Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version 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. New Living Translation 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! English Standard Version 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. Berean Standard Bible Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to which they have been burning incense, but these gods certainly will not save them in their time of disaster. Berean Literal Bible And the cities of Judah and those dwelling in Jerusalem will go, and they will cry out to the gods to which they offer incense to them; they will not save them at all in the time of their calamity. King James Bible 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. New King James Version 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. New American Standard Bible Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they certainly will not save them in the time of their disaster. NASB 1995 “Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they surely will not save them in the time of their disaster. NASB 1977 “Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they surely will not save them in the time of their disaster. Legacy Standard Bible Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they surely will not save them in the time of their calamity. Amplified Bible Then the cities of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry to the [man-made] gods to whom they burn incense, but they cannot save them in the time of their disaster. Berean Annotated Bible Then the cities of Judah (praised) and the residents of Jerusalem (city of peace) will go and cry out to the gods to which they have been burning incense, but these gods certainly will not save them in their time of disaster. Christian Standard Bible Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods they have been burning incense to, but they certainly will not save them in their time of disaster. Holman Christian Standard Bible Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods they have been burning incense to, but they certainly will not save them in their time of disaster. American Standard Version Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry unto the gods unto which they offer incense: but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. English Revised Version Then shall the cities of Judah and the 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation Then the cities of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem will cry to the gods to whom they've been sacrificing. But these gods will never rescue them when they're in trouble. Good News Translation Then the people of Judah and of Jerusalem will go to the gods to whom they offer sacrifices and will cry out to them for help. But those gods will not be able to save them when this destruction comes. International Standard Version The towns of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they'll be no help at all to them in the time of their disaster. NET Bible Then those living in the towns of Judah and in Jerusalem will go and cry out for help to the gods to whom they have been sacrificing. However, those gods will by no means be able to save them when disaster strikes them. New Heart English Bible Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry to the gods to which they offer incense: but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. Webster's Bible Translation Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry to the gods to which they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to which they have been burning incense, but these gods certainly will not save them in their time of disaster. World English Bible Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to which they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd the cities of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem have gone, "" And they have cried to the gods, "" To whom they are making incense, "" And they give no deliverance at all to them, "" In the time of their distress. Berean Literal Bible And the cities of Judah and those dwelling in Jerusalem will go, and they will cry out to the gods to which they offer incense to them; they will not save them at all in the time of their calamity. Young's Literal Translation And the cities of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem have gone, And they have cried unto the gods, To whom they are making perfume, And they give no deliverance at all to them, In the time of their vexation. Smith's Literal Translation And the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem went and cried to the gods which they burnt incense to them: and saving, they will not save to them in the time of their evil. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd the cities of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall go, and cry to the gods to whom they offer sacrifice, and they shall not save them in the time of their affliction. Catholic Public Domain Version And the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go forth, and they will cry out to the gods, to whom they offer libations, and they will not save them in the time of their affliction. New American Bible Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they have been offering incense. But these gods will give them no help whatever in the time of their disaster. New Revised Standard Version Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they will never save them in the time of their trouble. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry to the gods to whom they had offered incense; but they shall not save them at all in the time of their misfortune. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And the villages of Judea and the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall go and they shall bellow out to the gods to which they have been offering incense, and they shall not deliver them in the time of their affliction OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer; but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. Brenton Septuagint Translation And the cities of Juda and the dwellers in Jerusalem shall go, and cry to the gods to whom they burn incense; which shall not deliver them in the time of their troubles. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Broken Covenant…11Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them. 12Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to which they have been burning incense, but these gods certainly will not save them in their time of disaster. 13Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, O Judah; the altars of shame you have set up—the altars to burn incense to Baal—are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.’… Cross References Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods Judges 10:14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.” 1 Kings 18:26-27 And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made. / At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!” Jeremiah 2:28 But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O Judah. to which they have been burning incense, 2 Kings 23:5 Josiah also did away with the idolatrous priests ordained by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who had burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven. Jeremiah 44:17-19 Instead, we will do everything we vowed to do: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and offer drink offerings to her, just as we, our fathers, our kings, and our officials did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and good things, and we saw no disaster. / But from the time we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been perishing by sword and famine.” / “Moreover,” said the women, “when we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands’ knowledge that we made sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?” 2 Chronicles 28:4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree. but these gods certainly will not save them Isaiah 45:20 Come, gather together, and draw near, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry idols of wood and pray to a god that cannot save. Psalm 115:4-8 Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; … 1 Samuel 12:21 Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty. in their time of disaster. Proverbs 1:26-28 in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you, / when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you. / Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me. Ezekiel 7:19 They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity. Zephaniah 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth. Isaiah 1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. Ezekiel 8:18 Therefore I will respond with wrath. I will not look on them with pity, nor will I spare them. Although they shout loudly in My ears, I will not listen to them.” Micah 3:4 Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. At that time He will hide His face from them because of the evil they have done. Proverbs 1:28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me. Treasury of Scripture Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry to the gods to whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. go. 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 thy gods, O Judah. Jeremiah 44:17-27 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil… Deuteronomy 32:37 And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted, trouble. Jump to Previous Burn Burned Burning Cities Cried Cry Crying Deliverance Disaster Gods Help Incense Inhabitants Jerusalem Judah Making Offer Perfume Perfumes Salvation Save Surely Time Towns Trouble VexationJump to Next Burn Burned Burning Cities Cried Cry Crying Deliverance Disaster Gods Help Incense Inhabitants Jerusalem Judah Making Offer Perfume Perfumes Salvation Save Surely Time Towns Trouble VexationJeremiah 11 1. Jeremiah proclaims God's covenant;8. rebukes the peoples' disobeying thereof; 11. prophesies evils to come upon them; 18. and upon the men of Anathoth, for conspiring to kill him. Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods This phrase highlights the idolatry prevalent in Judah and Jerusalem during Jeremiah's time. The people had turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel, and sought help from foreign deities. This reflects a common practice in the ancient Near East, where nations often worshipped multiple gods, each believed to have control over different aspects of life. The cities of Judah and Jerusalem, representing the entire nation, are depicted as collectively engaging in this apostasy. to which they have been burning incense, but these gods certainly will not save them in their time of disaster. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA prophet called by God to deliver messages of warning and judgment to the people of Judah. His ministry was marked by his deep emotional connection to his people and his unwavering commitment to God's truth. 2. Judah The southern kingdom of Israel, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. It was the primary audience of Jeremiah's prophecies, often rebuked for idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness. 3. Jerusalem The capital city of Judah, central to Jewish worship and identity. It was a focal point of Jeremiah's prophecies, symbolizing the spiritual state of the nation. 4. Idolatry The act of worshiping other gods, which was prevalent in Judah despite God's covenant with them. This idolatry led to their spiritual downfall and eventual judgment. 5. Disaster Refers to the impending judgment and calamity that would come upon Judah as a consequence of their persistent idolatry and disobedience to God. Teaching Points The Futility of IdolatryIdolatry is not just the worship of physical idols but can also be anything that takes the place of God in our lives. It is ultimately futile and leads to spiritual emptiness. The Consequences of Disobedience Persistent disobedience to God’s commands results in judgment. This serves as a warning to remain faithful and obedient to God’s Word. The Importance of True Worship True worship is directed solely to God, who is able to save and deliver. We must examine our lives to ensure our worship is genuine and God-centered. God’s Call to Repentance Even in judgment, God’s desire is for His people to return to Him. Repentance is a key theme, offering hope and restoration. Reliance on God Alone In times of trouble, our reliance should be on God alone, not on false securities or idols. Trusting in God brings true deliverance and peace. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 11:12?2. How does Jeremiah 11:12 highlight the futility of idolatry in crisis times? 3. What does Jeremiah 11:12 teach about God's response to unrepentant hearts? 4. How can we apply Jeremiah 11:12 to modern-day reliance on false securities? 5. How does Jeremiah 11:12 connect with the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? 6. What steps can we take to ensure our prayers align with God's will? 7. Why do people turn to false gods despite knowing they won't save them in Jeremiah 11:12? 8. How does Jeremiah 11:12 challenge the belief in the power of prayer to false idols? 9. What historical context led to the warnings in Jeremiah 11:12? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 11? 11. Why has Jerusalem suffered such great devastation and sorrow? 12. Jeremiah 11:9-10: Is there archaeological or historical evidence of a widespread 'conspiracy' among Judah and Israel during Jeremiah's time? 13. Why does Ezekiel 12:22-25 predict immediate judgment when other biblical prophecies suggest a different timeline for Israel's punishment? 14. Jeremiah 11:1-5: How can an all-knowing God expect a covenant not to be broken if He already foresees human failings? What Does Jeremiah 11:12 Mean Then the cities of JudahJeremiah pictures the whole nation, not just a few renegades, facing the consequence of rebellion. “Cities” points to every population center—large or small—demonstrating how widespread idolatry had become (see Jeremiah 4:16; 2 Kings 17:19–20). • God had repeatedly warned these same towns through prophets (Jeremiah 26:2–6). • Their collective decision sets the stage for collective accountability (Deuteronomy 29:24–28). and the residents of Jerusalem The capital, home to the temple, should have modeled covenant faithfulness. Instead, its people mirrored the sins of the countryside (Jeremiah 7:17–18; Micah 3:9–11). • Spiritual privilege increases responsibility (Luke 12:48). • When leadership hardens, the rest follow, magnifying national guilt (2 Kings 21:10–15). will go and cry out to the gods When calamity hits, Judah will instinctively turn to the very idols they preferred over the LORD. The verb “cry out” conveys desperate, urgent pleas (Jeremiah 2:27–28). • Crisis exposes the shallowness of false trusts (Psalm 20:7). • A lifetime of misplaced dependence leaves people bankrupt when true help is needed (Judges 10:13–14). to which they have been burning incense Incense symbolizes continuous worship and intimacy. Judah had maintained regular idol rituals—sometimes right alongside temple sacrifices (Jeremiah 1:16; 19:4–5; 32:29). • Persistent sin hardens the conscience (Hebrews 3:13). • What we devote ourselves to daily becomes the “god” we expect to save us (Matthew 6:24). but these gods certainly will not save them The sentence is decisive. Man-made gods are powerless; only the LORD saves (Psalm 115:4–8; Isaiah 46:6–7). • Idols can receive attention, offerings, and loyalty, yet remain lifeless. • God’s “no” to their cries is an act of just judgment, not indifference (Proverbs 1:28–31). in their time of disaster Judah’s “time” is the divinely appointed moment of reckoning (Jeremiah 11:11; 15:2). When that hour arrives: • Escape routes vanish (Amos 5:18–20). • The difference between the living God and idols becomes painfully clear (Isaiah 45:20). • God’s earlier calls to repentance (Jeremiah 3:12–14) highlight the tragedy of opportunities wasted. summary Jeremiah 11:12 warns that a nation steeped in idolatry will discover its chosen “gods” are useless when judgment comes. Every town, even Jerusalem, will cry out, but their incense-soaked idols cannot hear, move, or save. The verse presses the timeless truth that only the LORD rescues; anything else we trust will fail when disaster strikes. Hebrew Then the citiesעָרֵ֣י (‘ā·rê) Noun - feminine plural construct Strong's 5892: Excitement of Judah יְהוּדָ֗ה (yə·hū·ḏāh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites and the residents וְיֹשְׁבֵי֙ (wə·yō·šə·ḇê) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry of Jerusalem יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם (yə·rū·šā·lim) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel will go וְהָֽלְכ֞וּ (wə·hā·lə·ḵū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk and cry out וְזָֽעֲקוּ֙ (wə·zā·‘ă·qū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural Strong's 2199: To shriek, to announce, convene publicly to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to the gods הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative to which אֲשֶׁ֛ר (’ă·šer) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that they הֵ֥ם (hêm) Pronoun - third person masculine plural Strong's 1992: They have been burning incense, מְקַטְּרִ֖ים (mə·qaṭ·ṭə·rîm) Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 6999: To smoke, turn into fragrance by fire but [these gods] certainly will not לֹֽא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no save them וְהוֹשֵׁ֛עַ (wə·hō·wō·šê·a‘) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute Strong's 3467: To be open, wide, free, to be safe, to free, succor in their time בְּעֵ֥ת (bə·‘êṯ) Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct Strong's 6256: Time, now, when of disaster. רָעָתָֽם׃ (rā·‘ā·ṯām) Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 7451: Bad, evil Links Jeremiah 11:12 NIVJeremiah 11:12 NLT Jeremiah 11:12 ESV Jeremiah 11:12 NASB Jeremiah 11:12 KJV Jeremiah 11:12 BibleApps.com Jeremiah 11:12 Biblia Paralela Jeremiah 11:12 Chinese Bible Jeremiah 11:12 French Bible Jeremiah 11:12 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Jeremiah 11:12 Then shall the cities of Judah (Jer.) |
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