The Meaning of Jeremiah 10:9 Explained

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.

YLT: Spread-out silver from Tarshish is brought, And gold from Uphaz, Work of an artisan, and of the hands of a refiner, Blue and purple is their clothing, Work of the skilful -- all of them.

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

ASV: There 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 skilful men.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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]. 

What does Jeremiah 10:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The idolaters imported silver from Tarshish in the far west, probably Tartessus in Spain, and gold from Uphaz (location unknown). Instead of place names, some translators believed refined silver and pure gold are in view. Some ancient versions substituted Ophir, a site in southern Arabia, for Uphaz. Craftsmen and goldsmiths then glorified these images that had no glory of their own. They dressed the idols up like little kings with royal-colored fabrics, but that did not make them kings since they were merely manmade artifacts.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 10:1-10 - The Folly Of Idolatry
Jeremiah 10:1-10
We are here introduced into an idol-factory. Contrasted with the manufactured idols is the majesty of our God. There is none like Him. His name is great in might; He is the King of the nations, the true and living God, and the everlasting King! Christian, fear not or be dismayed when enemies plot against you. It is a vain device that they frame. To hide in God is a sure defence from all that man can do for our hurt. O thou true and living Savior, in thy wounds harried and faithful souls become strong and brave again.
Jeremiah 10:19-25
The prophet now bids the people prepare for their captivity. Their city would be as when a shepherd removed his slight and insubstantial tent, leaving no trace. But Jeremiah's soul is lacerated and torn with the message he must needs announce. Are we called to be shepherds? Let us see to it that we seek the Lord; so only shall our flocks not be scattered, Jeremiah 10:21. Are we in perplexity as to our path in life? It is not for us to direct ourselves, but to look up for God's sure guidance, which will be given to the soul that waits for it, Jeremiah 10:23. Are we being corrected? Let us be patient; it is only when we endure without complaining that our trial works out the highest good, and God will not give us more than we can bear, Jeremiah 10:24. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 10

1  The unequal comparison of God and idols
17  The prophet exhorts to flee from the calamity to come
19  He laments the spoil of the tabernacle by foolish pastors
23  He makes an humble supplication

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 10:9 mean?

Silver is beaten into plates from Tarshish it is brought and gold from Uphaz the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the metalsmith Blue and purple [are] their clothing of skillful [men] they [are] all
כֶּ֣סֶף מְרֻקָּ֞ע מִתַּרְשִׁ֣ישׁ יוּבָ֗א וְזָהָב֙ מֵֽאוּפָ֔ז מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה חָרָ֖שׁ וִידֵ֣י צוֹרֵ֑ף תְּכֵ֤לֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן֙ לְבוּשָׁ֔ם חֲכָמִ֖ים כֻּלָּֽם

כֶּ֣סֶף  Silver 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
מְרֻקָּ֞ע  is  beaten  into  plates 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָקַע  
Sense: to beat, stamp, beat out, spread out, stretch.
מִתַּרְשִׁ֣ישׁ  from  Tarshish 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: תַּרְשִׁישׁ 
Sense: son of Javan. 2 a Benjamite, son of Bilhan. 3 one of the wise men close to king Ahasuerus of Persia. 4 a city of the Phoenicians in a distant part of the Mediterranean Sea to which the prophet Jonah was trying to flee.
יוּבָ֗א  it  is  brought 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וְזָהָב֙  and  gold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.
מֵֽאוּפָ֔ז  from  Uphaz 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אוּפָז  
Sense: a place famous for its gold (site unknown).
מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה  the  work 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
חָרָ֖שׁ  of  the  craftsman 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶרֶשׁ 
Sense: craftsman, artisan, engraver, graver, artificer.
וִידֵ֣י  and  of  the  hands 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, fdc
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
צוֹרֵ֑ף  of  the  metalsmith 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָרַף  
Sense: to smelt, refine, test.
תְּכֵ֤לֶת  Blue 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תְּכֵלֶת  
Sense: violet, violet stuff.
וְאַרְגָּמָן֙  and  purple 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַרְגָּמָן  
Sense: purple, red-purple.
לְבוּשָׁ֔ם  [are]  their  clothing 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לָבוּשׁ 
Sense: clothing, garment, apparel, raiment.
חֲכָמִ֖ים  of  skillful  [men] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
כֻּלָּֽם  they  [are]  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.

What are the major concepts related to Jeremiah 10:9?

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