Jeremiah 10:23 teaches that people cannot steer their own lives by their own strength or wisdom. The prophet admits that the way a person walks is not finally within that person’s control, and so he turns to the LORD for direction. Jeremiah speaks these words in the midst of national crisis, as he prays on behalf of the people of Judah facing invasion and exile.
The LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
Jeremiah 10:23 (WEB)
What Jeremiah 10:23 Means
The verse opens with “The LORD, I know,” which signals that Jeremiah is speaking from settled conviction rather than guesswork. He has learned this truth through hard experience. The phrase “the way of man” refers to the course a human life takes, including its plans, choices, and outcomes. Jeremiah says that this course is “not in himself,” meaning a person does not hold the power to set the direction of his own life simply by willing it.
The second half of the verse makes the point more concrete. A man who walks cannot direct his own steps in the full sense, because the road ahead is not his to command. Jeremiah is not saying that people have no choices or responsibilities. He is saying that human plans are limited, and that true guidance comes from outside the self. The verse does not promise that God will remove every hardship, but it does show where wise people look for direction.
The Context of Jeremiah 10:23
The book of Jeremiah is traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, who ministered in Jerusalem in the years before and during the Babylonian conquest of Judah, roughly the late seventh and early sixth centuries BC. His audience was the people of Judah and especially its leaders, who often trusted in political alliances, religious routines, and their own strategies instead of in the LORD. Chapter 10 contrasts the living God with the lifeless idols of the nations, and the surrounding verses describe the devastation coming upon the land.
Just before verse 23, Jeremiah laments that the shepherds, meaning the leaders, have become foolish and have not sought the LORD, so their flocks have scattered. Just after it, he begs God to correct him gently and not in anger. Read in this setting, verse 23 is an admission that human leaders, including the prophet himself, cannot guide the nation by their own wisdom. The humility of the verse becomes a confession that only God can lead the people through this catastrophe.
Key Phrases in Jeremiah 10:23
Proverbs 16:9
A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps.
(WEB)
This proverb pairs human planning with divine direction, observing that people make their plans while the LORD establishes their steps. It echoes Jeremiah’s conviction that human intention is real but not sufficient on its own.
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
(WEB)
These verses urge trust in the LORD rather than in one’s own understanding, with the promise that he will make paths straight. They carry the same call to depend on God for direction that Jeremiah expresses.
A Short Prayer From Jeremiah 10:23
Lord, I confess that I often act as though I am the one who decides where my life is going. I make my plans, gather my facts, and feel anxious when things do not turn out as I hoped. Teach me to remember that my steps are not finally mine to direct. Give me wisdom to make good choices, humility to accept what I cannot control, and trust to follow you one step at a time. Guide my way, even when I cannot see far ahead. Amen.
