Jeremiah 10 14

Jeremiah 10:14 kjv

Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

Jeremiah 10:14 nkjv

Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge; Every metalsmith is put to shame by an image; For his molded image is falsehood, And there is no breath in them.

Jeremiah 10:14 niv

Everyone is senseless and without knowledge; every goldsmith is shamed by his idols. The images he makes are a fraud; they have no breath in them.

Jeremiah 10:14 esv

Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.

Jeremiah 10:14 nlt

The whole human race is foolish and has no knowledge!
The craftsmen are disgraced by the idols they make,
for their carefully shaped works are a fraud.
These idols have no breath or power.

Jeremiah 10 verses

Jeremiah 10 14 Meaning

Jeremiah 10:14 declares the profound foolishness and futility of idolatry. It highlights that human intellect, when operating outside the parameters of divine truth, ultimately leads to spiritual ignorance and senseless behavior. The skilled artisans, like goldsmiths, who craft these idols, will face shame and disgrace because their creations are utterly powerless, deceptive fabrications devoid of life, breath, or any true efficacy. The verse vividly contrasts the living and true God with lifeless, human-made images.

Jeremiah 10 14 Context

Jeremiah chapter 10 presents a striking polemic against idolatry, sharply contrasting the vain customs of pagan nations with the majesty and omnipotence of the God of Israel. The preceding verses vividly portray the absurdity of cutting down trees, decorating them, and securing them with nails, only to bow down to them as gods. Jeremiah exposes these practices, common among surrounding nations like Babylon, as utterly futile and baseless. Verse 14 serves as a powerful summation of this indictment, zeroing in on the consequences of embracing such false worship—spiritual idiocy for the worshipper and deep shame for the idol-maker. This specific verse prepares the audience for the subsequent exaltation of God as the true Creator and King over all nations.

Jeremiah 10 14 Word analysis

• Every man (כּל־אָדָם - kol-adam): Signifies universality, encompassing all of humanity, not just specific individuals. It underscores the pervasive human tendency to err when separated from divine revelation.
• is brutish (בַּעַר - ba'ar): Means "dull," "stupid," "senseless," or "ignorant," akin to an irrational animal. It indicates a profound spiritual blindness and lack of discernment, despite human intellectual capacity.
• by his knowledge (מִדַּעַת - midda'at): A significant paradox. It means because of or from his knowledge. This isn't a lack of intelligence but rather that the kind of knowledge esteemed by humanity—often self-derived and self-centered—leads to spiritual folly when it attempts to comprehend or substitute the divine.
• every goldsmith (כָּל־צֹרֵף - kol-tsoref): Refers specifically to the skilled artisan, the craftsman who molds or carves idols. The critique applies to all who contribute their talents to create false gods.
• is confounded (הוֹבִישׁ - hovish): Means "to be put to shame," "disgraced," "embarrassed," or "made foolish." It conveys humiliation and disappointment when the created object fails to meet any divine expectation.
• by the graven image (מִפֶּסֶל - mipphesel): Pesel is a carved or chiseled idol, typically of wood or stone, often overlaid with precious metals. The source of shame comes from the idol itself, as it exposes its own nothingness.
• for his molten image (כִּי־נֶסֶךְ - ki-nesek): Nesek or massekah refers to an idol cast from molten metal. This signifies that the condemnation applies to all forms of manufactured deities, regardless of their making process.
• is falsehood (שֶׁקֶר - sheqer): Means "lie," "deceit," "nothingness," "emptiness," "fraud," or "vanity." Idols possess no inherent truth, reality, or power; they are inherently deceptive and useless.
• and there is no breath in them (וְלֹא־רוּחַ בָּהֶם - ve'lo-ruach bahem): Ruach denotes "spirit," "breath," "wind," or "life." This is the ultimate indictment: idols are inanimate, inert objects utterly lacking the vital principle of life that only God possesses and imparts, rendering them completely impotent.

Word-groups/phrase analysis:

• Every man is brutish by his knowledge: This phrase highlights the stark irony where human wisdom, when not anchored in the divine, actively leads to spiritual foolishness. It underscores that human intellect, detached from God's revelation, can become a tool for self-deception rather than enlightenment.
• Every goldsmith is confounded by the graven image: This points to the eventual and inevitable humiliation awaiting those who dedicate their skills and labor to creating objects for false worship. Their craft, intended perhaps to bring glory or manifest divine power, instead becomes the very instrument of their shame when the idol's true nature as a powerless, inert object is revealed.
• for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them: This serves as the divine pronouncement and conclusive reasoning behind the preceding statements. The core reason for humanity's brutishness and the artisans' shame is the fundamental emptiness, deceptiveness, and deadness of the idols. They are sheqer, entirely devoid of truth and substance, lacking the life-giving ruach (breath/spirit) that alone signifies true divine presence and power, thereby making them utterly worthless as objects of veneration or trust.

Jeremiah 10 14 Bonus section

• The passage's repetition of similar themes in Jeremiah 51:17-18 suggests its importance, delivering the same prophetic message of judgment not only to Judah but also to Babylon, the very archetype of an idolatrous empire.
• The absence of "breath" (ruach) in idols is a direct contrast to Genesis 2:7, where God breathes life into humanity, underscoring God as the sole source of life and animation. It directly challenges any animistic belief that an idol might possess indwelling spirit.
• This verse contains a subtle but powerful polemic against intellectual pride. It suggests that even the most advanced human thought or technical skill, when applied to idolatry, can lead humanity further from truth, rather than closer. This resonates with the New Testament's critique of "the wisdom of this world" (1 Cor 1:20-25).
• The artisans' "shame" is not just a personal embarrassment but a public discrediting of their profession when misdirected. It highlights that true human creativity should ultimately glorify the Creator, not attempt to create His replacements.

Jeremiah 10 14 Commentary

Jeremiah 10:14 delivers a profound theological and intellectual indictment against idolatry. It reveals the devastating spiritual consequence for humanity: those who rely on their own "knowledge" to conceive of and create gods inevitably become "brutish" – spiritually stupid and lacking true understanding. This isn't an attack on intellect itself, but on knowledge that presumes autonomy from God, leading to the creation of objects for worship. The artisan, represented by the "goldsmith," embodies human skill misdirected. Despite their mastery in shaping materials, their efforts result in their own "confounding" shame, for their creations are exposed as nothing more than "falsehood" and empty lies. The ultimate condemnation, "there is no breath in them," powerfully declares the absolute lifelessness and impotent nature of idols. Unlike the living God who bestows life and breath, these man-made objects cannot speak, act, help, or save. This verse transcends ancient historical context; it's a timeless warning against any system, philosophy, or human construct—be it material possessions, careers, or intellectual ideologies—that is elevated to a place that rightfully belongs only to the Creator God.