Jeremiah 10:23 Meaning: Who Holds Your Steps?
Yahweh, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
I have known, O Jehovah, that not of man is his way, Not of man the going and establishing of his step.
I know, Jehovah, that the way of man is not his own; it is not in a man that walketh to direct his steps.
Meaning in one sentence
Jeremiah 10:23 teaches that while we make choices, our steps are ultimately directed by God. What does this mean for daily life?
Context
Jeremiah is speaking in the final years of Judah. Babylon is on the march, and the nation’s own plans have failed. In chapter 10 the prophet contrasts the living God with idols that cannot walk or speak. By verse 23 the tone shifts from warning to confession. The people have trusted their own wisdom, their alliances with Egypt, their false prophets. Now Jeremiah admits what they should have known all along: they cannot steer their own lives. The disaster is not something they can outrun by cleverness. This verse is a humble acknowledgment, spoken on behalf of the whole nation, that human direction gives way to God’s purposes.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words carry the weight of this verse. The first is yada, ‘I know.’ It is not head knowledge. Jeremiah knows from hard experience: he has watched his own warnings fall on deaf ears, seen leaders make choices that led to ruin. He knows that people do not hold their own lives.
The second word is derekh, ‘way.’ It means a road, a journey, the whole direction a person takes. The verse says this way is lo la’adam, not belonging to a person. You do not own your path. It is given, not chosen at the deepest level.
The third word is hakkin, from kun, ‘to establish or make firm.’ It is the same word used when God ‘establishes’ the heavens or ‘directs’ a king’s heart. The verse says a person cannot establish his own tsa’ad, his steps, one stride at a time. Not just the big life decisions but the next footfall. We do not even own that.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have read this verse in different ways. The Reformed tradition sees it as a statement of God’s sovereignty over every human action, not only the outcome but the choice itself. Wesleyan and Arminian readers hear it as a warning against self-reliance, especially in times of judgment; they hold that humans do make real choices but cannot secure the results. Catholic teaching often pairs this verse with Proverbs 16:9 (‘The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps’), seeing both human freedom and divine ordering. All traditions agree that the verse humbles our pride and calls us to trust God with our path.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that this verse denies free will entirely, that our choices do not matter. In fact, the verse does not say we do not choose. It says we do not determine the outcome. Jeremiah makes decisions, prays, warns the people, yet he cannot control whether they listen or where the disaster takes them. The verse is about who holds the results, not about whether we decide. We plan; God directs.
Living This Out
This week, before you send that email, decide on a job, or even just plan your evening, pause and say quietly: ‘Lord, I do not know how this will turn out.’ Let that admission shape your inner posture. Plan carefully, the Bible does not forbid planning, but hold your plans with open hands. The verse frees you from pretending you are in charge. Your next step is not your own; the One who holds it can be trusted.
Main takeaway: Your way is not your own, and the God who made you holds every step you take.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God knows which way you should go. You can ask Him to help you take the right steps.
For ages 9, 12
This verse says we don’t control where our lives end up, even when we make our own choices. That might sound scary, but it is actually freeing. It means when your plans change or something unexpected happens, you don’t have to panic. God is the one directing your steps, and He knows the whole path.
Questions People Ask
Does Jeremiah 10:23 mean we have no free will?
The verse does not say we do not make choices. It says the outcome and direction of our life are not within our own control. Christians have disagreed on how far this extends, but all agree the verse calls for humility, not passivity.
What is the context of Jeremiah 10:23?
Jeremiah is speaking during the final days of Judah before the Babylonian invasion. The people had trusted their own plans and false gods. In verse 23 the prophet confesses that human direction cannot override God’s purposes. It is part of a larger prayer for mercy.
How is Jeremiah 10:23 different from Proverbs 16:9?
Proverbs 16:9 says, 'A man’s heart plans his way, but Yahweh directs his steps.' It presents both human planning and divine direction. Jeremiah 10:23 goes further: it says the way itself is not in man, meaning we do not even own the path we want to take.
Should we stop making plans because of this verse?
No. The Bible consistently shows godly people making plans. What the verse warns against is the pride that thinks we can guarantee how things will turn out. Plan wisely, but hold your plans humbly, ready for God to redirect.
What does 'the way of man is not in himself' mean?
It means a person does not possess or control the direction of their own life. The word 'way' (derekh) refers to one’s whole course of life, not just a single decision. Jeremiah is saying that ultimate direction belongs to God, not to us.
For pastors & researchers
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