Jeremiah 2:11
Jeremiah 2:11 in Multiple Translations
Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
Hath a nation changed its gods, which yet are no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
Has any nation ever made a change in their gods, though they are no gods? but my people have given up their glory in exchange for what is of no profit.
Has a nation ever changed its gods? —even though they're not gods at all! Yet my people have traded their glorious God for worthless idols.
Hath any nation changed their gods, which yet are no gods? but my people haue chaged their glorie, for that which doeth not profite.
Hath a nation changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people hath changed its honour For that which doth not profit.
Has a nation changed its gods, which really are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which doesn’t profit.
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
If a nation hath changed their gods, and indeed they are not gods: but my people have changed their glory into an idol.
The people of no other nation have ever [RHQ] abandoned their gods that they thought were glorious and started to worship gods that are not really gods, but you people have abandoned me, your glorious God, and are worshiping gods that are useless.
Berean Amplified Bible — Jeremiah 2:11
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Jeremiah 2:11 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
הַ/הֵימִ֥יר
גּוֹי֙
אֱלֹהִ֔ים
וְ/הֵ֖מָּה
לֹ֣א
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
וְ/עַמִּ֛/י
הֵמִ֥יר
כְּבוֹד֖/וֹ
בְּ/ל֥וֹא
יוֹעִֽיל
הַ/הֵימִ֥יר
mûwr
H4171
to change
Part | V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms
גּוֹי֙
gôwy
H1471
Gentile
N-ms
אֱלֹהִ֔ים
ʼĕlôhîym
H430
God
N-mp
וְ/הֵ֖מָּה
hêm
H1992
they(masc.)
Conj | Pron
לֹ֣א
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
ʼĕlôhîym
H430
God
N-mp
וְ/עַמִּ֛/י
ʻam
H5971
Amaw
Conj | N-ms | Suff
הֵמִ֥יר
mûwr
H4171
to change
V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms
כְּבוֹד֖/וֹ
kâbôwd
H3519
glory
N-cs | Suff
בְּ/ל֥וֹא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Prep | Part
יוֹעִֽיל
yaʻal
H3276
to gain
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Jeremiah 2:11
הַ/הֵימִ֥יר
mûwr
H4171
"to change"
Part | V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms
To change or exchange something, this word is used in the Bible to describe altering or replacing something. It is used in the book of Genesis to describe the changing of names or circumstances.
Definition: 1) to change, exchange 1a) (Niphal) to be changed 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to change, alter 1b2) to exchange
Usage: Occurs in 10 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, (ex-) change, remove. See also: Leviticus 27:10; Jeremiah 2:11; Psalms 15:4.
גּוֹי֙
gôwy
H1471
"Gentile"
N-ms
This word refers to a Gentile, someone who is not Hebrew or Israeli. It can also describe a large group of animals or a nation of people, emphasizing their unity and shared identity.
Definition: 1) nation, people 1a) nation, people 1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people 1a2) of descendants of Abraham 1a3) of Israel 1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.) 1c) Goyim? = "nations" Also named: ethnos (ἔθνος "Gentiles" G1484)
Usage: Occurs in 511 OT verses. KJV: Gentile, heathen, nation, people. See also: Genesis 10:5; Judges 4:16; Psalms 2:1.
אֱלֹהִ֔ים
ʼĕlôhîym
H430
"God"
N-mp
The Hebrew word for God, elohim, refers to the one supreme God, and is sometimes used to show respect to judges or magistrates. It is also used to describe angels or mighty beings. This word is closely related to the name of the Lord, Yahweh, and is often translated as God or gods in the Bible.
Definition: This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
Usage: Occurs in 2246 OT verses. KJV: angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 22:12; Exodus 3:11.
וְ/הֵ֖מָּה
hêm
H1992
"they(masc.)"
Conj | Pron
This Hebrew word is used to refer to a group of men, emphasizing that it is specifically them. It is often translated as 'they' or 'them' in the Bible, and appears in books like Exodus and Isaiah.
Definition: they, these, the same, who
Usage: Occurs in 524 OT verses. KJV: it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye. See also: Genesis 3:7; Deuteronomy 19:17; 2 Kings 1:18.
לֹ֣א
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
ʼĕlôhîym
H430
"God"
N-mp
The Hebrew word for God, elohim, refers to the one supreme God, and is sometimes used to show respect to judges or magistrates. It is also used to describe angels or mighty beings. This word is closely related to the name of the Lord, Yahweh, and is often translated as God or gods in the Bible.
Definition: This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
Usage: Occurs in 2246 OT verses. KJV: angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 22:12; Exodus 3:11.
וְ/עַמִּ֛/י
ʻam
H5971
"Amaw"
Conj | N-ms | Suff
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Definition: This name means nation, people
Usage: Occurs in 1655 OT verses. KJV: folk, men, nation, people. See also: Genesis 11:6; Exodus 16:4; Leviticus 17:9.
הֵמִ֥יר
mûwr
H4171
"to change"
V-Hiphil-Perf-3ms
To change or exchange something, this word is used in the Bible to describe altering or replacing something. It is used in the book of Genesis to describe the changing of names or circumstances.
Definition: 1) to change, exchange 1a) (Niphal) to be changed 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to change, alter 1b2) to exchange
Usage: Occurs in 10 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, (ex-) change, remove. See also: Leviticus 27:10; Jeremiah 2:11; Psalms 15:4.
כְּבוֹד֖/וֹ
kâbôwd
H3519
"glory"
N-cs | Suff
Glory refers to great honor or splendor, often used to describe God's majesty, as in Psalm 138:5 where David praises God's glorious name. It can also refer to wealth or abundance, like in Genesis 31:1 where Jacob's wealth is described.
Definition: 1) glory, honour, glorious, abundance 1a) abundance, riches 1b) honour, splendour, glory 1c) honour, dignity 1d) honour, reputation 1e) honour, reverence, glory 1f) glory
Usage: Occurs in 189 OT verses. KJV: glorious(-ly), glory, honour(-able). See also: Genesis 31:1; Psalms 113:4; Psalms 3:4.
בְּ/ל֥וֹא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Prep | Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
יוֹעִֽיל
yaʻal
H3276
"to gain"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to gain or ascend, and can also mean to be valuable or beneficial. It is used in various forms in the Bible to convey the idea of profit or advantage.
Definition: (Hiphil) to gain, profit, benefit, avail
Usage: Occurs in 21 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, set forward, can do good, (be, have) profit, (able). See also: 1 Samuel 12:21; Isaiah 44:10; Proverbs 10:2.
Study Notes — Jeremiah 2:11
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Jeremiah 2:11 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 2:11
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 2:11
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 2:11
- Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 2:11
- Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 2:11
- Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 2:11
- Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 2:11
- Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 2:11
- Sermons on Jeremiah 2:11
Context — Israel Has Forsaken God
9Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children.
10Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:
11Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
12Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,” declares the LORD. 13“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns— broken cisterns that cannot hold water.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romans 1:23 | and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. |
| 2 | Isaiah 37:19 | They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 16:20 | Can man make gods for himself? Such are not gods!” |
| 4 | Psalms 106:20 | They exchanged their Glory for the image of a grass-eating ox. |
| 5 | Micah 4:5 | Though 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. |
| 6 | 1 Corinthians 8:4 | So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one. |
| 7 | Psalms 115:4 | Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. |
| 8 | Jeremiah 2:8 | The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols. |
| 9 | Jeremiah 2:5 | This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves? |
| 10 | Psalms 3:3 | But You, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head. |
Jeremiah 2:11 Summary
Jeremiah 2:11 means that God's people have made a terrible trade, giving up their special relationship with the all-powerful God for fake, useless idols. This is a sad exchange because these idols have no power to help or save them, unlike the one true God who is the fountain of living water, as seen in Jeremiah 2:13. We can learn from this verse that anything we prioritize over God can become an idol, and that we should always seek to put God first in our lives, as seen in Matthew 22:37. By keeping our focus on God, we can avoid making the same mistake as Israel and instead live a life that honors and glorifies Him.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to exchange Glory for useless idols?
In Jeremiah 2:11, exchanging Glory for useless idols means that God's people have traded their relationship with the one true God for false, powerless idols, which is a concept also seen in Romans 1:23 where people exchange the glory of God for images made to look like birds, animals, and reptiles.
Why does God compare His people to other nations?
God compares His people to other nations in Jeremiah 2:11 to highlight their unique sin, as other nations have not abandoned their false gods for the one true God, unlike Israel who had a covenant with God, as seen in Exodus 19:5.
What is the significance of the phrase 'no gods at all'?
The phrase 'no gods at all' in Jeremiah 2:11 emphasizes that the idols being worshiped are not truly gods, but rather mere creations or imaginary deities, a concept also found in Isaiah 44:9-20 where the futility of idol worship is described.
How does this verse relate to the concept of idolatry in the Bible?
Jeremiah 2:11 illustrates the biblical concept of idolatry, where anything that takes the place of God in a person's life can be considered an idol, as seen in Colossians 3:5 where covetousness is described as idolatry.
Reflection Questions
- What are some 'useless idols' that I may be prioritizing over my relationship with God, and how can I surrender them to Him?
- In what ways have I, like Israel, exchanged the Glory of God for something that does not truly satisfy, and what steps can I take to restore my focus on God?
- How can I be more mindful of the things that I am putting my trust in, and ensure that my trust is in the one true God, as seen in Psalm 20:7?
- What does it mean for me to 'exchange my Glory' for something else, and how can I practically live out a life that prioritizes God's glory above all else?
Gill's Exposition on Jeremiah 2:11
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods?.... Though they are not by nature gods which they worship, only nominal and fictitious deities, yet they did not change them for others; but
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 2:11
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Glory - Yahweh, the glory of Israel (Psalms 106:20; Romans 1:23).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Jeremiah 2:11
Hath a nation changed their gods? q.d. No, they are unmovable and fixed to their idols, although they are false gods; what they receive from their fathers they tenaciously hold. Their glory, viz. the true God, who was their glory; a metonymy of the adjunct, ; and who always did them good, giving them cause to glory in him, and to make their boast of him. For that which doth not profit; for those which never did or can do them good, that have no essence or power; but of whom they must necessarily be ashamed, as .
Trapp's Commentary on Jeremiah 2:11
Jeremiah 2:11 Hath a nation changed [their] gods, which [are] yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for [that which] doth not profit.Ver. 11. Hath a nation changed their gods?] No; they are too pertinacious in their superstitions. Xenophon saith it was an oracle of Apollo, that those gods are rightly worshipped which were delivered them by their ancestors; and this he greatly applaudeth. Cicero also saith, that no reason shall ever prevail with him to relinquish the religion of his forefathers. That monarch of Morocco told an English ambassador, that he had lately read St Paul, and that he disliked nothing in him but this, that he had changed his religion. Which yet are no gods.] Sed hominum figmenta et ludibria daemonum. But are the invention of men and mockery of demons. When Hercules came into a temple, and found the image or statue of Adonis in it, he pulled it down with this expression, Certe nil sacri es, Sure thou art no god; the like may be said of all idols. But my people have changed their glory,] i.e., Their God, of whom they might glory, saying, "Their rock is not as our rock, our enemies themselves being judges." Heyl., Cosmography.
Ellicott's Commentary on Jeremiah 2:11
(11) Hath a nation . . .—Emphatically a heathen “nation,” as contrasted with the “people” of Jehovah. They were faithful to their false gods; Israel was unfaithful to the true. The words “changed their glory” find an echo in Romans 1:23, though here they express the thought that the worship of Jehovah was the true glory of Israel as a people, and that they had wilfully abandoned it.
Cambridge Bible on Jeremiah 2:11
11. a nation] i.e. a heathen nation. which yet are no gods] Therefore it need not have occasioned surprise, if their worshippers had at some time deserted them. Heathen nations are loyal to their gods, unreal though they be. For reference to the question whether Jeremiah was a ‘speculative,’ or only a practical, monotheist, see Intr. ii. § 3 (a). their glory] Jehovah, Whose very nature is glory, makes that glory known to Israel as His chosen people, and gives them a share in it. Cp. Deuteronomy 10:21; also 1 Samuel 4:21; Psalms 106:20. be horribly afraid] lit. shudder, bristle with horror.
Barnes' Notes on Jeremiah 2:11
A nation - A Gentile nation, in strong antithesis to people, the appellation of Israel.
Whedon's Commentary on Jeremiah 2:11
11. Changed — äéîéø. It is best to regard this as from an ayin-vav root, and not as identical in its root with “boast yourselves,” in Isaiah 61:1. Gods — Our Authorized Version misses the full force of the original.
Sermons on Jeremiah 2:11
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Wild Donkeys by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the need for deliverance from the spirit of a wild donkey, which represents lust and sinful desires. He emphasizes the importance of repentan |
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Return From Backsliding by Kjell Olsen | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the first evil that God accuses his people of committing. He describes God as the exclusive fountain of living water and laments that his peop |
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It Began With Repentance by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson emphasizes that the church's foundation was built on repentance, as seen during Peter's sermon at Pentecost, which united believers in love and evangelism. However, |
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The Creation of the Firmament by Chuck Smith | The video is a promotion for The Awakening Conference, a resource available from The Word For Today. It features guest speakers who provide practical instruction on how to engage w |
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To Hope Against All Hope by Jim Cymbala | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on Romans chapter 4 as a crucial chapter in the Bible. He begins by discussing Paul's description of humanity's lostness, including both the id |
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Subcontinent Report Feb 1983 by George Verwer | In this video, the speaker shares about their recent travels to Oman, Dubai, and India to spread the word of God. They mention the challenges faced in reaching out to Muslims, who |
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God Changeth Not by Joshua Daniel | In this sermon, Joshua Daniel discusses the need for a revival of faith and a return to God's unchanging truth. He emphasizes that while God and the gospel remain constant, it is o |