Jeremiah 10:5
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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The surprising insight here is that idols are compared to scarecrows in a cucumber field, emphasizing their utter uselessness. Not only can they not speak or walk, but they are fundamentally incapable of doing either evil or good, stripping away any power or authority they might seem to have.
Jeremiah is launching into a powerful condemnation of idolatry, contrasting the impotence of lifeless statues with the power of the living God. He likens these idols to useless scarecrows in a field, unable to move, speak, or even act for themselves, highlighting their utter dependence on human hands. This imagery serves to expose the foolishness of trusting in anything other than the Creator.
Why would the prophet compare powerful deities to something so utterly useless and even comical? What does this image reveal about the true nature of idols?
Jeremiah uses a striking, down-to-earth image: idols are like scarecrows.
Useless and Helpless
Scarecrows are set up to look imposing, to scare away birds from a garden. But they have no real power. They can't move, they can't speak, they can't act. They are made by human hands, and they remain exactly where they are placed.
Stripped of Power
The prophet wants us to see that the idols people were worshipping were no different. They might be decorated with gold and silver, set up proudly, but they were utterly inert. They couldn't protect their worshipers, they couldn't provide for them, and they couldn't even move themselves.
This comparison demolishes any sense of awe or power that people might have attributed to these statues. They were just objects, no more capable than a garden decoration.
Imagine carrying around your most powerful protector. What does that tell you about its real capabilities? Jeremiah drives home the point of idol's powerlessness with another simple observation.
Jeremiah emphasizes the utter dependence of these idols on human effort.
The Burden of Idolatry
"They have to be carried, for they cannot walk." This isn't just a description; it's a profound commentary on the relationship between the worshipper and the worshipped.
Understand the original words
atsab · Hebrew Noun
Representations of false gods, typically crafted from created materials, intended to be objects of worship but devoid of divine life or power.
ra' · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
In biblical terms, the rejection of God's sovereignty; it represents active moral wrongdoing or the capacity to inflict harm and suffering.
towb · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
Moral uprightness, excellence of character, or beneficial actions performed in accordance with God's will.
Jeremiah's vivid description of idols as helpless, inanimate objects highlights the stark contrast between the powerless gods of surrounding nations and the living, sovereign God of Israel, especially poignant for the Judeans experiencing the devastation of exile and the perceived abandonment by their own deities.
c. 7th century BC
Rise of Assyrian and Babylonian Influence
The Neo-Assyrian and later Neo-Babylonian empires exerted significant political and cultural influence over Judah, introducing various religious practices and idol worship from conquered regions.
c. 626-609 BC
Josiah's Religious Reforms
King Josiah of Judah implemented extensive religious reforms aimed at centralizing worship in Jerusalem and eradicating idolatry and foreign religious practices.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Following a victory over Egyptian and Assyrian forces, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon began deporting prominent Judeans, including members of the royal family and skilled individuals, to Babylon.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another wave of deportations occurred under Nebuchadnezzar, further weakening Jerusalem and leading more Judeans into exile, exposing them directly to Babylonian religious customs.
This passage describes the same foolishness of idol making, highlighting how the craftsman uses part of a tree for himself and carves the rest into an idol that cannot help, drawing a direct parallel to Jeremiah's critique.
Psalm 115:4-7This psalm echoes Jeremiah's description of idols, stating they have mouths but cannot speak, eyes but cannot see, hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, emphasizing their lifelessness.
Isaiah 45:20This verse challenges those who worship idols, asking who has ever heard of such things, and contrasting their silent, powerless idols with the Lord who declares righteousness and salvation.
This apocryphal text, often called the 'Letter of Jeremiah,' explicitly compares idols to scarecrows in a garden, directly mirroring Jeremiah 10:5 and detailing their inability to move or speak.
clarkeJeremiah 10:5: "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."
They are upright as the palm tree - As straight and as stiff as the trees out of which they are hewn.
calvinJeremiah 10:4-5: "They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not."
- Sicuti palma aequalis (hoc est, stat effigies illa aequalis tanquam palma, id est, assurgit in rectitudinem;) et non loquuntur; et tollendo tolluntur, quia non ambulabunt (hoc est, non possunt ambulare:) ne timeatis ab illis; quia non male faciunt, atque etiam bene facere non penes ipsos.
He goes on with the same subject, and borrows his words from the forty -- fourth cha…
The surprising insight here is that idols are compared to scarecrows in a cucumber field, emphasizing their utter uselessness. Not only can they not speak or walk, but they are fundamentally incapable of doing either evil or good, stripping away any power or authority they might seem to have.
Jeremiah is launching into a powerful condemnation of idolatry, contrasting the impotence of lifeless statues with the power of the living God. He likens these idols to useless scarecrows in a field, unable to move, speak, or even act for themselves, highlighting their utter dependence on human hands. This imagery serves to expose the foolishness of trusting in anything other than the Creator.
Jeremiah is launching into a powerful condemnation of idolatry, contrasting the impotence of lifeless statues with the power of the living God. He likens these idols to useless scarecrows in a field, unable to move, speak, or even act for themselves, highlighting their utter dependence on human hands. This imagery serves to expose the foolishness of trusting in anything other than the Creator.
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This is the opposite of how it should be with God. He is the one who carries His people, provides strength, and leads the way. Idols, however, are a constant, heavy reminder of human limitation and the futility of seeking true help from lifeless objects.
The verse delivers a sharp, dual-edged conclusion about idols. What does it mean for them to be unable to do either good or evil? Why is this distinction so crucial for understanding true worship?
Jeremiah dismantles any remaining illusion about the idols' power by stating they are incapable of either positive or negative action.
No Threat, No Help
"Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”
The True God's Distinction
This stands in stark contrast to the living God, who can judge and can bless, and whose actions are righteous and purposeful. God alone has the true power to act in the world, to bring about justice, and to offer salvation. To attribute such power to lifeless idols is the height of folly.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the majority of the population. This catastrophic event marked the end of the Judean monarchy and intensified the need for spiritual guidance and understanding of God's faithfulness in exile.
c. 586-539 BC
Exile in Babylon
During the Babylonian exile, Jeremiah's prophetic messages continued to resonate, addressing the spiritual condition of the exiles and condemning the idolatry they encountered or had practiced.
"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…" — The surprising insight here is that idols are compared to scarecrows in a cucumber field, emphasizing their utter uselessness. Not only can they not speak or walk, but they are fundamentally incapabl…
