Jeremiah 11:12
in Jeremiah 11Then 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Jeremiah 11
Commentary
8 notes on this verse(Verse 11, 12.) Therefore, thus says the Lord: Behold, I am bringing upon them evil from which they cannot escape. They will cry out to me, but I will not listen to them. And the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer libations, but they will not save them in their time of distress. God does not listen in the time of necessity and distress because they also refused to listen to the voice of the Lord, just as Saul did.
This site's exposition
I am about to bring upon them a disaster
on Jeremiah 11:11-13
The judgment is inescapable and closed to prayer, “They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them”. Verse 13 counts the idols by the cities themselves, “Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, O Judah”. The count answers the polemic of chapter 10.
This site's exposition
Then the cities of Judah and the residents
Judah's incense buys no help on the day of need. Matthew Henry notes that the idols cannot help themselves, so they can give no help to those who serve them. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown pair the verse with 2:28, where the same gods are dared to rise and save.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Though God justly does not hear those who do not hear him, the demons will be unable to save the just in those who burn incense to them, whenever the time of troubles arrives. Thus, whenever God does not listen, it is dangerous to seek help from demons. But one must depend on God, who has turned away from us due to sins, yet who does not disregard the great and lasting refuge in himself.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
They shall not save them at all, shall do nothing towards their salvation, nor give them any prospect of it; they shall not afford them the least comfort, nor relief, nor mitigation of their trouble. It is God only that is a friend at need, a present powerful help in time of trouble. The idols cannot help themselves; how then should they help their worshippers?
Then shall the cities of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
cry unto the gods . . . not save-- (De 32:37, 38). Compare this verse and beginning of Jer 11:13; Jer 2:28. in the time of their trouble--that is, calamity (Jer 2:27).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Go, and cry unto the gods - See Jer 2:28.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָֽלְכ֞וּ | vehalekhu | and they will go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| עָרֵ֣י | ʾarei | [the] cities of | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| יְהוּדָ֗ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וְיֹשְׁבֵי֙ | veyoshevei | and [the] inhabitants of | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| וְזָֽעֲקוּ֙ | vezaaku | and they will cry out | H2199 → | 73 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים | haelohim | the gods | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֛ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הֵ֥ם | hem | they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| מְקַטְּרִ֖ים | mekaterim | [are] making smoke | H6999 → | 116 times |
| לָהֶ֑ם | lahem | to <the> them | ||
| וְהוֹשֵׁ֛עַ | vehoshea' | and certainly <to deliver> | H3467 → | 206 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יוֹשִׁ֥יעוּ | yoshiu | they will deliver | H3467 → | 206 times |
| לָהֶ֖ם | lahem | <to> <the> them | ||
| בְּעֵ֥ת | beet | at [the] time of | H6256 → | 296 times |
| רָעָתָֽם׃ | raatam | calamity their | H7451 → | 662 times |
וְהָֽלְכ֞וּand they will go
vehalekhuH1980 →1546 times
עָרֵ֣י[the] cities of
ʾareiH5892 →1090 times
יְהוּדָ֗הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
וְיֹשְׁבֵי֙and [the] inhabitants of
veyosheveiH3427 →1079 times
יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םJerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
וְזָֽעֲקוּ֙and they will cry out
vezaakuH2199 →73 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔יםthe gods
haelohimH430 →2601 times
אֲשֶׁ֛רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הֵ֥םthey
hemH1992 →553 times
מְקַטְּרִ֖ים[are] making smoke
mekaterimH6999 →116 times
לָהֶ֑םto <the> them
lahem
וְהוֹשֵׁ֛עַand certainly <to deliver>
vehoshea'H3467 →206 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יוֹשִׁ֥יעוּthey will deliver
yoshiuH3467 →206 times
לָהֶ֖ם<to> <the> them
lahem
בְּעֵ֥תat [the] time of
beetH6256 →296 times
רָעָתָֽם׃calamity their
raatamH7451 →662 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
Deuteronomy 32:37He will say: “Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge,
it leads to
- 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…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 2:28
Through
Jeremiah 2:28But 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…
it leads to
- Judges 10:14
Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 11:13
Your 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.’
- Deuteronomy 32:37
He will say: “Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge,
- 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.
- Judges 10:14
Through
Isaiah 45:20Come, 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.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 10:5
Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any…
- Isaiah 44:17–20
From the rest he makes a god, his graven image. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”
- Jeremiah 10:5
Through
Judges 10:14Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:37–38
He will say: “Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge,
- Deuteronomy 32:37–38
Where this verse is studied
About Jeremiah

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PlaceJerusalemJerusalemThe city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital, where Solomon built the temple, where Christ was crucified and rose,…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, FRAGMENTS ON JEREMIAH 7.
