Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 10:9

9 Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.

It was not wood washed with Gold, nor massy Silver or Gold, but covered over with plates of Silver or Gold, Exod. 39.3.

From some remote place, probably from Spain, whence the best Gold came, Tarshish is the proper name of a Sea Town in Cilicia, Ezek. 27.12, 25. Ionah 1.3. and being a noted Port, from whence they had passage to Africa, India and other remote Countreys, it is usually put for the Ocean and may as well signifie from any place beyond the Sea; if you take it properly, then possibly it is noted as the best Silver coming from thence, as Vphaz for the best Gold, for though we read also of Gold coming from thence, 1 King. 10.22. 2 Chron. 9.21. yet, where the most proper commodities of it are mentioned, we read of no Gold, Ezek. 27.12. unless what seems rather to be brought thither, ver. 2.

i. e. probably the best Gold, coming from thence in those days, as the best Silver from Tarshish, and that here was the best Gold is probable from Dan. 10.5. there are various conjectures at what place this points at, whether the same with Phas, or Fez by an Aphaeresis, or Ophir a place not far from Tharsis, and divers other places are conjectured, and some think it refers to no place at all, but to point at the excellency of the Gold onely; but it is not the design, that this Comment should swell with things rather conjectural, then profitable, it is enough to know, that this place intends the purest Gold.

Thus saith he, the Artificer takes it, and each, according to his Art, shapes it, and adorns it; fits the Silver and the Gold for it.

Expositors differing about the materials, out of which they were died, do differ also in the colours, which here are called Blue and Purple, the dispute is not worth the while in a vulgar Comment, they that will may consult the Assemblies Annot. Either this relates to the further adorning those rich Idols of Silver and Gold; or it implies other Artists, such as shape, or few Silk or Cloth, Woollen or Linnen, made use of to make these garments for those Idols of more inferiour materials, as Wood or Stone, the other being sufficiently beautified without them.

i. e. The choicest men in their respective Arts were picked out for this work, that there might be nothing wanting as to exactness, richness and curiosity; all this the prophet speaks the more to ridicule their Idols, as if all this would put any thing of power, vertue, or excellency to them, still deest aliquid intus.