Lexical Summary araq: To flee, to escape, to run away Original Word: אֲרַק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance earth (Aramaic) by transmutation for ara'; the earth -- earth. see HEBREW ara' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) a form of ara Definition the earth NASB Translation earth (2). Topical Lexicon Context of the Passage Jeremiah 10:11 stands within a larger oracle contrasting the living God with the lifeless idols of the nations (Jeremiah 10:1-16). Uniquely, verse 11 is written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew, and the single word אֲרַק (“earth”) anchors the declaration that pagan deities “will perish from the earth and from under the heavens” (Jeremiah 10:11). The verse functions as a direct address to the surrounding nations whose common language was Aramaic, underscoring that their gods have no lasting place in the created order. Historical-Linguistic Background By the late seventh and early sixth centuries B.C., Aramaic had become the diplomatic and commercial lingua franca of the Near East. The prophet’s brief switch into that language signals that the coming judgment on idolatry is not merely a local concern for Judah but a universal announcement. The choice of the Aramaic term for “earth” rather than the usual Hebrew אֶרֶץ broadens the scope of the proclamation to every land governed by Gentile powers. Divine Sovereignty over Creation The use of אֲרַק highlights the earth as God’s handiwork. The gods “that did not make the heavens and the earth” (Jeremiah 10:11) are contrasted with the Lord who “made the earth by His power” (Jeremiah 10:12). Scripture consistently affirms this theme: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), and “the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens” (Psalm 96:5). Jeremiah’s Aramaic warning thus rests on the unassailable foundation of the Creator’s lordship. Judgment on Idolatry The fate pronounced—“will perish from the earth”—echoes the prophetic motif that idolaters and their false gods will be removed from God’s creation (Isaiah 2:18; Zephaniah 2:11). The verb “perish” frames idolatry as a dead-end allegiance: whatever is not grounded in the Maker of earth cannot endure upon it. The singular occurrence of אֲרַק in this context reinforces the totality of that judgment over every land. Missionary Impulse and Gentile Witness Because the statement is in the language of the nations, it anticipates Israel’s broader calling to declare God’s glory “among the nations” (1 Chronicles 16:24). Jeremiah delivers a message intelligible to Babylonian ears just as later the apostles, filled with the Spirit, would speak “in other tongues… about the mighty deeds of God” (Acts 2:4, 11). The verse models cross-cultural proclamation: truth expressed in the listener’s heart language confronts idolatry and invites repentance. Canonical and Prophetic Echoes Jeremiah 10:11 foreshadows Daniel’s Aramaic sections, where Gentile kings also learn that “the Most High rules the kingdom of men” (Daniel 4:17). It resonates with themes later taken up by Paul: “The God who made the world and everything in it… does not dwell in temples made by human hands” (Acts 17:24). Across both Testaments, the earth belongs to its Creator, and all rival claims are exposed as futile. Christological and Eschatological Dimensions The Creator’s supremacy revealed in Jeremiah finds its fulfillment in Christ, through whom “all things were created, in heaven and on earth” (Colossians 1:16). At the consummation, the promise that false gods will vanish is mirrored in the vision of “a new heaven and a new earth” where only the Lamb is worshiped (Revelation 21:1). Thus the solitary Aramaic word anticipates the final purification of creation. Practical Ministry Applications 1. Proclamation: Believers are to speak God’s truth in accessible language, confronting modern idols with the claim of the Creator. Key Cross References Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 4:35-39; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Psalm 96:5; Isaiah 45:18; Jeremiah 10:11-12; Daniel 4:17; Acts 17:24-31; Colossians 1:16-17; Revelation 21:1 Forms and Transliterations וְאַרְקָ֖א וארקא vearKa wə’arqā wə·’ar·qāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 10:11 HEB: דִּֽי־ שְׁמַיָּ֥א וְאַרְקָ֖א לָ֣א עֲבַ֑דוּ NAS: the heavens and the earth will perish KJV: the heavens and the earth, [even] they shall perish INT: forasmuch the heavens and the earth have not make 1 Occurrence |
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