Jeremiah 10:9There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skillful men.
The setting
Wealthy district of Jerusalem, ~605 BC. Jeremiah observes the elite commissioning elaborate idols with imported materials - silver from Spain, gold from Arabia, purple dye from Phoenicia. Modern-day Rehavia neighborhood, Jerusalem.
The emotion here: disgusted by extravagant waste during national crisis
The original word
ḥārāš (חָרָשׁ) — skilled craftsman, artisan who works with precious materials
Why it matters
Tarshish was likely in southern Spain, making this silver extremely expensive and prestigious
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 10:9
This verse is unfinished in most translations - it breaks off mid-sentence to show the absurdity
Common misconceptionPeople think this condemns all beautiful or expensive things, but it's specifically about creating objects to worship or using luxury to replace dependence on God.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 10:9
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 10:9 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 10:9 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Jeremiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is prophetic. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include elaborate idols, human craftsmanship. Notable phrases: silver from Tarshish; gold from Uphaz; work of artificer. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 10:9 mean to you, today?
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