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New Defender's Study Bible Notes
10:7 King of nations. God is not only King of Israel, but King of all nations (i.e., the Gentiles). This unique title is only used here, but the truth appears repeatedly (e.g., Psalm 47:2).
10:11 The gods. Unlike all the rest of the book of Jeremiah, this verse was written in Aramaic instead of Hebrew. Addressed, to the pagan nations, the verse climaxes God’s indictment against idolatry. The only true and living God is the God who created heaven and earth.
10:12 stretched out the heavens. The infinite extent of the starry universe has indeed been “stretched out.” Even today, with our giant telescopes, men have not been able to see any end to it.
10:13 waters in the heavens. Jeremiah 10:12-13 is repeated in Jeremiah 51:15-16, and Jeremiah 10:13 is partially repeated in Psalm 135:7. All three indicate a sound scientific concept of the atmospheric phase of the hydrologic cycle, involving the worldwide processes of evaporation, translation aloft by atmospheric circulation, condensation with electrical discharges, and precipitation.
10:16 former of all things. That is, the One who is Jacob’s Portion (meaning his inheritance) is the One who has formed all things.
10:23 man that walketh. No matter how intelligent, strong, or rich a man may be (note Jeremiah 9:23-24), he cannot control his own destiny, or even make reliable decisions day by day. If his “way” is to point toward the eternal ministry God had planned for him, he must continually seek and follow God’s leading. “Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?” (Proverbs 20:24). “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and He delighteth in his way” (Psalm 37:23).