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

26“Israel is like a thief who feels shame only when he gets caught. They, their kings, officials, priests, and prophets— all are alike in this. 27To an image carved from a piece of wood they say, ‘You are my father.’ To an idol chiseled from a block of stone they say, ‘You are my mother.’ They turn their backs on me, but in times of trouble they cry out to me, ‘Come and save us!’ But why not call on these gods you have made? When trouble comes, let them save you if they can! For you have as many gods as there are towns in Judah. 29Why do you accuse me of doing wrong? You are the ones who have rebelled,” says the Lord. 30“I have punished your children, but they did not respond to my discipline. You yourselves have killed your prophets as a lion kills its prey.

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 32:37Then he will ask, ‘Where are their gods, the rocks they fled to for refuge?
• Judges 10:14Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!”
• 2 Kings 3:13“Why are you coming to me?” Elisha asked the king of Israel. “Go to the pagan prophets of your father and mother!” But King Joram of Israel said, “No! For it was the Lord who called us three kings here—only to be defeated by the king of Moab!”
• Isaiah 45:20“Gather together and come, you fugitives from surrounding nations. What fools they are who carry around their wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save!
• Isaiah 46:2Both the idols and their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people, and the people cannot protect the gods. They go off into captivity together.
• Jeremiah 11:13Look now, people of Judah; you have as many gods as you have towns. You have as many altars of shame—altars for burning incense to your god Baal—as there are streets in Jerusalem.
• 2 Kings 17:30Those from Babylon worshiped idols of their god Succoth-benoth. Those from Cuthah worshiped their god Nergal. And those from Hamath worshiped Ashima.
• Hosea 10:1How prosperous Israel is— a luxuriant vine loaded with fruit. But the richer the people get, the more pagan altars they build. The more bountiful their harvests, the more beautiful their 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