Jeremiah 10 · Verse 23

Jeremiah 10:23

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Jeremiah 10:23, King James Version

Jeremiah 10:23 in other translations

BSBI know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not his own; no one who walks directs his own steps.
WEBLORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
ASVO Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
YLTI have known, O Jehovah, that not of man is his way, Not of man the going and establishing of his step.
DARBYI know, Jehovah, that the way of man is not his own; it is not in a man that walketh to direct his steps.
BBEO Lord, I am conscious that a man's way is not in himself: man has no power of guiding his steps.
WebsterO LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

What does Jeremiah 10:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
23. Despairing of influencing the people, he turns to God. way of man not in himself--(Pr 16:1; 20:24; Jas 4:13, 14). I know, O Jehovah, that the march of the Babylonian conqueror against me (Jeremiah identifying himself with his people) is not at his own discretion, but is overruled by Thee (Is 10:5-7; compare Jr 10:19). that walketh--when he walketh, that is, sets out in any undertaking. direct ... steps--to give a prosperous issue to (Psa 73:23).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself - I will not pretend to dispute with thee; thou dost every thing wisely and justly; we have sinned, and thou hast a right to punish; and to choose that sort of punishment thou thinkest will best answer the ends of justice. We cannot choose; thou hast appointed us to captivity; we must not repine: yet,

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 10:17-25

The Jews who continued in their own land, felt secure. But, sooner or later, sinners will find all things as the word of God has declared, and that its threatenings are not empty terrors. Submission will support the believer under every grief allotted to him; but what can render the load of Divine vengeance easy to be borne by those who fall under it in sullen despair? Those cannot expect to prosper, who do not, by…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 10:17-25 →

Jeremiah 10:23 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

יָדַ֣עְתִּיya.Da'.tiI knowH3045
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehO YahwehH3068
כִּ֛יkithatH3588
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
לָאָדָ֖םla.'a.Dam[belongs] to <the> personH120
דַּרְכּ֑וֹdar.Koway hisH1870
לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808
לְאִ֣ישׁle.'Ish[belongs] to a personH376
הֹלֵ֔ךְho.Lekh[who] walksH1980
וְהָכִ֖יןve.ha.Khin<and> to directH3559
אֶֽת\־'et-<obj.>H853
צַעֲדֽוֹ\׃tza.'a.Dostep[s] hisH6806

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 10:23

  • Proverbs 20:24

    Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?

  • Psalms 37:23

    The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

  • Proverbs 16:1

    The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord.

  • Psalms 119:116-117

    Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

  • Psalms 17:5

    Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ps 17:5; 37:23; 119:116,117; Pr 16:1; 20:24

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 10:22

    Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.

  • Jeremiah 10:23

    O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

  • Jeremiah 10:24

    O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

Read all of Jeremiah 10

Jeremiah 10:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Conozco, oh Jehová, que el hombre no es señor de su camino, ni del hombre que camina es ordenar sus pasos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Je sais, Éternel, que la voie de l’homme n’est pas à lui, qu’il n’est pas au pouvoir de l’homme qui marche de diriger ses pas.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich weiß, Jehova, daß nicht beim Menschen sein Weg steht, nicht bei dem Manne, der da wandelt, seinen Gang zu richten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Scio, Domine, quia non est hominis via ejus, nec viri est ut ambulet, et dirigat gressus suos.