Jeremiah 2:27
25 You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’
26 As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets
say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their backs to Me and not their faces, yet in the time of trouble they beg, ‘Rise up and save us!’
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.
29 Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their backs to Me and not their faces, yet in the time of trouble they beg, ‘Rise up and save us!’
- KJV
- Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
- WEB
- who tell wood, ‘You are my father,’ and a stone, ‘You have given birth to me,’ for they have turned their back to me, and not their face, but in the time of their trouble they will say, ‘Arise, and save us!’
- ASV
- who say to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
- DARBY
- saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth; for they have turned the back unto me, and not the face; and in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us!
- BLB
- saying to a tree, ‘You [are] my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned the nape to Me, and not the faces; but in the time of their trouble they will say, ‘Arise, and save us.’
- ÅB
- fordi de sier til treet: Du er min far, og til steinen: Du har født meg. For de har vendt ryggen til meg og ikke ansiktet. Men i sin ulykkes tid sier de: Reis deg og hjelp oss!
- OTB
- De taler til tre, 'Du er min far,' og til stein, 'Du ga meg fødsel.' De har vendt ryggen til meg og ikke ansiktene; likevel når de er i trøbbel, roper de, 'Kom og redd oss!'
- B1930
- fordi de sier til treet: Du er min far, og til stenen: Du har født mig. For de har vendt ryggen til mig og ikke ansiktet. Men i sin ulykkes tid sier de: Reis dig og hjelp oss!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Isaiah 26:16
O LORD, they sought You in their distress; when You disciplined them, they poured out a quiet prayer.
Read in contextHosea 7:14
They do not cry out to Me from their hearts when they wail upon their beds. They slash themselves for grain and new wine, but turn away from Me.
Read in contextIsaiah 46:6–8
They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship.
Read in contextHabakkuk 2:18–19
What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it— or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.
Read in contextEzekiel 8:16
So He brought me to the inner court of the house of the LORD, and there at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the portico and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; and they were bowing to the east in worship of the sun.
Read in contextJeremiah 2:24
a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her.
Read in contextJeremiah 32:33
They have turned their backs to Me and not their faces. Though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.
Read in contextIsaiah 44:9–20
All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.
Read in context