Jeremiah 2:11
in Jeremiah 2Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Hath a nation changed its gods, which yet are no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
KJV
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
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This verse in Jeremiah 2
Commentary
14 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
A nation - A Gentile nation, in strong antithesis to people, the appellation of Israel. Their glory - Though the worship of the one true God is a nation’s greatest glory, yet it is irksome because it puts a constraint on human passions. That which doth not profit - Israel had exchanged the prosperity which was God’s reward of obedience for the calamities which resulted from idol-worship.
This site's exposition
I will contend with you again
on Jeremiah 2:9-11
The LORD brings His case, “I will bring a case against your children’s children”. The nations keep their gods, “though they are no gods at all”, while Israel alone has “exchanged their Glory for useless idols”. The nations are more constant to falsehood than Israel has been to the truth.
This site's exposition
Has a nation ever changed its gods
Nation here is the word for a Gentile people, set against the name the LORD gives Israel, His people. Their Glory is the LORD Himself, and Psalm 106:20 uses the same exchange for the golden calf. The Hebrew word for glory means weight.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Those who are not saved always are taking care of those things that do not profit or benefit them in any way. So what kind of excuse is there for a Christian who withdraws from the assembly of the church? Such a person does not …
This alone among all evils is without comparison. This is a new act of shamelessness in life. "Go over to the islands of Kittim and see," the Lord says. "Send to Kedar and consider carefully whether anything like this has ever been done—if a nation has changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.)." But the virgin "has changed her glory," and her glory is in her shame.
For since you are not persuaded out of the Scriptures, I am compelled to shame you by them that are without. This God also did unto the Jews, when He said, "Go ye forth unto the Isles of Chittim, and send unto Kedar, and know if nations will change their gods; which yet are no gods." And to the brutes likewise He sends us oftentimes, saying on this wise, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard, and emulate her ways:" and "go forth to the bee."
And what wonder? for He permitted opinions erroneous, and unworthy of Himself, to prevail, as that He was a body formerly, and that He was visible. In opposition to which He says, "God is a Spirit." Again, that He delighted in sacrifices, which is far from His nature. And He utters words at variance with His declarations of Himself, and many such things. For He nowhere considers His own dignity, but always what will be profitable to us. And if a father considers not his own dignity, but talks lispingly with his children, and calls their meat and drink not by their Greek names, but by some childish and barbarous words, much more doth God. Even in reproving He condescends, as when He speaks by the prophet, "Hath a nation changed their gods?", and in every part of Scripture there are instances of His condescension both in words and actions.
The same erroneous notion by which they used to worship devils formed in the figure of people they use even now in thinking that the incomprehensible and ineffable glory of the true Deity should be worshiped under the limitations of some figure.
6 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Vers. 10, 11.) Go to the islands of Kittim, and see: and send to Kedar, and consider carefully, and see if such a thing has happened: if a nation has changed its gods (or its own gods). And certainly they are not gods: but my people have changed their glory into an idol (or something that will not profit them). He makes a comparison of that which is incomparable, and gives the true God to liars.
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Their glory - The true God, who was their glory; and who always did them good, giving them cause to glory in him.
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods?....
What a thing is this, that such a birthright should be sold for a mess of pottage, such a crown profaned and laid in the dust! Why is he made a slave to the oppressor? God provided that a Hebrew servant should be free the seventh year, and that their slaves should be of the heathen, not of their brethren, Lev. xxv.
They parted from a God who was their glory, who made them truly glorious and every way put honour upon them, one whom they might with a humble confidence glory in as theirs, who is himself a glorious God and the glory of those whose God he is; he was particularly the glory of his people Israel, for his glory had often appeared on their tabernacle.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
glory--Jehovah, the glory of Israel (Ps 106:20; The Shekinah, or cloud resting on the sanctuary, was the symbol of "the glory of the Lord" (1Ki 8:11; compare Ro 9:4). The golden calf was intended as an image of the true God (compare Ex 32:4, 5), yet it is called an "idol" (Ac 7:41).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַהֵימִ֥יר | haheimir | ¿ has it exchanged | H3235 → | |
| גּוֹי֙ | goy | a nation | H1471 → | 561 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֔ים | ʾelohim | gods | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וְהֵ֖מָּה | vehemah | and they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֑ים | ʾelohim | [are] gods | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וְעַמִּ֛י | veami | and people my | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הֵמִ֥יר | hemir | it has exchanged | H4171 → | |
| כְּבוֹד֖וֹ | kevodo | glory its | H3519 → | 200 times |
| בְּל֥וֹא | belo' | for [that which] not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יוֹעִֽיל׃ | yoil | it profits | H3276 → | 23 times |
הַהֵימִ֥יר¿ has it exchanged
haheimirH3235 →
גּוֹי֙a nation
goyH1471 →561 times
אֱלֹהִ֔יםgods
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
וְהֵ֖מָּהand they
vehemahH1992 →553 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
אֱלֹהִ֑ים[are] gods
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
וְעַמִּ֛יand people my
veamiH5971 →1873 times
הֵמִ֥ירit has exchanged
hemirH4171 →
כְּבוֹד֖וֹglory its
kevodoH3519 →200 times
בְּל֥וֹאfor [that which] not
belo'H3808 →5168 times
יוֹעִֽיל׃it profits
yoilH3276 →23 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 1:23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
it leads to
- Psalms 106:20
They exchanged their Glory for the image of a grass-eating ox.
- Acts 17:29
Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.
- 1 Peter 4:3
For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the same desires as the Gentiles: living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry.
- Romans 1:25
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.
- Psalms 115:5–8
They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;
- Psalms 106:20
Through
Jeremiah 16:20Can man make gods for himself? Such are not gods!”
it leads to
- Psalms 115:4–8
Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 115:4–8
Through
Micah 4:5Though each of the peoples may walk in the name of his god, yet we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.
it leads to
- Zechariah 10:12
I will strengthen them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk,” declares the LORD.
- Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
- Zechariah 10:12
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Jeremiah
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Basil of Caesarea, LETTER 46, TO A FALLEN VIRGIN; Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Didascalia Apostolorum, DIDASCALIA 13.[2:60]; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 1:10.5; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 17:6; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON TITUS 3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.