Psalms 135:17 · Bible study
Psalms 135:17 Commentary: Idols Have Ears but No Breath
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How Psalm 135:17 denies breath to idols, emphasizing their lifelessness and contrasting with Yahweh, the living God who gives life and breath.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Idols have ears but cannot hear; they lack even the most basic sign of life, breath in their mouths.
- Key words: אָזְנַ֣יִם (ears), יַאֲזִ֑ינוּ (they give ear), ר֥וּחַ (breath/spirit), אֵין יֶשׁ (there is not a being of).
- Main debate: Whether the construction ein yesh is simply “no breath” or an emphatic “not a trace of breath”; few dispute the overall point.
- Theological theme: The impotence of idols contrasted with the living God who gives life and breath to all.
- Best use: A warning against trusting in anything that cannot respond, and a call to worship God who speaks, hears, and breathes life into creation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They have ears, but they can’t hear, neither is there any breath in their mouths.
KJV King James Version 1769
They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
They have ears, but they hear not; Neither is there any breath in their mouths.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Ears they have, and they give not ear, Nose--there is no breath in their mouth!
Darby Darby Bible 1890
They have ears, and they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouth.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Who smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Tienen orejas, y no oyen; tampoco hay espíritu en sus bocas.
Têm ouvidos, mas não ouvem; não têm respiração em sua boca.
Elles ont des oreilles et n’entendent point,
sie haben Ohren, und hören nicht; auch ist kein Odem in ihrem Munde.
Oren hebben zij, maar horen niet; ook is er geen adem in hun mond.
hanno orecchi e non odono, e non hanno fiato alcuno nella loro bocca.
Uszy mają, a nie słyszą, ani mają tchnienia w ustach swoich.
поразил царей великих, ибо вовек милость Его;
有 耳 卻不能 聽，口中 也 沒 有 氣息。
They have ears, but no hearing; and there is no breath in their mouths.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 135:17
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse mocks idols by stripping them of even the most basic sign of life. Barnes notes that the description follows Psalm 115:4, 8, showing that after all human effort to fashion them, idols remain “nothing but silver and gold” with no power to speak, see, hear, or breathe. Gill calls them “lifeless statues” and contrasts them with Jehovah, “the living God, who gives life, and breath, and all things.” Matthew Henry adds that idols cannot perform the least act of animal life, they cannot even breathe, making their worship an exercise in absurdity. Keil and Delitzsch observe the unusual Hebrew phrase ein yesh ruach (“there is not a being of breath”), emphasizing that idols possess not even a trace of breath. The consensus is clear: the verse drives home the total impotence of idols versus the living God of Israel.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The idols cannot hear and have no breath, while Yahweh is the living God who gives life and breath to all.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Idols as lifeless | All traditions affirm that the verse declares idols to be powerless and unable to hear or breathe. | There is no significant disagreement on this central point. |
| Literary dependence on Psalm 115 | Commentators agree that Psalm 135:15, 18 closely parallels Psalm 115:4, 8. | Barnes says it is impossible to determine which psalm was original. Some scholars suggest they may draw from a common source. |
| Meaning of 'ruach' | Most translations render it 'breath' in this context, denoting physical life. | Keil and Delitzsch point out that the same word in Psalm 115:6 is used for the sense of smell (the verb 'yariach'). Whether the emphasis is on breath as life or on the lack of the sense of smell is a nuance of debate, but the overall effect of lifelessness is not in question. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 135 is a hymn of praise, likely sung in the temple setting. It calls the house of Israel, the house of Aaron, and the house of Levi to bless Yahweh (verses 19, 21). The psalm’s structure moves from general praise (verses 1, 4) to specific reasons: God’s sovereignty in nature (verses 5, 7) and in history, especially the exodus and conquest (verses 8, 12). Verses 15, 18 then pivot to a sharp polemic against idols, a common theme in the Old Testament (compare Isaiah 44:9, 20; Psalm 115:4, 8).
In the ancient Near East, peoples worshipped images of their gods, believing that the deity in some way inhabited or was represented by the physical object. The psalmist turns this assumption on its head: these objects have mouths, ears, and eyes, but they cannot use them. The final insult is that they lack ruach, breath, wind, spirit. This word is the same one used for the Spirit of God in Genesis 1:2. By denying any trace of breath to idols, the psalmist declares they have no life force at all. They are as dead as the silver and gold they are made of. The contrast with Yahweh is total: He is the “living God” (Psalm 42:2) who gives breath to all creatures (Isaiah 42:5).
The verse also verbalizes a key point: the Hebrew construction ein yesh is rare and emphatic. Keil and Delitzsch explain that it means “there is not a being of breath, i.e., no breath at all.” This underscores the absolute lifelessness of idols, leaving no room for the idea that some spiritual presence might inhabit them.
Textual Notes
Adam Clarke notes that one of Kennicott’s manuscripts adds the text of Psalm 115:6, 7 to this verse, suggesting some scribes assimilated the parallel passage. The Masoretic Text as preserved in standard editions reads as given, and the main interpretive question is not affected by this minor variant.
Reception History
This verse has been used throughout Jewish and Christian tradition as a key proof of the futility of idolatry. The broader context of Psalm 135, part of the Hallel (Psalms 113, 118), was sung at major festivals and at Passover, reminding worshippers that the God who redeemed Israel is alive, while the gods of the nations are empty. Early church fathers such as Augustine cited the psalm in debates against pagan polytheism, emphasizing that only the triune God can be truly known as a living person. The verse continues to be read in liturgical settings as a call to examine what we ultimately trust and honor.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Idols have form but no function. They have ears but cannot hear, a reminder that human-made gods are powerless to respond to their worshippers.
- Idols have appearance but no life. No breath in their mouths; they lack even the minimal sign of existence that every animal possesses.
- Worshippers become like what they worship. Verse 18 warns that those who make and trust lies will themselves become spiritually deaf and lifeless.
Five-point outline
- The context of praise. Verses 1, 14 recount God’s great acts; verses 15, 18 expose the emptiness of false gods.
- The anatomy of an idol. Silver and gold, mouths, eyes, ears, all useless.
- The fatal lack. No breath, no spirit, no life.
- The tragic mirror. Those who serve such gods become as empty as the things they serve.
- The call to true worship. Verse 19, 21 summon God’s people to bless the Lord, who is alive and active.
Illustration hooks
- A child dressing a doll, talking to it, expecting a reply. The doll never answers. The comparison is apt: idols are objects, no matter how carefully crafted.
- A car with a beautiful exterior but no engine. It looks ready to drive but cannot move. So are idols: they appear to have ears and mouths, but can do nothing.
- Looking at a photograph of a loved one, the image does not speak or breathe. It reminds us that only a living person can relate to us. The psalmist says idols are like photographs, but we worship the living God.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Are we still vulnerable to idolatry today, even without carved images?
- How does the breathlessness of idols contrast with the way God gives us His Spirit?
- What “modern idols” promise life but cannot deliver?
Leading a Discussion
This verse challenges us to examine what we trust and treasure. The psalmist contrasts the lifeless idols of the nations with the living God of Israel. As you discuss, think about how this ancient polemic speaks to 21st-century hearts.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 135:17 alongside Psalm 115:4, 8. What similarities do you notice, and what does this repetition tell us about the Bible’s view of idols?
- The Hebrew word ruach can mean “breath,” “wind,” or “spirit.” Why is it significant that idols lack this?
- In what ways did the original hearers of this psalm need this warning? How might their situation mirror ours?
- Verse 18 says those who make idols become like them. What does that look like practically in our lives?
- How does the truth that God gives breath to all (Isaiah 42:5) shape your view of worship and dependence on Him?
- Think of something you tend to trust in more than God, money, reputation, technology. How could that thing be “earless and breathless” when you need it most?
- Psalm 135 ends with a call to bless the Lord. How can you move from critiquing idols to active praise of the living God this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that one of Kennicott's manuscripts adds Psalm 115 verses 6 and 7 to this verse,
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that the psalmist compares God with idols to show why only God deserves praise. Idols, however skillfully made and decorated, remain mere silver and gold, unable to speak, see, or hear, and therefore have no real claim to worship.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin observes that the call to praise God here is not limited to the Levites but extends to the whole congregation. He finds the reasons given—God's goodness and his choice of Jacob—apply equally to all believers, not only to those who serve in the temple.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible draws a sharp contrast between the living God, who never changes and never abandons His people, and the helpless idols of the nations. Those who trust in such powerless things become like them: empty and unable to save.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note emphasizes the total lifelessness of idols: they lack even breath, the most basic sign of life. This detail drives home that idols are not merely silent or blind but completely dead, incapable of any action or response.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the absurdity of worshiping idols that do not even possess breath, something every living creature has. He contrasts these lifeless statues with the living God, who gives life and breath to all people. For Gill, this makes the worship of such powerless images a profound act of foolishness.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats this psalm as a deliberate mosaic of earlier Scripture, noting it is almost entirely assembled from passages taken from other psalms and allusions to the law and prophets. He sees it as a late composition that weaves together these borrowed pieces into a unified call to praise the Lord for his works in nature and history.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry contrasts the lifeless idols of the heathen with the living God of Israel. His distinctive point is that worshipping senseless, man-made gods makes the worshippers just as senseless, while worshiping the God who is Spirit should make His people spiritual and wise.