Jeremiah 10 9

Jeremiah 10:9 kjv

Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.

Jeremiah 10:9 nkjv

Silver is beaten into plates; It is brought from Tarshish, And gold from Uphaz, The work of the craftsman And of the hands of the metalsmith; Blue and purple are their clothing; They are all the work of skillful men.

Jeremiah 10:9 niv

Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz. What the craftsman and goldsmith have made is then dressed in blue and purple? all made by skilled workers.

Jeremiah 10:9 esv

Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz. They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; their clothing is violet and purple; they are all the work of skilled men.

Jeremiah 10:9 nlt

They bring beaten sheets of silver from Tarshish
and gold from Uphaz,
and they give these materials to skillful craftsmen
who make their idols.
Then they dress these gods in royal blue and purple robes
made by expert tailors.

Jeremiah 10 verses

Jeremiah 10 9 Meaning

Jeremiah 10:9 describes the manufacturing process and adornment of pagan idols, highlighting their origin from expensive, exotic materials like silver from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz, meticulously shaped by skilled craftsmen and goldsmiths. These lifeless objects are then sumptuously clothed in costly violet and purple fabrics, all proudly presented as the ultimate work of human artistry. The verse emphasizes that, despite their outward grandeur, the idols are entirely human creations, lacking any intrinsic divinity or power, starkly contrasting with the living God presented in the surrounding verses.

Jeremiah 10 9 Context

Jeremiah chapter 10 presents a striking contrast between the impotent idols of the nations and the incomparable, living God of Israel. Verses 1-16 serve as a strong prophetic sermon against idolatry, cautioning Judah against adopting the pagan practices of surrounding cultures. Verse 9 is an integral part of this extended polemic, describing the human effort, valuable resources, and intricate craftsmanship poured into creating these lifeless images. Historically, Judah was constantly enticed by and frequently fell into the worship of various Canaanite and Babylonian deities, often integrating their worship into their own practices. Jeremiah's message is particularly poignant as the Babylonian exile looms, and the nation's idolatry is presented as a primary reason for divine judgment. This specific verse emphasizes that no matter how magnificent or costly, an idol remains a fabrication, directly challenging the belief in its divine power and drawing a sharp line between created object and Creator.

Jeremiah 10 9 Word analysis

• Silver (כֶּסֶף - keseph): A precious metal, signifying wealth and value. In ancient times, silver was highly esteemed, indicating the significant cost in creating these idols.
• beaten into plates (מְרֻקָּע - m'ruqqa): Literally "beaten," referring to hammering silver ingots into thin sheets. This highlights the intensive human labor and skill required, emphasizing it is expertly processed material, not natural.
• is brought: Indicates active acquisition and transportation of resources, signifying human effort and trade.
• from Tarshish (תַּרְשִׁישׁ - Tarshish): A famous, distant port city, known for its metallic ores. Mentioning Tarshish emphasizes the rarity, value, and extensive efforts to obtain exotic, prestigious materials for false gods.
• and gold (זָהָב - zahav): Another highly precious, noble metal, universally associated with wealth and royalty. Its inclusion reinforces the extravagance.
• from Uphaz (מְאוּפָז - m'uphaz): A rare geographical location, likely a rich source of fine gold. Like Tarshish, it signifies exotic origins and prime material, stressing the idol's precious components.
• the work (מַעֲשֵׂה - ma'aseh): Repeatedly used, this term fundamentally emphasizes that idols are products of human hands and ingenuity, lacking any divine essence.
• of the craftsman (חָרָשׁ - charash): A skilled artisan capable of shaping raw materials. This highlights initial human labor in forming the idol.
• and of the hands of the goldsmith (צֹרֵף - tsoreph): A specialist in refining and precisely working precious metals. This indicates a higher, specific skill level, underscoring both artistry and the human origin.
• their clothing (לְבוּשָׁם - levusham): Refers to the vestments placed upon the idols, a common practice to honor and beautify them, adding to their supposed dignity.
• violet (תְּכֵלֶת - tekhelet) and purple (אַרְגָּמָן - argaman): Expensive dyes, traditionally reserved for royalty, priests, and sacred objects. Their use on idols was intended to bestow regal and sacred status, exposing the absurdity of clothing an inanimate object.
• they are all the work of skilled men (מַעֲשֵׂה חֲכָמִים - ma'aseh chakhamim): A concluding phrase affirming the complete human origination of the idol. "Skilled men" (wise ones) ironically highlights the misdirection of human talent towards worshipping creations instead of the Creator.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Silver beaten into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz": This phrase meticulously details the exotic and precious raw materials used. The specificity of origin emphasizes the great lengths, cost, and human effort involved in procuring the most valuable substances available for these idols, creating a deceptive appearance of majesty and importance.
• "the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith": This group identifies the human agents and their skilled labor as the source of the idols. It directly refutes any claim of divine origin, firmly grounding their existence in human manufacture and sophisticated artisanry.
• "their clothing is violet and purple; they are all the work of skilled men": These combined clauses describe the lavish adornment and re-emphasize human creation. The expensive fabrics signify attempts to bestow regal or sacred honor upon the idol. The final declaration "all the work of skilled men" serves as a conclusive rhetorical thrust, summarizing that despite the material value and skilled craftsmanship, the idol is nothing more than a highly decorated, human-made artifact.

Jeremiah 10 9 Bonus section

The detailed description of the idol's construction and adornment, rather than making it appealing, is a rhetorical strategy to highlight the extreme foolishness of idol worship. By emphasizing the costliness and the specific skilled labor, Jeremiah reveals the immense investment of resources and human potential directed towards non-entities. This wasting of wealth and talent for something that "cannot walk, cannot speak, and does no good" (as previous and following verses indicate) becomes even more egregious. The use of specific exotic origins like "Tarshish" and "Uphaz" served not only to demonstrate the idol's expensive nature but also subtly criticized the wider economic and political entanglements such distant trade represented for Judah, potentially drawing them further from their covenant with God. The contrast between these richly adorned, inert objects and the dynamic, all-powerful Creator God of Israel forms the bedrock of Jeremiah's polemic.

Jeremiah 10 9 Commentary

Jeremiah 10:9 is a vivid and poignant segment of the prophet's comprehensive denunciation of idolatry. It strategically undermines the perceived power and worth of idols by revealing their mundane origins and complete reliance on human agency. The detailed description of expensive materials from distant lands, precise skills of craftsmen, and luxurious adornment are not for admiration; they form a biting satirical critique. Jeremiah argues that the more effort, expense, and artistry poured into an idol, the greater the absurdity of worshipping it. Such a lavish display merely underscores that the idol is entirely a product of human hands, a lifeless object requiring continuous human attention and fabrication. It starkly contrasts with the true God, who is self-existent, the Creator of all, and requires no human-made substance or embellishment for His glory. This verse is a reminder that material wealth and human skill, when misdirected, lead to spiritual blindness and the worship of that which is ultimately empty and powerless.