Jeremiah 10:7 · Bible study
Jeremiah 10:7 Commentary: Fear Belongs to the King of Nations
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore why the nations must fear God, the meaning of 'it belongs to You,' and the contrast with human wisdom in this rhetorical question.
Research Summary
- Meaning: No one should refuse fear to the King of nations because reverence is His due, and no human wisdom or power can compare to Him.
- Key words: Fear (Hebrew yare', reverence, awe); become (Hebrew ya'atah, to belong, be fitting); wise men (Hebrew chakham, skilled, shrewd); kingdom/royalty (Hebrew malkhut, royal power).
- Main debate: Whether “it” refers to fear, glory, or dominion; also whether the passage is an original part of Jeremiah or a later insertion (Cambridge Bible suggests exilic addition).
- Theological theme: God’s universal kingship and exclusive right to worship, in contrast to human pride and idolatry.
- Best use: Teaching the fear of God as a proper, reverential awe; preaching about God’s sovereignty over all nations and the futility of trusting human wisdom or power.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Who would not fear You, O King of nations? This is Your due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Who shouldn’t fear you, King of the nations? For it belongs to you. Because among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is no one like you.
KJV King James Version 1769
Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Who should not fear thee, O King of the nations? for to thee doth it appertain; forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is none like unto thee.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Who doth not fear Thee, king of the nations? For to Thee it is becoming, For among all the wise of the nations, And in all their kingdom there is none like Thee.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? For to thee doth it appertain; for among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Who shall not fear thee, O king of nations? for thine is the glory: among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms there is none like unto thee.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
¿ Quién no te temerá, oh Rey de las gentes? porque á ti compete ello; porque entre todos los sabios de las gentes, y en todos sus reinos, no hay semejante á ti.
Quem não temeria a ti, ó Rei das nações? Porque a ti pertence o temor ; porque entre todos os sábios das nações, e em todos seus reinos, não há semelhante a ti.
Qui ne te craindrait, roi des nations?
Wer sollte dich nicht fürchten, du König der Heiden? Dir sollte man gehorchen; denn es ist unter allen Weisen der Heiden und in allen Königreichen deinesgleichen nicht.
Wie zou U niet vrezen, Gij Koning der heidenen? Want het komt U toe; omdat toch onder alle wijzen der heidenen, en in hun ganse koninkrijk, niemand U gelijk is.
Chi non ti temerebbe, o re delle nazioni? Poiché questo t’è dovuto; giacché fra tutti i savi delle nazioni e in tutti i loro regni non v’è alcuno pari a te.
Któżby się ciebie nie bał? Królu narodów! Tobie to zaiste należy, ponieważ między wszystkimi mędrcami narodów, i we wszystkich królestwach ich nigdy nie był podobny tobie.
Кто не убоится Тебя, Царь народов? ибо Тебе единому принадлежит это; потому что между всеми мудрецами народов и во всех царствах их нет подобного Тебе.
萬國 的王啊，誰 不 敬畏你？敬畏你 本是 合宜的；因為 在列 國 的智慧人中，雖有 政權的尊榮，也不能 比你。
Who would not have fear of you, O King of the nations? for it is your right: for among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like you.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 10:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators unanimously recognize this verse as the rhetorical climax of Jeremiah's satire on idolatry. The question "Who wouldn't fear you?" expects an obvious answer: no one should refuse reverence to the King of nations. Calvin sees indignation against human stupidity for ignoring the only true God. Barnes notes that Yahweh reigns over all mankind, not just Israel. Gill specifies that "for to thee doth it appertain" means fear is God's due, reverence belongs properly to Him. The contrast with the "wise men of the nations" emphasizes that no human wisdom or royal power can compare to God. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown connects this to Revelation 15:4, where the same question anticipates global worship. The consensus is strong: this verse proclaims the exclusive right of God to be feared by all peoples, a right that the nations ignore only through willful foolishness.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God alone is the rightful object of universal fear and reverence, and no human wisdom or royal power can rival Him.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'fear' in this context | All commentators agree it denotes reverential awe and worship due to God alone. It is not mere terror but a proper acknowledgment of His majesty. | Some emphasize the element of terror at judgment (e.g., Gill), while others stress awe and reverence (e.g., Calvin). The Hebrew word yare' covers both; the context highlights God's unique greatness. |
| What 'it' refers to ('to thee doth it appertain') | Most agree that 'it' refers to the fear mentioned in the previous clause: fear belongs to God. This is supported by the Greek and Aramaic versions. | The Latin Vulgate and some Jewish interpreters (e.g., Jarchi) understand 'it' as glory or kingdom. The Hebrew verb ya'atah (to befit) is rare, so ambiguity exists, but the overall point, that God alone deserves honor, is undisputed. |
| God's kingship over the nations | All agree that God is rightfully King over all nations, even if they do not acknowledge Him. His sovereignty is a present reality. | Some interpreters (e.g., Calvin) emphasize that this is an indictment of the nations' ignorance; others (e.g., JFB) see an eschatological hope that all will eventually own Him as King (Rev 15:4). |
| Authorship and date of the passage | Most traditional commentators (Calvin, Gill, Matthew Henry) treat the passage as Jeremiah's own words from the late 7th century BC. | Critical scholars (noted in Cambridge Bible) argue the passage is a later exilic insertion based on style, vocabulary, and the LXX’s shorter text. This debate does not affect the theological meaning for most readers. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah prophesied during a turbulent era when Judah wavered between alliances with Egypt and Babylon. The nations surrounding Israel, especially Babylon, dazzled with their wisdom, astrological practices, and impressive cultic images. In Jeremiah 10, the prophet contrasts the living God with powerless idols: the nations cut trees, shape them with silver and gold, and call them gods (vv.3, 5). Verse 7 climaxes the argument, even pagan nations with their wise counselors and royal splendor possess nothing like Yahweh. The title "King of the nations" is radical for its time: Israel's God rules over all peoples, not only His covenant people. The Hebrew verb yā'atah ("to befit") indicates that fear is not an optional offering but a debt owed to the Creator. The Cambridge Bible notes that this passage may have been shaped for exiles surrounded by Babylonian idolatry, reminding them that earthly wisdom and power cannot rival the true God. The irony is intentional: the nations who pride themselves on wisdom are actually brutish and foolish (v.8). The verse calls Judah to abandon both idolatry and political trust in foreign powers, and to fear only Yahweh.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note that the Greek Septuagint (LXX) presents a shorter form of Jeremiah 10:1, 16, and some scholars (e.g., those cited in the Cambridge Bible) consider the passage a later expansion. The Masoretic Text is fuller, including verse 7 in its current form. The verb yā'atah (“it is befitting”) appears only here in the Hebrew Bible (a hapax legomenon), which may explain minor textual variations in ancient versions. Nevertheless, the verse is textually stable, and no significant variant changes its meaning.
Reception History
Jeremiah 10:7 has echoed through Christian Scripture most directly in Revelation 15:4, where the song of Moses and the Lamb asks “Who wouldn’t fear you, Lord, and glorify your name?” Early church fathers used the verse to defend the exclusive worship of the Creator against pagan polytheism. Calvin’s commentary on this passage draws out the theme of human ingratitude, a line that shaped Reformed teaching on natural revelation and human sin. The verse has been set to music in hymns that proclaim God's kingship over all nations. In modern mission contexts, it is cited to remind believers that every people group is called to fear the one true God, not their own rulers or wisdom traditions.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The King We Fail to Fear, The rhetorical question exposes our natural tendency to ignore God. Even those who do not acknowledge Him owe Him reverence. Calvin called it a "monstrous thing" that men invent gods while ignoring the true King.
- The Fear That Belongs to God Alone, The phrase "to thee doth it appertain" (Hebrew ya'atah) means fear is God's due. Reverence is not something we choose to offer; it is the proper response to who God is.
- The Wisdom That Cannot Compare, The wise men of the nations and their royal estates all fall short. No human achievement, intellectual, political, or cultural, can equal the living God.
Five-point outline
- Context: The folly of idolatry and trust in human power (vv.1, 6, 8, 10)
- The question: “Who wouldn’t fear you?”, a call to universal worship
- The claim: Fear belongs to God by right
- The contrast: None among the nations’ wisdom and kingdoms can compare
- The hope: One day all nations will fear Him (Revelation 15:4)
Illustration hooks
- We often fear human opinions more than God. A manager’s disapproval or a friend’s rejection can shake us, yet we give little thought to the Creator. This verse reorders our priorities: the King of nations deserves our awe before anyone else.
- People craft their own identities and trust in them, career, status, intelligence. The passage compares this to making an idol. Our accomplishments, like the “wise men of the nations,” cannot stand before God.
- Standing before a powerful leader or king can inspire awe. How much more should we stand in awe of the One who holds all nations in His hand?
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God is loving, why does He demand that I fear Him? (The answer: fear includes reverence and awe, not terror, it is the proper response to His majesty.)
- How do I balance fearing God with having a personal relationship with Him as Father? (The fear of God is the foundation of wisdom and intimacy, not a contradiction.)
- What does it mean that God is “King of the nations” when so many don’t acknowledge Him? (His kingship is a reality now, though not yet fully recognized; He will be acknowledged by all one day.)
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the heart of a passage contrasting the living God with powerless idols. The prophet asks a question that shames human pride. As you discuss, consider how we are tempted to fear human wisdom and power more than God.
Discussion questions
- Read Jeremiah 10:1, 7. What do the verses before verse 7 tell you about the nations and their idols? How does this prepare you for the question in verse 7?
- The Hebrew verb ya'atah ("to befit") occurs only here. What does it suggest about fear as a proper, fitting response to God?
- Why do you think the prophet specifically contrasts the nations' "wise men" and "kingdoms" with God? What human substitutes for God do we rely on today?
- How does the title "King of the nations" change the way you think about God's authority? Does it affect how you pray for world events?
- In what ways do we still "fear" human opinions or systems more than we fear God? Give a concrete example.
- Read Revelation 15:3, 4. How does this New Testament passage echo Jeremiah 10:7? What hope does it offer?
- What one change would it make in your daily life if you consistently remembered that God alone deserves your ultimate reverence?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Job 37:23 | We can’t reach the Almighty. He is exalted in power. In justice and great righteousness, he will not oppress. |
| Job 37:24 | Therefore men revere him. He doesn’t regard any who are wise of heart.” |
| Psalms 22:28 | For the kingdom is Yahweh’s. He is the ruler over the nations. |
| Psalms 72:11 | Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him. |
| Psalms 76:7 | You, even you, are to be feared. Who can stand in your sight when you are angry? |
| Psalms 86:9 | All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name. |
| Psalms 89:6 | For who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh? Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh, |
| Isaiah 2:4 | He will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke equates the fear of God with the whole of true religion. His distinctive point is that even the wisest and most learned nations never discovered a god equal to the Lord, because God's holiness exceeds all human research.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that the title "King of nations" refers specifically to pagan peoples, not Israel alone. Yahweh rules all humanity. He also notes the phrase "in all their kingdoms" more accurately means "in all their royalty or kingship."
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reads the prophet's question not as a genuine inquiry but as an indignant rebuke of human stupidity. He finds it monstrous and almost mad that people acknowledge a supreme God in principle yet invent many false gods and fail to worship the true one. Calling God King of the nations exposes their ingratitude, since His power is obvious everywhere.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary argues that Jeremiah 10:1-16 is a later addition to the book, likely written for exiled Jews in Babylon. The warning shifts from the prophet's earlier message that idols cannot save to a new emphasis that they cannot harm, reflecting the different circumstances of the exiles surrounded by elaborate idol worship.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Who would not feare thee, O King of nations? for to thee appertaineth the dominion: for among all the wise men of the Gentiles, and in al their kingdomes there is none like thee.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the nations failed to fear God or own Him as King, yet He is rightfully their King and deserves reverence. Their neglect is foolish ingratitude. He looks forward to a future time when all nations will worship God, for no ruler or wisdom anywhere compares to Him.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that reverent fear belongs to God alone as His exclusive right. Worshiping anyone else is improper and violates His inalienable prerogative. Nothing else in creation deserves that honor.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry contrasts the lifeless idols of the nations with the living God. Idols are man-made, speechless, and must be carried, but God created the earth and heavens, commands the elements, and is the everlasting King who alone is worthy of fear.