Letter of Jeremiah 7-39

Common English Bible

Inability of the idols to do anything

⁷ A carpenter smooths out the tongues of the idols. They are covered in gold and silver, but they are fake and unable to speak. ⁸ The Gentiles take gold and place crowns on their gods’ heads, like a young girl playing dress up. ⁹ Sometimes the priests secretly take away the gold and silver from their gods to spend on themselves and give to prostitutes in the brothels. ¹⁰ The Gentiles dress these gods of silver, gold, and wood with clothing just like people. But these idols can’t be rescued from rust and rotting.^{[a] 11} Even though the idols are dressed in rich purple clothing, the Gentiles have to wipe off the idols’ faces because of the dust in the temple that thickly covers them. ¹² One idol has a royal staff, like a person who is a regional judge, but the idol can’t destroy the person who offends it. ¹³ Another one has a dagger or an ax in its right hand, but it can’t defend itself from war or robbers. ¹⁴ Clearly they are no gods, so don’t be afraid of them.

¹⁵ Just as a person’s utensil is useless after it’s broken, so are the Gentiles’ gods after they have been placed in their temples. ¹⁶ Their eyes are full of dust from the feet of visitors. ¹⁷ Even as the courtyards are locked up on every side when one is sentenced to death for doing wrong against a king, so the priests secure their temples with doors, bolts, and bars from robbers and thieves. ¹⁸ The priests light more lamps for the idols than for themselves, but their gods can’t see them. ¹⁹ The idols are just like the beams that support a house, but people say that their hearts melt before them.^[b] They don’t notice when vermin from the earth have eaten them and their clothing. ²⁰ Their faces have been darkened by the smoke that is in the temple. ²¹ Bats, swallows, birds, and cats land on their bodies and heads. ²² From this you will know that they aren’t gods. So don’t be afraid of them.

²³ As for the gold they wear beautifully, the idols won’t shine unless someone else wipes away the rust. They didn’t have any feeling when they were made. ²⁴ They are purchased at great cost, but there is no breath in them. ²⁵ Since they have no feet, others carry them on their shoulders, demonstrating their worthlessness to people. Their servants are ashamed, since the idols fall to the ground unless they steady them and hold them up. ²⁶ If anyone stands an idol up, it can’t move by itself. If one is tilted over, it can’t straighten itself up. Yet gifts are placed in front of them—just as people place gifts in front of the dead!

Worthlessness of the idols

²⁷ Their priests misuse the sacrifices by selling them and using the money for themselves. Their wives also preserve some of the meat,^[c] but they don’t share it with the poor or disabled. Menstruating^[d] women and others who have just given birth have handled their sacrifices. ²⁸ Since you know from these things that they aren’t gods, don’t be afraid of them.

²⁹ Why call them gods? Because women place food before these gods of silver, gold, and wood? ³⁰ Or because the priests sit in their temples with their garments torn, with their heads and beards shaved, and their heads uncovered? ³¹ They howl and shout in front of their gods as some do at a funeral feast for the dead. ³² Yet the priests take the gods’ clothing to dress their wives and children.

³³ Whether one treats them badly or well, the gods aren’t able to repay in kind. They aren’t able to install or remove a ruler. ³⁴ They can’t give either wealth or money. If someone makes a solemn promise and doesn’t keep it, they can’t enforce it. ³⁵ They can’t save a person from death or rescue a weak person from a strong one. ³⁶ They can’t restore sight to the blind or rescue a person in an emergency. ³⁷ They can’t show mercy to a widow, nor can they do any good for an orphan. ³⁸ These wooden things covered in gold and silver are like stones from a mountain. Their servants will be humiliated. ³⁹ So why should anyone consider or call them gods?