Jeremiah 10:11
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)
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This verse, written in Aramaic, offers a direct, almost dismissive retort to idolaters. It isn't just stating that false gods will be destroyed; it's highlighting their inherent worthlessness because they lack the fundamental power to create anything, not even the very heavens and earth that surround us.
While the surrounding verses speak of God's power in creating the heavens and earth, this verse dramatically shifts to a foreign language, the Aramaic spoken by their captors. Jeremiah is giving the exiled Israelites a direct, punchy response they can use when pressured to worship idols, essentially commanding the false gods to perish because they are utterly incapable of creation. This verse acts as a bold declaration of Yahweh's singular power against the backdrop of exile and idolatrous neighbors.
Why would Jeremiah include a verse in a different language right in the middle of his message?
This verse stands out because it's written in Chaldee (or Aramaic), not Hebrew like the rest of Jeremiah. Scholars suggest a few reasons:
What's the one undeniable mark of a true God?
The core of this verse is a powerful test for any claim to godhood: Did you create the heavens and the earth?
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, written in Aramaic (the common language of Babylon), was likely given to the Jewish exiles as a powerful, concise slogan to declare their faith boldly amidst their Babylonian captors.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation of Judeans to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, begins his campaigns against Judah, leading to the first major deportation of Jewish citizens, including members of the royal family and skilled workers, to Babylon.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
A further wave of deportations occurs after a revolt by King Jehoiachin, including more citizens and religious leaders like Ezekiel, intensifying the Jewish presence in Babylonian exile.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar finally destroys Jerusalem and its sacred Temple, ending the kingdom of Judah and leading to a final, large-scale deportation of the remaining population to Babylon.
Mid-6th century BC— this verse
Jewish Exiles in Babylon
The Jewish people live in exile in Babylonia, surrounded by a dominant culture with its own gods and religious practices. They face pressure to assimilate and participate in the worship of Babylonian deities.
This passage vividly describes the futility of idols, contrasting them with the true God who made the heavens and earth, reinforcing Jeremiah's point about the worthlessness of gods who did not create.
Psalm 115:1-8Similar to Jeremiah, this psalm mocks idols made by human hands, emphasizing that they are lifeless and powerless, unlike the living God who made everything.
Acts 17:22-29Paul's speech in Athens highlights the same core truth: the Creator God of heaven and earth is the true God, and idols made by human hands are nothing compared to Him.
Exodus 20:3-5The Ten Commandments forbid the worship of any gods besides the LORD, and explicitly reject images or idols, echoing the ultimate judgment on those who create and worship them.
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, offers a direct, almost dismissive retort to idolaters. It isn't just stating that false gods will be destroyed; it's highlighting their inherent worthlessness because they lack the fundamental power to create anything, not even the very heavens and earth that surround us.
While the surrounding verses speak of God's power in creating the heavens and earth, this verse dramatically shifts to a foreign language, the Aramaic spoken by their captors. Jeremiah is giving the exiled Israelites a direct, punchy response they can use when pressured to worship idols, essentially commanding the false gods to perish because they are utterly incapable of creation. This verse acts as a bold declaration of Yahweh's singular power against the backdrop of exile and idolatrous neighbors.
While the surrounding verses speak of God's power in creating the heavens and earth, this verse dramatically shifts to a foreign language, the Aramaic spoken by their captors. Jeremiah is giving the exiled Israelites a direct, punchy response they can use when pressured to worship idols, essentially commanding the false gods to perish because they are utterly incapable of creation. This verse acts as a bold declaration of Yahweh's singular power against the backdrop of exile and idolatrous neighbors.
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c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
The Babylonian Empire is conquered by the Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great. This event eventually leads to the decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland.
"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, offers a direct, almost dismissive retort to idolaters. It isn't just stating that false gods will be destroyed; it's highlighting their inherent worthlessness because…
