Jeremiah 2:28

Jeremiah 2:28 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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 thy gods, O Judah.
• New International Version (NIV)Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you, in your time of trouble; for as many as your cities are your gods, O Judah.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, If they can save you in the time of your trouble; For according to the number of your cities Are your gods, O Judah.

Context of Jeremiah 2:28

26Like the shame of a thief when he is caught, so the house of Israel has been put to shame. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets 27say to a tree, “You are my father,” and to a stone, “You gave birth to me.” For they have turned their back to me and not their face, yet in their time of disaster they beg, “Rise up and save us!” But where are your gods you made for yourself? Let them rise up and save you in your time of disaster if they can, for your gods are as numerous as your cities, Judah. 29Why do you bring a case against me? All of you have rebelled against me. This is the Lord’s declaration. 30I have struck down your children in vain; they would not accept discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a ravaging lion.

Jeremiah 2:28 word by word

וְאַיֵּ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔ךְ יָק֕וּמוּ אִם־יוֹשִׁיע֖וּךָ בְּעֵ֣ת רָעָתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֚י מִסְפַּ֣ר עָרֶ֔יךָ הָי֥וּ אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יְהוּדָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• thy godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• that thou hast madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• thee? let them ariseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• if they can saveיָשַׁעyâsha‛ · to saveH3467
• thee in the timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• of thy troubleרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
• the numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
• of thy citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• O Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063

Cross-references for Jeremiah 2:28

• Deuteronomy 32:37He will say, “Where are their gods, the ‘rock’ they found refuge in?
• Judges 10:14Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them deliver you whenever you are oppressed.”
• 2 Kings 3:13However, Elisha said to King Joram of Israel, “What do we have in common? Go to the prophets of your father and your mother!” But the king of Israel replied, “No, because it is the Lord who has summoned these three kings to hand them over to Moab.”
• Isaiah 45:20“Come, gather together, and approach, you fugitives of the nations. Those who carry their wooden idols and pray to a god who cannot save have no knowledge.
• Isaiah 46:2The gods cower; they crouch together; they are not able to rescue the burden, but they themselves go into captivity.
• Jeremiah 11:13Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, Judah, and the altars you have set up to Shame — altars to burn incense to Baal — as numerous as the streets of Jerusalem.
• 2 Kings 17:30The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima,
• Hosea 10:1Israel is a lush vine; it yields fruit for itself. The more his fruit increased, the more he increased the altars. The better his land produced, the better they made the sacred pillars.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 2:28

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28According to the number of thy cities are thy gods - Among heathen nations every city had its tutelary deity. Judah, far sunk in idolatry, had adopted this custom. The Church of Rome has refined it a little: every city has its tutelary saint, and this saint has a procession and worship peculiar to himself. So here; not much of the old idolatry is lost.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28A question of bitter irony. Things are made for some use. Now is the time for thy deities to prove themselves real by being useful. When every city has its special deity, surely among so many there might be found one able to help his worshippers. O Judah - Hereto the argument had been addressed to Israel: suddenly the prophet charges Judah with the habitual practice of idolatry, and points to the conclusion, that as Jerusalem has been guilty of Samaria‘s…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-28Verses 20-28 Notwithstanding all their advantages, Israel had become like the wild vine that bears poisonous fruit. Men are often as much under the power of their unbridled desires and their sinful lusts, as the brute beasts. But the Lord here warns them not to weary themselves in pursuits which could only bring distress and misery. As we must not despair of the mercy of God, but believe that to be sufficient for the pardon of our sins, so neither must we…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 28The Israelites unwisely worshipped many gods (Jeremiah 11:13; Deuteronomy 32:37; Judges 10:14; 2 Kings 17:30–31), who could not help them. Jeremiah spoke to the tribe of Judah, the people standing before him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. But--God sends them to the gods for whom they forsook Him, to see if they can help them (De 32:37, 38; Jud 10:14). according to the number of thy cities--Besides national deities, each city had its tutelary god (Jr 11:13).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 2:28

• Church
• Idolatry
• Polytheism

In the dictionaries

• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Attire
• Bitter
• Cry
• Degenerate
• Handle
• Hold
• Holiness

Commentaries on Jeremiah 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings