John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 10:9

"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." — Jeremiah 10:9 (ASV)

The Prophet, anticipating what might be said, refers to the splendor and pomp of idols, and declares that all was frivolous and extremely childish. Why did the world show so much honor to idols, except that their pomp dazzled the eyes of men? The devil has also by this deception always deluded the unbelieving, for he has exhibited in idols something that enveloped men’s minds in darkness.

The Prophet then assails these foolish imaginations, and says, Silver is brought from Tharsis, that is, from Cilicia; for so the Scripture designates that overseas country, which lies opposite Judea. We know that Cilicia was opposite Judea, for the Mediterranean Sea intervenes between Syria and Cilicia. The sea of Tharsis is what they call that part which extended towards Cilicia and Asia Minor.

The Prophet then says that it was brought from a far country. Well, he says, this is indeed the case; and then it is added that gold was brought from Uphaz. Some have explained this last word wrongly, by saying that it means pure or fine gold; but it appears from this place and many others that it is the name of a country, that is, Persia, or one not far from Persia. It was at least a country eastward of Judea.

He then says, gold is brought from Uphaz. He also mentions the workmanship: the work of the craftsman. That is, it is not silver and gold in its raw state, but they are so elegantly crafted that they readily attract the eyes of men. Then he adds 'the hands of the melter' (noting the plural 'hands'). That is, the silver and gold were melted and made to assume a certain form, and then skill was employed, which gave an increased polish to these forms that came out of the furnace.

He afterwards says, The hyacinth and purple are their vestments. That is, it is not enough to have the precious metal, cast into an elegant and lovely form, but it must also be clothed in purple and hyacinth. He says in the last place that the work was that of the wise. That is, skillful men were chosen who could in the most perfect manner give expression to every detail. In short, nothing was left undone.

But the Prophet, though he generally concedes to the unbelieving that they added whatever could add beauty to their idols, yet declares that they were mere trifles. They are puppets, he says, for man, who is mortal, cannot make a god. And then, what can art and the toil and labor of man do in this respect? Can he change the nature of things? Can he make a god from wood and stone? And when a vestment covers the idol of gold or silver, can it raise it above the heavens so that it may attain a new divinity?

Hence, we see that the Prophet mentions all that was done so that he might taunt the heathens and ridicule their foolish trifles; for in their idols there was nothing real, nothing that could be depended upon. He then adds—