---
title: "Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations, Volume 2"
author: "John Calvin"
translator: "John Owen"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 75 of 84
url: https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-jeremiah-and-lamentations-volume-2/75/
cite: "John Calvin, tr. John Owen, Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations, Volume 2, section 75. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-jeremiah-and-lamentations-volume-2/75/"
---

# Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations, Volume 2

*John Calvin, tr. John Owen*

Calvin on Jeremiah and Lamentations, volume 2 of 5.

## 75. Chapter 10

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-jeremiah-and-lamentations-volume-2/75/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/john-calvin-commentary-on-jeremiah-and-lamentations-volume-2/75/#p-N

[¶0] 1 Hear ye the word which Jehovah speaks to you, O house of Israel:

[¶1] 2 Thus saith Jehovah, — The way of the Gentiles learn not, And of the signs of heaven be not afraid, For fear them do the Gentiles:

[¶2] 3 Because the rites of the heathens are vanity, For a tree from the forest does one cut — The work of the craftsman’s hands by the ax;

[¶3] 4 With silver and gold they beautify it, With nails and hammer they make it fast, That it should not move;

[¶4] 5 As a palm, erect, but they speak not; And being raised, they are raised, for they cannot walk: Fear them not, for they cannot do evil, And to do good is not in their power. (2:14)

[¶5] 6 From no time has been found any Like thee, Jehovah; great art thou, And great is thy name in power.

[¶6] 7 Who should not fear thee, king of nations? For to thee this belongs; For among all the wise of the nations, And in all their kingdoms, From no time has there been one like thee. (2:28)

[¶7] 8 Even in this one thing they are foolish and fatuitous — The teaching of vanities the wood is:

[¶8] 9 Silver, extended, is from Tarshish brought, And gold from Ophas, — The work of the artificer and of the melter’s hands; Hyacinth and purple are their garments, The work of the wise, all of them.

[¶9] 10 But Jehovah is God, the truth, God, the life and the king of ages: Through his fury tremble will the earth, And the nations will not bear his wrath.

[¶10] 11 Thus shall ye say to them, — The gods who made not the heaven and the earth, Let them perish from the earth and from under heaven:

[¶11] 12 He who made the earth by his power, Who set in order the world by his wisdom, And by his understanding extended the heavens, —

[¶12] 13 At his voice there is abundance of waters in the heavens, And he makes vapors to ascend from the extremity of the earth; Lightnings he makes for rain, And brings the wind from his treasures. (2:31)

[¶13] 14 Foolish is every man through his knowledge, Ashamed is every maker of the graven image, For a falsehood is the molten image, And there is no breath in them.

[¶14] 15 Vanity they are, the work of illusions; At the time of their visitation they shall perish.

[¶15] 16 But not like them is the portion of Jacob, For the Creator of all things is he, And Israel is the rod of his inheritance; Jehovah of hosts is his name.

[¶16] 17 Gather from the land thy treasures Thou who dwellest in a fortress:

[¶17] 18 For thus saith Jehovah, — Behold! will cast out as with a sling The inhabitants of the land at this time, And I will straiten them, That they may find what they deserve.

[¶18] 19 Woe is me on account of my bruising! Full of pain is the smiting given to me! and I said, — Surely it is my stroke, and I will bear it:

[¶19] 20 My tent is pulled down, And all my cords are broken; My sons are gone from me, and there are none — No one to extend any more my tent, And to set up my curtains!

[¶20] 21 For infatuated are the pastors, And Jehovah have they not sought; Therefore have they not prospered, And all that was in their pastures has been destroyed.

[¶21] 22 A sound of rumor! lo, it comes, And a great tumult, from the land of the north, To make the cities of Judah a waste, The habitation of dragons!

[¶22] 23 I know Jehovah, That his way is not in the power of man, That it is not in man who walketh to guide his steps.

[¶23] 24 Chastise me, Jehovah, but only in moderation; Not in thy wrath, lest thou shouldest consume me:

[¶24] 25 Pour thy wrath on the nations, who know thee not, And on the families who have not called on thy name; For they have devoured Jacob, Yea, they have devoured and consumed him, And his tents have they laid waste.