idol / idols

The Hebrew, Greek and Latin that is translated as “idol(s)” in English is translated in Central Subanen as ledawan or “images” (source: Robert Brichoux in OPTAT 1988/2, p. 80ff. ) and in Cherokee “imaginary gods” (source: Bender / Belt 2025, p. 16).

In German, typically the term Götze is used. Originally this was used as a term of endearment for Gott (“God” — see here ), later for “icon” and “image, likeness.” Luther started to use it in the 16th century in the meaning of “false god, idol.” Other terms that are used in German include Götzenbild(er) (“image[s] of idols”) or Bildnis (“image” — Protestant) / Kultbild (“cultish image” — Catholic) (used for instance in Exodus 20:4 and Deuteronomy 5:8). The latest revision of the Catholic Einheitsübersetzung (publ. 2016) also uses the neologism Nichtse (“nothings”) in 1 Chron. 16:26 and Psalm 96:5. (Source: Zetzsche)

See also worthless idols.

Translation commentary on Letter of Jeremiah 1:43

Whatever is done for them is false: The translation must make it clear that them refers to the idols, not the women referred to in verse 43. The Good News Translation rendering of this sentence, “Everything about these idols is false,” is an equally good translation of the Greek. New American Bible has an interesting approach: “All that takes place around these gods is a fraud.” This is not only a justifiable translation of the Greek text, but it also relates the verse to the verse just before it. Another way to say this is “Everything that happens around these idols is false.”

A more difficult problem for some translators may be finding an appropriate equivalent for the term false. The worship of these idols is useless, vain, without value. Contemporary English Version follows this interpretation with “Everything the Babylonians do to serve their idols is useless.” New English Bible attempts to round out the meaning with two descriptive nouns, “fraud and delusion,” where the fraud is on the part of the priests and the delusion is on the part of the worshipers.

Why then must any one think that they are gods, or call them gods?: This occurrence of the refrain is almost word for word the same as in verse 40. The difference in Greek is altogether too minor to be reflected in translation.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Shorter Books of the Deuterocanon. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2006. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.