Evil Fear Field Garden Good Harm Idols Lifted Needs Palm Palm-Tree Pillar Plants Power Speak Step Stiff Tree Turned Upright Voice Walk Walking Work
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Able Afraid Borne Carried Cucumber Cucumbers Evil Fear Field Garden Good Harm Idols Lifted Needs Palm Palm-Tree Pillar Plants Power Speak Step Stiff Tree Turned Upright Voice Walk Walking Work
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.














(5) Upright as the palm tree.--Better, perhaps, A pillar in a garden of gourds are they. The Hebrew word translated "upright" has two very different, though not entirely unconnected, meanings--(1) "twisted, rounded, carved," and in this sense it is translated commonly as "beaten work" (Exodus 25:18; Exodus 25:31; Exodus 25:36), and is here applied (if we accept this meaning) to the twisted palm-like columns of a temple, to which the stiff, formal figure of the idol, with arms pressed close to the side, and none of the action which we find in Greek statues, is compared; (2) the other meaning adopted by many commentators is that of "a garden of gourds or cucumbers," and the word is so rendered in Isaiah 1:8. The comparison, in the so-called "Epistle of Jeremy" in the apocryphal book of Baruch (10:70), of an idol to "a scarecrow in a garden of cucumbers" shows that the latter meaning was the accepted one when that Epistle was written. The thought, on this view, is that the idol which the men of Judah were worshipping was like one of the "pillars" (so the word for "palm tree" is translated in Song of Solomon 3:6; Joel 2:30), the Hermes, or Priapus-figures which were placed by Greeks and Romans in gardens and orchards as scarecrows. Like figures appear to have been used by the Ph?nicians for the same purpose, and the practice, like the kindred worship of the Asherah, would seem to have been gaining ground even in Judah. . . . Verse 5. - They are upright as the palm tree; rather, they are like a pillar (i.e. a scarecrow) in a field of cucumbers. This is the interpretation given to our passage in Ver. 70 of the apocryphal Epistle o! Jeremiah (written in the Maccabean period, evidently with reference to our prophecy), and is much more striking than the rival translation, "like a palm tree of turned work," i.e. stiff, immovable (comp. Virgil, 'Georg.,' 4:110, 111; Horace, 'Sat.,' 1. 8, 1-4). They must needs be borne... they cannot do evil; a reminiscence, apparently, of Isaiah 46:7; Isaiah 41:23.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Like scarecrows
כְּתֹ֨מֶר (kə·ṯō·mer)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8560: Palm tree, post

in a cucumber patch,
מִקְשָׁ֥ה (miq·šāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4749: Rounded work, moulded by hammering

their idols
הֵ֙מָּה֙ (hêm·māh)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

cannot
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

speak.
יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ (yə·ḏab·bê·rū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

They must be carried
נָשׂ֥וֹא (nā·śō·w)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

because
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

they cannot
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

walk.
יִצְעָ֑דוּ (yiṣ·‘ā·ḏū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6805: To pace, step regularly, to mount, to march, to hurl

Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

fear
תִּֽירְא֤וּ (tî·rə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

them,
מֵהֶם֙ (mê·hem)
Preposition-m | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

for
כִּי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

they can do no
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

harm,
יָרֵ֔עוּ (yā·rê·‘ū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7489: To spoil, to make, good for, nothing, bad

and
וְגַם־ (wə·ḡam-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

neither can they
אֵ֥ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

do any good.”
הֵיטֵ֖יב (hê·ṭêḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 3190: To be good, well, glad, or pleasing


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 10:5 They are like a palm tree (Jer.)
Jeremiah 10:4
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