Jeremiah 11:12 kjv
Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
Jeremiah 11:12 nkjv
Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
Jeremiah 11:12 niv
The towns of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they will not help them at all when disaster strikes.
Jeremiah 11:12 esv
Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they cannot save them in the time of their trouble.
Jeremiah 11:12 nlt
Then the people of Judah and Jerusalem will pray to their idols and burn incense before them. But the idols will not save them when disaster strikes!
Jeremiah 11 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 11:11 | "Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them." | Fulfillment of Prophecy |
| Deuteronomy 31:29 | "For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, by provoking him to anger through the work of your hands." | Warning of Apostasy |
| Judges 10:13 | "For ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more." | Forsaking God |
| Hosea 8:6 | "For by the hand of Israel; even a work of man is this; it is not God: yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces." | Idolatry and its Futility |
| Isaiah 2:8 | "Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of thine own hands, that which thy fingers have made." | Widespread Idolatry |
| Jeremiah 2:28 | "But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thine idols, O Judah." | Futility of Idols |
| Psalms 106:13 | "They soon forgat his works; they gave not occasion to his counsel;" | Forgetting God's Deeds |
| 1 Kings 18:27 | "And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked." | Mockery of False Gods |
| Jeremiah 5:19 | "And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours." | Consequence of Apostasy |
| Jeremiah 16:11 | "And shalt say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;" | Historical Pattern |
| Deuteronomy 28:48 | "Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee." | Slavery and Punishment |
| Isaiah 43:11 | "I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour." | God's Uniqueness |
| Jeremiah 17:5 | "Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD." | Trust in Man vs. God |
| Jeremiah 7:18 | "The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger." | Idolatrous Practices |
| Jeremiah 43:12 | "And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captive." | Destruction of Idols |
| Amos 5:26 | "But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves." | Idolatry Identified |
| Acts 17:29 | "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device." | Divine Nature vs. Idols |
| Romans 1:23 | "And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things." | Idolatry Described |
| Jeremiah 3:8 | "And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet did not her traitorous sister Judah fear, but went and played the harlot also." | Judah's Complicity |
| Hosea 13:4 | "Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me." | God's Saviorhood |
Jeremiah 11 verses
Jeremiah 11 12 Meaning
The people of Judah have turned away from God, broken their covenant, and sought refuge in idols, which will ultimately bring them destruction. They have forsaken the Lord who brought them out of Egypt. Their new "gods" will not be able to save them in the time of their distress.
Jeremiah 11 12 Context
Jeremiah 11:12 occurs within the broader context of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry in Judah, specifically during a period of spiritual decline and impending judgment. King Josiah's reforms, while significant, had not permeated the hearts of the entire nation, and many continued to engage in syncretistic worship and reliance on outward religious observances rather than genuine repentance. The chapter reveals that the people of Judah have violated the covenant established at Sinai. Their apostasy is characterized by the proliferation of idols and a departure from the Law of Moses. The impending divine judgment is described as a consequence of their unfaithfulness. Jeremiah's message in this chapter is a solemn warning that their reliance on their "gods" and their broken covenant will lead to their destruction. This message reflects a recurring theme in the Old Testament where covenantal blessings are conditional upon obedience, and disobedience leads to curse and judgment.
Jeremiah 11 12 Word Analysis
- And: (Hebrew: וְ - ve) - A conjunction used here to link the preceding statement about Judah's broken covenant to the following declaration of God's judgment.
- let: (Hebrew: יִתֵּ֫נוּ - yittenū) - Future tense verb, signifying permission or possibility. In this context, it conveys God's rhetorical challenge or question.
- Judah: (Hebrew: יְהוּדָה - Yehūdāh) - Refers to the southern kingdom of Israel, which consisted of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and was later captured by Babylon.
- arise: (Hebrew: קוּם - qum) - To stand up, to rise; here used in the sense of emerging or presenting themselves to help.
- if: (Hebrew: אִם - im) - Introduces a conditional clause.
- they: (Hebrew: הֵ֫מָּה - hēmmāh) - Refers back to the idols of Judah.
- can: (Hebrew: יוּכְלוּ - yûkhalū) - Possibility or ability; again, part of the rhetorical question about the power of idols.
- save: (Hebrew: הוֹשִׁ֫יעַ - hōshîa') - To deliver, to rescue, to help; from the root word Yasha', from which the name Joshua (Jesus) derives.
- thee: (Hebrew: אוֹתָךְ - ōtāḵ) - Refers to Judah, addressing the nation.
- in: (Hebrew: בְּ־ - bə-) - A preposition indicating the time or circumstance.
- the: (Hebrew: בְּעֵת - bəʿēṯ) - Means "in the time of" or "at the time of."
- time: (Hebrew: עֵת - ʿēṯ) - A specific period.
- of: (Hebrew: צָרָתֵךְ - ṣārāṯēḵ) - Your distress, affliction, or tribulation; from the root word Tsarāh (trouble).
Grouped Analysis:
- "let Judah arise if they can save thee": This phrase is a powerful rhetorical question challenging the efficacy of Judah's idols. The use of "arise" contrasts the inanimate nature of idols with the active, living God who intervenes on behalf of His people. The impossibility of their saving is implied, setting up the severity of their situation.
- "in the time of thy trouble": This phrase pinpoints the specific circumstances under which their idols will fail. During a crisis, when deliverance is most desperately needed, these lifeless objects will prove useless, highlighting the utter abandonment of God by the nation.
Jeremiah 11 12 Bonus Section
The verse employs powerful irony. The people turned to gods "made" by human hands, forgetting the God who "made" them. The Hebrew verb used for "arise" (qum) also carries connotations of strength and power to act, qualities conspicuously absent in lifeless idols. The prophet's rhetorical question underscores God's sovereignty and might, contrasting it with the impotent nature of pagan deities. This rhetorical device was common in ancient Near Eastern polemics against neighboring religious practices. It effectively dismantles the illusion of security the idols provided, revealing them as sources of deception leading to judgment. The specific phrase "time of thy trouble" anticipates the great tribulation that the nation would face due to their covenant-breaking.
Jeremiah 11 12 Commentary
Jeremiah 11:12 is a stark indictment of Judah's religious apostasy. The people, having abandoned Yahweh, the God who miraculously delivered them from Egyptian bondage (Exodus 14), now trust in idols. These idols, whether Asherah poles, stone images, or celestial bodies worshipped by other nations, are powerless. The verse emphasizes their failure during Judah's time of distress. God's faithfulness is contrasted with the utter unreliability of their idols. This verse serves as a foundational argument for monotheism and highlights the futility of polytheism and idolatry. It foreshadows the Babylonian exile as a direct consequence of this unfaithfulness, where these very idols would not protect Judah. The message resonates through scripture, warning against misplaced trust and reminding believers that true salvation and deliverance come only from the LORD.