Jeremiah 14:22 kjv
Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.
Jeremiah 14:22 nkjv
Are there any among the idols of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O LORD our God? Therefore we will wait for You, Since You have made all these.
Jeremiah 14:22 niv
Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, LORD our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.
Jeremiah 14:22 esv
Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are you not he, O LORD our God? We set our hope on you, for you do all these things.
Jeremiah 14:22 nlt
Can any of the worthless foreign gods send us rain?
Does it fall from the sky by itself?
No, you are the one, O LORD our God!
Only you can do such things.
So we will wait for you to help us.
Jeremiah 14 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 14:22 | "Are there any among the nations who give rain? Or can the heavens give showers? No, it is You, O Lord our God." | Statement of God's exclusive power |
| Deuteronomy 11:14 | "I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil." | God's provision of rain as a blessing |
| Leviticus 26:4 | "I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit." | Conditional promise of rain |
| Psalm 147:8 | "He covers the heavens with clouds; He prepares rain for the earth; He makes grass to grow on the mountains." | God as creator and sustainer |
| Isaiah 45:7 | "I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things." | God's sovereignty over all |
| Amos 4:7 | "Yet I withheld rain from you, when it was three months until harvest. I sent rain on one city, but no rain on another city; one part was rained upon, and the part on which it did not rain withered." | God's sovereign control over weather |
| Haggai 1:11 | "And I called for a drought on the land and on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on men and beasts, and on all the labor of their hands.” | Drought as a consequence of disobedience |
| John 3:27 | "John answered, 'A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.'" | All gifts come from heaven |
| Acts 14:17 | "yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” | God's universal acts of goodness |
| 1 Corinthians 4:7 | "For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" | All possessions are gifts from God |
| Romans 11:36 | "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." | God's ultimate sovereignty |
| Revelation 21:1 | "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more." | New creation by God |
| Genesis 1:1 | "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." | God as the Creator of all |
| Deuteronomy 28:24 | "The Lord will change your sky into bronze, and the earth beneath into iron." | Curse of drought for disobedience |
| 1 Kings 18:41 | "Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of abundant rain.”" | Elijah praying for rain |
| Jeremiah 3:3 | "Therefore the stopping of rain and the withholding of the spring rain you have not borne the output." | Judgment involving lack of rain |
| Psalm 104:13 | "He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of his work." | God providing for creation |
| Jeremiah 14:3 | "Their nobles send their boys for water; they come to the cisterns, they find no water, they return with their vessels empty. They are ashamed and confounded and cover their heads." | Depiction of drought's impact |
| Joel 1:16 | "Is not the food cut off before our eyes, yes, joy and gladness from the house of our God?" | Consequences of judgment |
| Joel 2:18 | "Then the Lord became jealous for his land and took pity on his people." | God's redemptive actions |
Jeremiah 14 verses
Jeremiah 14 22 Meaning
Is there any god among the nations that can give rain? Only You, O Lord, our God, can do this.
Jeremiah 14 22 Context
Jeremiah 14 describes a severe drought gripping the land of Judah, a consequence of their sin and rebellion against God. The people are suffering greatly, with no water in the wells, and the land is parched. In this context, the prophet Jeremiah cries out to God on behalf of the people, acknowledging God's exclusive power to provide the life-sustaining rains that the people desperately need. The verse emphasizes that false gods and natural forces are incapable of bringing such a vital blessing, highlighting the singular sovereignty of the Lord. This chapter is situated within Jeremiah's larger prophetic ministry during a time of impending Babylonian exile, where divine judgment and the need for repentance were central themes.
Jeremiah 14 22 Word analysis
are (Hebrew: הֲ - ha) - A simple interrogative particle, marking a question.
there (implied in the Hebrew structure) - The presence of something or someone.
any (implied in the Hebrew structure) - Any quantity or number, significant or not.
among (Hebrew: מִן - min) - From; out of; among; of.
the (definite article)
nations (Hebrew: הַגּוֹיִם - hag·gō·w·yim) - The peoples, often referring to the Gentile nations around Israel.
who (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר - a·sher) - Relative pronoun: who, which, that.
give (Hebrew: יִתֵּנוּ - yit·tə·nu) - He will give; giving.
rain (Hebrew: מָטָר - mā·ṭār) - Rain; shower.
Or (Hebrew: אִם־ - im) - Or; if; whether. Used here to introduce an alternative possibility.
can (Hebrew: יָכֹל - yā·ḵōl) - To be able; can; prevail.
the (definite article)
heavens (Hebrew: שָׁמַיִם - šā·ma·yim) - Heavens; sky.
give (Hebrew: יִתֵּנוּ - yit·tə·nu) - He will give; giving.
showers (Hebrew: שְׁעָרִים - šə·‘ā·rîm) - Pourings, showers.
No (Hebrew: לֹא - lō) - Not.
it (implied pronoun)
is (implied verb 'to be')
You (Hebrew: אַתָּה - at·tāh) - Thou; You (masculine singular pronoun). Emphatically pointing to God.
O (interjection particle)
Lord (Hebrew: יְהוָה - Yĕ·hō·wāh) - The LORD (Jehovah). The covenantal name of God.
our (Hebrew: אֱלֹהֵינוּ - ’ĕ·lō·hê·nu) - Our God. The God who entered into covenant with them.
God (Hebrew: אֱלֹהֵינוּ - ’ĕ·lō·hê·nu) - Our God.
nations...give rain: This juxtaposition challenges the polytheistic beliefs of surrounding cultures, where various deities were often associated with natural phenomena like rain. It asserts that no false god possesses such power.
heavens...give showers: Similarly, it contrasts God's direct power with the notion that celestial bodies or phenomena inherently control or dispense rain, attributing it solely to divine will.
No, it is You, O Lord our God: This is a definitive declaration, a pivot from negation to absolute affirmation. The singular "You" (אַתָּה) emphasizes God's uniqueness and direct personal involvement. The inclusion of "our God" (אֱלֹהֵינוּ) strengthens the relational aspect; He is not just a distant deity but their covenant God who is capable of and responsible for their well-being. The emphasis is on God's absolute sovereignty and exclusivity in granting life-giving sustenance.
Jeremiah 14 22 Bonus section
The prophet Jeremiah is using this declaration to confront a deep spiritual failing within Israel. They had fallen into syncretism, often looking to the fertility deities of surrounding nations (like Baal, who was associated with rain and storms) or trusting in political alliances instead of God. This verse directly challenges those practices by asserting that Yahweh alone is the source of rain. Just as in the time of Elijah, where Baal was challenged regarding his supposed power over the weather (1 Kings 18), Jeremiah confronts a similar spiritual reliance on the wrong sources. The inability to receive rain is directly linked to their turning away from God, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:24 ("The LORD will change your sky to bronze, and the earth beneath to iron"). The prayer, therefore, is not just about physical water, but about spiritual reorientation and a return to dependence on the true God for all their needs, physical and spiritual. This is foundational to understanding Christian theology: spiritual salvation and all divine blessings flow exclusively from God through Christ.
Jeremiah 14 22 Commentary
This verse serves as a poignant prayer of confession and a declaration of faith during a time of immense hardship. Judah is suffering a devastating drought, a consequence of their unfaithfulness. Jeremiah, acting as mediator, appeals to God not to rely on other nations or impersonal natural forces, but directly to Yahweh, their covenant God. The rhetorical questions highlight the futility of seeking help from idols or powers that cannot control the elements. The affirmation that only the Lord God can give rain underscores His absolute sovereignty over creation and His unique role as the sustainer of life for His people. It is a call to recognize where true power and provision lie, amidst the failure of earthly resources and the temptation to seek help from the surrounding pagan nations. This trust in God's power to deliver them from the drought mirrors the essential truth that all blessings, including spiritual life, ultimately come from God alone.