Jeremiah 10:11
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This verse, written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew, functions as a direct, almost taunting response that God gives the exiles to hurl back at their idol-worshipping captors. It’s a powerful reminder that true divinity isn't based on tradition or appearance, but on the fundamental power to create existence itself.
Thus shall you say to them: “The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
During the exile in Babylon, Jeremiah instructs the exiled Israelites on how to respond to their captors who will undoubtedly mock them for their God. This verse, uniquely written in Aramaic (the language of the Babylonians), provides a powerful, direct retort to any who would pressure them to worship idols. It serves as a defiant declaration that the powerless "gods" of the Babylonians will ultimately face destruction, unlike the true Creator God.
Why would God’s message to His people be delivered in the language of their captors? This verse holds a surprising key to God’s purposes.
Jeremiah 10:11 stands out because it's written in Aramaic (or Chaldee), not Hebrew like the rest of the book. Scholars believe this wasn't an accident!
God's Purpose in Exile
During the Babylonian exile, God’s people were surrounded by a culture that worshipped many gods. These idols were seen as powerful, capable of influencing the world.
A Bold Witness
By having Jeremiah deliver this crucial message in the language of the oppressors, God equipped His exiles with a direct, powerful response to any challenges about their faith. It was a way for them to boldly declare the truth about the God of Israel, even in a foreign land. It wasn't just a statement; it was a tool for witness.
What truly separates the God of Israel from the surrounding idols? This verse gives us the ultimate, non-negotiable criterion.
The core of Jeremiah 10:11 is a simple yet profound test: Did a god make the heavens and the earth? The answer for the idols was a resounding 'no'.
The Foundation of Power
Only the true God is the Creator. He brought everything into existence by His own power and will. This is the very definition of His sovereignty and unmatched authority.
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Idols Are Nothing
Anything claiming to be divine but which did not participate in or cause creation is, by definition, not God. These 'gods' are the product of human hands, superstition, or perhaps even demonic forces – but they have no true power. They are, as the verse states, destined to 'perish'. Their existence is temporary and ultimately meaningless compared to the eternal Creator.
What is the inevitable future for all false gods and the beliefs that surround them? This verse offers a stark prophecy.
The message in Jeremiah 10:11 isn't just a theological statement; it's a prophetic declaration of the end of idolatry.
Divine Judgment
'They shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.' This is a powerful image of complete annihilation. The gods that people worshiped, which were manufactured by human hands or mistaken for divine beings, have no lasting power. They are destined for destruction.
God's Ultimate Victory
This verse speaks to the ultimate triumph of the one true God over all other claims to divinity. Idolatry, in all its forms, will not last. God’s creation will ultimately be free from the affront of false worship. It’s a promise that His reign is supreme and eternal.
Understand the original words
elâh · Aramaic Noun
Refers to objects of worship that are not the true God. In the Old Testament, these are characterized as man-made, lifeless, and ultimately powerless to save or act.
shamayim · Hebrew Noun
The physical universe, including the celestial bodies and the atmosphere, created by God and subject to His sovereign rule. It signifies the totality of God's creative work.
erets · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the created physical realm. Biblically, it signifies the sphere of human habitation and the domain over which God exercises His sovereignty.
This verse is a bold, defiant declaration delivered in the captors' own language, meant to shatter the confidence of Babylonian idolaters and reassure the exiled Israelites.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Captivity
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to Assyria, and many Israelites are exiled. This event signals the growing power of empires like Assyria and later Babylon.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and deports a group of Israelites, including some of royal lineage and skilled workers, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Babylon deports more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, after a revolt. The temple in Jerusalem is partially plundered.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Babylon destroys Jerusalem and its great temple, exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon. This is a devastating national trauma.
During the Babylonian Exile (Post-586 BC)— this verse
Prophecy in Exile
Jeremiah, prophesying during the exile and before Jerusalem's fall, delivers messages to the Jewish people in Babylon. Verse 10:11 is unique as it's written in Aramaic (Chaldee), the language of their captors, providing a direct, powerful response to Babylonian idolatry.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon. This ushers in a new era where exiled peoples, including the Jews, are allowed to return to their homelands.
This passage vividly describes the futility of idol worship, detailing the creation of idols from wood and metal, highlighting their inability to do anything, which strongly parallels Jeremiah's message about gods who did not create the heavens and earth.
Psalm 115:3-8The psalmist mocks the impotence of idols, stating that they are made by human hands and are like them, unable to speak, see, hear, or walk, directly supporting the idea that manufactured gods are inferior and will perish.
1 Corinthians 8:4-6Paul distinguishes between the one true God, the Creator, and the many 'gods' of paganism, explaining that while there may be idols, they are not truly gods, echoing Jeremiah's argument that only the Creator deserves worship and that false gods are non-existent in power.
Acts 17:24-25In Athens, Paul proclaims that the God who made the world is not served by human hands and gives life to all things, directly confronting the very notion of gods made by humans, reinforcing the unique role of the Creator and the insignificance of all else.
Jeremiah 10:10This verse immediately precedes Jeremiah 10:11, establishing that the LORD is the true, living God and eternal king, setting the stage for the contrast and declaration that any gods who did not create the heavens and earth cannot possess these attributes and will perish.
barnesJeremiah 10:11: "Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens."
This verse is (in the original) in Chaldee. It was probably a proverbial saying, which Jeremiah inserts in its popular form.
calvinJeremiah 10:11: "Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens."
- Sic (secundum hoc) dicetis illis (inquit) Dii (prorsus diverso modo loquitur quam ante, et proximo etiam versu loquitur; dii ergo) qui coelum et terram non fecerunt, pereant e terra et de sub coelis istis.
Now, the reason why he bids the Israelites to speak in the Chaldee language is, because they had been led into exile,…
This verse, written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew, functions as a direct, almost taunting response that God gives the exiles to hurl back at their idol-worshipping captors. It’s a powerful reminder that true divinity isn't based on tradition or appearance, but on the fundamental power to create existence itself.
During the exile in Babylon, Jeremiah instructs the exiled Israelites on how to respond to their captors who will undoubtedly mock them for their God. This verse, uniquely written in Aramaic (the language of the Babylonians), provides a powerful, direct retort to any who would pressure them to worship idols. It serves as a defiant declaration that the powerless "gods" of the Babylonians will ultimately face destruction, unlike the true Creator God.
During the exile in Babylon, Jeremiah instructs the exiled Israelites on how to respond to their captors who will undoubtedly mock them for their God. This verse, uniquely written in Aramaic (the language of the Babylonians), provides a powerful, direct retort to any who would pressure them to worship idols. It serves as a defiant declaration that the powerless "gods" of the Babylonians will ultimately face destruction, unlike the true Creator God.
"Thus shall you say to them: “The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.”" — This verse, written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew, functions as a direct, almost taunting response that God gives the exiles to hurl back at their idol-worshipping captors. It’s a powerful reminder t…
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Last reviewed October 2026
