Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 11:12
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.
Verse 12. Go, and cry unto the gods] See Jer 2:28.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Shall here signifieth will, and might as well have been so translated, denoting the hardness of the hearts of this people, whom affliction would not reduce to God; or rather the indicative mood is here put for the imperative, and the sense, Let
the cities of Judah, & c., and the phrase taken ironically. So it agreeth with Gods answer to the people crying to him, Jdg 10:14, and what this prophet had before said, Jer 2:28. But, saith the prophet, they shall do them no good, then they shall understand their vanity in their superstition and idolatry, that they have bestowed a divine homage upon lies and vanities, and things able to do them no good, nor at all to profit them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. cry unto the gods . . . notsave (Deu 32:37; Deu 32:38).Compare this verse and beginning of Jer 11:13;Jer 2:28.
in the time of theirtroublethat is, calamity (Jer2:27).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then shall the cities of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,…. That is, the inhabitants of the cities of Judah, as well as the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem; the former being in distress through the enemy being in their land, as well as the latter besieged by him:
go and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense; Baal, the queen of heaven, sun, moon, planets, and all the hosts of heaven, as in
Jer 44:15, these they should cry unto for help and deliverance in vain:
but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble; not yield them the least relief and comfort in their trouble, so far from saving them entirely from it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Prophet then shews in these words that they were not touched by a true and sincere feeling of repentance who cried thus indiscriminately to God and to idols. (40)
But another question may be here raised, How could they flee to God and to foreign gods too? The ready answer is this, that the unbelieving, in a turbulent state of mind, turn here and there, so that they lay hold of nothing certain, or sure and fixed. This we see in the Papists — they cry to God and at the same time to a great number of gods. Let us therefore know, that there is in all the unbelieving a spirit, as it were, of giddiness, which turns them into different expedients, so that now they call on God, then they flee to their idols. Men naturally are led to God when any distress holds them bound; hence they call on God: but afterwards, being not satisfied with him alone, they betake themselves to their own devices, and heap together, as I have said, a vast multitude of gods. Since then we see this to be done under the Papacy in our day, we need not wonder that it was done formerly, and that the Jews were on this account condemned.
The Prophet now addresses the Jews only; he had before spoken of the Israelites, but he now speaks especially to his own people, Go shall the cities of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem, etc. What shall they do? They shall cry to their gods We hence see that their prayers were rambling, as though they poured them unto the air: therefore God could not have heard them. For whenever God promises to be propitious and appeasable he requires faith and repentance: but there was in this people an impious wantonness, and no faith, for they were entangled in their own superstitions.
The meaning is, that the Jews, when oppressed by calamities, would make their prayers to the true God, but without understanding, without any discrimination, but on the contrary, in a confused state of mind: and that this would be sufficiently evident, for they would at the same time seek the aid of various idols, but that they would gain no help, either from God or from their idols; and why? because they would be unworthy to be heard by God, as they would not call on him in a right spirit, not with faith and repentance; and their idols would not be able to bring them any help. It hence follows that they would be altogether in a hopeless state.
(40) But the most obvious meaning of the passage is, that the Jews would first cry to God, and that being not heard, they would then cry to alien gods. Hence our version renders the ו at the beginning of this verse, “Then,” and rightly too: so does the Syriac, though the other versions render it “And,” as Blayney does: and if so rendered, the connection would appear the same, —
And go shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, And they shall loudly cry to the gods, To whom they burn incense; But saving they will not save them At the time of their calamity.
—
Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Jer 11:12 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.
Ver. 12. Then shall the cities of Judah go and cry unto the gods.] Or, Let them go and cry unto them – q.d., let them for me. This is one of those bitter answers that God giveth to wicked suitors. Eze 14:3-5 Jdg 10:14 Or, if he give them better at any time, it is in wrath, and for a mischief to them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
go, and cry, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deu 32:37, Deu 32:38).
trouble. Same word as evil (verses: Jer 11:8, Jer 11:15, Jer 11:17). So in Jer 11:14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
go: Jer 2:28, Jer 44:17-27, Deu 32:37, Jdg 10:14, 2Ch 28:22, Isa 45:20
trouble: Heb. evil
Reciprocal: 1Ki 13:1 – burn Jer 1:16 – and have Jer 34:7 – fought against
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 11:12. Then is an adverb of time referring to the conditions that will come in Palestine as a result of the captivity. The people having turned away from God and gone to Idols, He will turn away from them and bid them go for help to those dumb things. When that takes place they will realize as never before Just how useless are the false gods.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 11:12-14. Then shall the cities of Judah cry unto the gods, &c. When great calamities threaten men, their fears suggest all possible ways of seeking for succour. Thus, when the Jews found themselves forsaken of God, they betook themselves to idols, but found all such applications vain, and to no purpose: see 2Ch 28:23. For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, &c. See note on Jer 2:28. Ye have set up altars to that shameful thing Hebrew, , bosheth, shame, so called, because it was what they had cause to be ashamed of, and what would certainly bring them to shame and confusion. See note on Jer 3:24. Therefore pray not thou for this people See note on Jer 7:16.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Receiving no relief from the Lord, the people would appeal to their idols, but they would not save them either.