Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 10:14-16

"Every man is become brutish [and is] without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name." — Jeremiah 10:14-16 (ASV)

Here, he infers the destruction of false worship.

1. He speaks of the shame of idolatry regarding its foolishness: the idol maker is made a fool, as became apparent, because of his knowledge from which he made the idol. God made the wisdom of this world to be foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:20). Regarding the punishment of shame, he is confounded. Let all who worship graven images be put to shame, and all those who glory in their idols (Psalms 96:7).

   He gives the cause as the falsity of the idols: for what he has cast is false in its emptiness and also futile in its purpose. In the time of their judgment they shall perish. What was made, together with him who made it, shall suffer torment .

2. He excludes the glory of the Jews: the portion of Jacob is not like these. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; it is you who restores my inheritance to me (Psalms 15:5), because the happiness of all things is his portion. My portion is the Lord, said my soul, therefore I shall wait for him (Lamentations 3:24).

   He is the rod of his inheritance—his scepter, so to speak—because his kingdom is hereditary. Alternatively, rod can mean a lot or portion, as in the verse, But the portion of the Lord is his people, Jacob is the rope of his inheritance (Deuteronomy 32:9).