Bible Strands
Jeremiah 10:9
Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz—the work of a craftsman from the hands of a goldsmith. Their clothes are blue and purple, all fashioned by skilled workers.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jeremiah speaks to the house of Israel amid widespread idolatry, cataloging the materials used to craft false gods before contrasting them with Yahweh's supreme authority. The description occurs within a prophetic rebuke that moves from human craftsmanship to divine sovereignty.
The words — The text specifies מְרֻקָּ֞ע (me.ru.Ka'), meaning "beaten" or "hammered," to describe how the silver is processed. It also cites חָרָ֖שׁ (cha.Rash), literally "a craftsman," who shapes the metal into idols.
The thread — Idols fashioned from silver and gold appear in Psalms 115:4, while Uphaz is noted in Daniel 10:5 and Tarshish in 1 Kings 10:22. These passages trace the same materials through royal trade, temple wealth, and idol manufacture.
Why it lands — The text requires readers to recognize that human labor cannot produce divine power. It demands a clear rejection of crafted objects as substitutes for the living God.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Psalms 115:4 Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.
- Daniel 10:5 I lifted up my eyes, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.
- 1 Kings 10:22 For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
- Isaiah 40:19 To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains?
- Ezekiel 27:12 Tarshish was your merchant because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your wares.