The silver and gold may come from distant lands like Tarshish and Uphaz, which probably emphasizes how precious they are, but the fact remains that the idol is simply the work of the craftsman and goldsmith, a man-made object consisting of wood covered in silver and gold. The word for craftsman
is the same word used for wise men
in Jeremiah 10:7. It refers to those with great skill and ability. Much effort and creativity has gone into crafting these idols, but are they truly an expression of wisdom?1 Even their clothing is made with violet and purple, the colour of royalty, but this does not make them royalty.
9 Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz. They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; their clothing is violet and purple; they are all the work of skilled men.