12 He has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens:
Who alone stretches out the heavens, Treads on the waves of the sea;
In the beginning God{After "God," the Hebrew has the two letters "Aleph Tav" (the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet) as a grammatical marker.} created the heavens and the earth.
He has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens: when he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes lightnings for the rain, and brings forth the wind out of his treasuries. Every man is become brutish [and is] without knowledge; every goldsmith is disappointed by his image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and [Israel] is the tribe of his inheritance: Yahweh of Hosts is his name.
For thus says Yahweh who created the heavens, the God who formed the earth and made it, who established it and didn't create it a waste, who formed it to be inhabited: I am Yahweh; and there is no one else.
Praise him, you heavens of heavens, You waters that are above the heavens. Let them praise the name of Yahweh, For he commanded, and they were created.
He built his sanctuary like the heights, Like the earth which he has established forever.
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding. Who determined the measures of it, if you know? Or who stretched the line on it? Whereupon were the foundations of it fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Thus says Yahweh, In an acceptable time have I answered you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage:
For by him were all things created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.
An oracle. The word of Yahweh concerning Israel. Yahweh, who stretches out the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him says:
Ah Lord Yahweh! behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm; there is nothing too hard for you,
God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse, and it was so. God called the expanse sky. There was evening and there was morning, a second day. God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear," and it was so.
Yes, my hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spread out the heavens: when I call to them, they stand up together.
Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb: I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who stretches forth the heavens alone; who spreads abroad the earth (who is with me?);
Thus says God Yahweh, he who created the heavens, and stretched them forth; he who spread abroad the earth and that which comes out of it; he who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk therein:
Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in Yahweh, his God: Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever;
To him who by understanding made the heavens; For his loving kindness endures forever: To him who spread out the earth above the waters; For his loving kindness endures forever:
Yahweh, how many are your works! In wisdom have you made them all. The earth is full of your riches.
He covers himself with light as with a garment. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
By Yahweh's word the heavens were made; All their host by the breath of his mouth.
For he has founded it on the seas, And established it on the floods.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Jeremiah 10
Commentary on Jeremiah 10 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 10
We may conjecture that the prophecy of this chapter was delivered after the first captivity, in the time of Jeconiah or Jehoiachin, when many were carried away to Babylon; for it has a double reference:-
Jer 10:1-16
The prophet Isaiah, when he prophesied of the captivity in Babylon, added warnings against idolatry and largely exposed the sottishness of idolaters, not only because the temptations in Babylon would be in danger of drawing the Jews there to idolatry, but because the afflictions in Babylon were designed to cure them of their idolatry. Thus the prophet Jeremiah here arms people against the idolatrous usages and customs of the heathen, not only for the use of those that had gone to Babylon, but of those also that staid behind, that being convinced and reclaimed, by the word of God, the rod might be prevented; and it is written for our learning. Observe here,
Jer 10:17-25
In these verses,