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.

JEREMIAH 10:11KJV
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Jeremiah 10:11 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 10:11 mean?

Jeremiah 10:11 says that any gods who did not create the heavens and the earth will disappear from the world and from under the sky. The verse is a clear statement that only the true Creator God endures, while all other so-called gods are temporary and powerless.

In this verse, Jeremiah is instructing the people of Judah on what to say to those who worship idols or false gods. The setting is a warning against idolatry, emphasizing that the gods made by human hands are not real creators and will ultimately vanish. This verse stands out because it is written in Aramaic, not Hebrew, likely so that foreign idol-worshipers could understand the message directly.

The Aramaic behind Jeremiah 10:11

  • "gods" (אֱלָהִין, ʼĕlāhīn): This word refers to deities or gods in general, not specifically the God of Israel. The verse uses it to point out that these so-called gods are not true creators.
  • "not" (לָא, lā): This word is used to strongly deny that these gods had any part in making the heavens and the earth, drawing a sharp line between the Creator and all others.
  • "made" (עֲבַד, ʿăvad): This verb means to make or create. The verse stresses that only the true God has actually made the heavens and the earth, so any god who did not do this is not truly divine.
  • "perish" (אֲבַד, ʾăvad): This word means to be destroyed or to disappear. It highlights the fate of false gods—they will not last or have any real power.

Why Jeremiah 10:11 matters

  • Jeremiah 10:11 directly challenges the belief in idols by stating that only the Creator is truly God, which clarifies the difference between the God of Israel and all other gods.
  • The use of Aramaic in this verse is unusual and shows that the message was meant to be understood by foreigners as well as Israelites, emphasizing its universal claim.
  • The verse fits into a larger section where Jeremiah is warning against the folly of idolatry, making clear that trusting in anything other than the Creator is ultimately pointless.

Where else these words appear

“under” Hebrew H8460 · used in 4 verses

  • Daniel 4:12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
  • Daniel 4:21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
  • Daniel 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

“perish” Hebrew H7 · used in 6 verses

  • Daniel 2:12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
  • Daniel 2:18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
  • Daniel 7:11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

“earth” Hebrew H772 · used in 17 verses

  • Ezra 5:11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.
  • Daniel 4:11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
  • Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

“made” Hebrew H5648 · used in 25 verses

  • Ezra 4:15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
  • Ezra 6:16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,
  • Daniel 3:29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.