Jeremiah 2:11

11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.

Jeremiah 2:11 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
English Standard Version (ESV)
11 Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.
New Living Translation (NLT)
11 Has any nation ever traded its gods for new ones, even though they are not gods at all? Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols!
The Message Bible (MSG)
11 That a nation has traded in its gods for gods that aren't even close to gods? But my people have traded my Glory for empty god-dreams and silly god-schemes.
American Standard Version (ASV)
11 Hath a nation changed [its] gods, which yet are no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
11 Has any nation ever exchanged gods? (Their gods aren't really gods.) Yet, my people have exchanged their Glory for something that doesn't help them.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
11 Has a nation [ever] exchanged its gods? (but they were not gods!) Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? Actually, they are not even gods at all. But my people have traded away their glorious God. They have traded me for worthless statues of gods.

Jeremiah 2:11 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 2:11

Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods?
&c.] Though they are not by nature gods which they worship, only nominal and fictitious deities, yet they did not change them for others; but when they once embraced the worship of them, continued therein; so did the Chittim, the inhabitants of the isles, who though they traded to distant countries, from place to place; and so the Kedarenes, who dwelt in tents, and fed cattle, and moved from one desert to another, and from one pasture to another, as Jarchi observes; yet they carried their gods with them, and did not exchange them for new ones where they came. The Jewish writers say F2, that the Kedarenes worshipped water, and the Chittim fire; and though they knew that water would quench fire, yet the latter would not change their gods. Kimchi and Abendana relate it just the reverse, and say the Kedarenes worshipped fire, and the Chittim water, which is most likely; and so it is said elsewhere F3. But my people have changed their glory;
the true God, who is glorious in himself, and whom they should have glorified, and have counted it their highest honour and glory that they knew him, and were the worshippers of him; yet they changed him, their glory, into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass, ( Psalms 106:20 ) , wherefore it is justly added, for that which doth not profit;
meaning Baal, and such like idols; see the note on ( Jeremiah 2:8 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F2 T. Bab. Taanith, fol. 5. 2.
F3 Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 60. 3.

Jeremiah 2:11 In-Context

9 “Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the LORD. “And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this:
11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.
12 Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the LORD.
13 “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Cross References 2

  • 1. S Isaiah 37:19; Jeremiah 16:20; Galatians 4:8
  • 2. S 1 Samuel 4:21; Psalms 106:20; Romans 1:23
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