Jeremiah 10:14

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) Brutish in his knowledge.—Literally, from knowing, i.e., too brutish to know, or, as some take it, brutish without knowledge, overwhelmed and astounded, so that the power of knowing fails.

Every founder.—The smelter, or worker in molten metal.

Benson Commentary

Jeremiah 10:14-15. Every man is brutish in his knowledge — This is spoken of the makers of idols, whose skilfulness as workmen made them foolish enough to attempt to make gods, and who afterward acted still more foolishly in worshipping them, when they knew they were but the work of their own hands. The founder is confounded by the graven image — Or, ashamed, as הבישׁsignifies. For it can afford no help, nor do any good, to those who worship it; and therefore is a disgrace to the workman who pretends to make it a god, that could hear the prayers offered to it, and send help to its worshippers. His molten image is falsehood — That is, those are no less deceived who expect help from a molten image, than they who expect it from a false, lying man. They are the work of errors — The making of them is owing to men’s erroneous notions of the nature of God. In the time of their visitation they shall perish — The time will come when God will execute vengeance upon idolaters, and utterly destroy their idols.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:1-16 The prophet shows the glory of Israel's God, and exposes the folly of idolaters. Charms and other attempts to obtain supernatural help, or to pry into futurity, are copied from the wicked customs of the heathen. Let us stand in awe, and not dare provoke God, by giving that glory to another which is due to him alone. He is ready to forgive, and save all who repent and believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. Faith learns these blessed truths from the word of God; but all knowledge not from that source, leads to doctrines of vanity.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In his knowledge - Rather, "without knowledge; i. e., on comparing his powerless idols with the terrific grandeur of a tropical thunderstorm the man who can still worship them instead of the Creator is destitute of knowledge.

Every founder ... - Or, "every goldsmith is put to shame etc." He has exhausted his skill on what remains an image.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

14. in his knowledge—"is rendered brutish by his skill," namely, in idol-making (Jer 10:8, 9). Thus the parallel, "confounded by the graven image," corresponds (so Jer 51:17). Others not so well translate, "without knowledge," namely, of God (see Isa 42:17; 45:16; Ho 4:6).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Every man is brutish in his knowledge: some limit it to the makers of these idols, that can employ their arts and wits to no better purpose than to frame such stocks into gods; this suits the next expression. Men are bewitched and besotted by these things, so as to see no more into their folly than if they were brutes; and the reason that it hath taken such root may be, because of men’s so much admiring the art of carving and painting, or rather through their ignorance: q.d. It is for want of knowledge and understanding that men are thus brutish, Isaiah 44:18.

Every founder is confounded by the graven image; either it shall turn to his reproach; or rather, he shall see his folly, and shall be ashamed of it when he shall discover it, that ever he should make such a thing, and trust in it, and expose it to be adored by others.

His molten image is falsehood; it is not that which it pretends to be, but a deceitful thing, a lie; they turn the truth of God into a lie, Romans 1:25.

There is no breath in them; they have nothing of life in them; nay, that very vegetative life that once was in their stocks is now lost; much less are they spirits sent down from heaven.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Every man is brutish in his knowledge,.... Or science of making an idol, whether it be of wood, or of gold, or silver, or brass; he is no better than a brute, if he thinks, when he has made it, he has made a god: or, "because of knowledge" (w); for want of it; being without the knowledge of God and divine things, he is like the beasts that perish, Psalm 49:20,

every founder is confounded by the graven image; or put to shame on account of it; since, after all his art, and care, and trouble, in melting and refining, and casting it into a form, it is no more than a piece of gold, or silver, or brass, and has no deity, nor anything like it, in it:

for his molten image is falsehood; it is a lie, when it is said to be a god; and it deceives those who worship it, and place any confidence in it. Kimchi renders it, "his covering" (x). The covering of the idol with gold and silver, with blue and purple, as in Jeremiah 10:4, is all a piece of deceit, to impose upon the people, and lead them into idolatry:

and there is no breath in them; they are mere stocks and stones, lifeless and inanimate creatures; they have neither life themselves, nor can they give it to others.

(w) "propter scientiam", Pagninus, Montanus; "a scientia", Calvin, Grotius, Schmidt. (x) "tectio, sive obductio ejus", Vatablus.

Geneva Study Bible

Every man is {h} senseless in his knowledge: every goldsmith is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

(h) The more man thinks to do anything well by his own wisdom, and not as God instructs him, the more he proves himself to be a vile beast.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. is become brutish and is without knowledge] or, as mg. is too brutish to know. MT. is open to either rendering, that of R.V. text being preferable.

is put to shame] by the contrast between Jehovah’s power over the forces of nature and the impotency of the idol.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - Before these natural miracles, all men, except those who have been enlightened by revelation, are without knowledge (so, and not in his knowledge, we ought to render); i.e. without insight into their origin and meaning (compare the overwhelming series of questions in the sublime theophany in Job, ch. Job 38, 39.). Every founder is confounded by, etc.; rather, every goldsmith is brought to shame by the graven image; for how can the work which has needed all the resources of his skill deliver him? Jeremiah 10:14

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

In presence of such marvels of divine power and wisdom, all men seem brutish and ignorant (away from knowledge equals without knowledge), and all makers of idols are put to shame "because of the image" which they make for a god, and which is but a deception, has no breath of life. נסך, prop. drink-offering, libamen, cf. Jeremiah 7:15; here molten image equals מסּכה, as in Isaiah 41:29; Isaiah 48:5; Daniel 11:8. Vanity they are, these idols made by the goldsmith. A work of mockings, i.e., that is exposed to ridicule when the nullity of the things taken to be gods is clearly brought to light. Others: A work which makes mockery of its worshippers, befools and deludes them (Hitz., Ng.). In the time of their visitation, cf. Jeremiah 6:15.