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Saturday, July 26th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Jonah 2:8

"Some people worship useless idols, but those statues never help them.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Faith;   Idolatry;   Repentance;   Scofield Reference Index - Miracles;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Vanity;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Idol, Idolatry;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jonah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Poetry;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jonah;   Lie, Lying;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Miracles;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jonah, the Book of;   Observe;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Poetry;   Prayer;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Those who cherish worthless idolsabandon their faithful love,
Hebrew Names Version
Those who regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
King James Version (1611)
They that obserue lying vanities, forsake their owne mercy.
King James Version
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
English Standard Version
Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.
New American Standard Bible
"Those who are followers of worthless idols Abandon their faithfulness,
New Century Version
"People who worship useless idols give up their loyalty to you.
Amplified Bible
"Those who regard and follow worthless idols Turn away from their [living source of] mercy and lovingkindness.
Geneva Bible (1587)
They that waite vpon lying vanities, forsake their owne mercie.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness,
Legacy Standard Bible
Those who regard worthless idolsForsake their lovingkindness,
Berean Standard Bible
Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion.
Contemporary English Version
All who worship worthless idols turn from the God who offers them mercy.
Complete Jewish Bible
As my life was ebbing away, I remembered Adonai ; and my prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.
Darby Translation
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
George Lamsa Translation
All those who revere false idols forsake thy mercy.
Good News Translation
Those who worship worthless idols have abandoned their loyalty to you.
Lexham English Bible
Those who worship vain idols forsake their loyal love.
Literal Translation
Those who observe vanities of idolatry forsake their faithfulness;
American Standard Version
They that regard lying vanities Forsake their own mercy.
Bible in Basic English
The worshippers of false gods have given up their only hope.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; and my prayer came in unto Thee, into Thy holy temple.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
They that holde vpon lying vanitie, forsake his mercie.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
When my soul was failing me, I remembered the Lord; and may my prayer come to thee into thy holy temple.
English Revised Version
They that regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
World English Bible
Those who regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thei that kepen vanytees, forsaken his merci idili.
Update Bible Version
Those that regard lying vanities Forsake their own mercy.
Webster's Bible Translation
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
New English Translation
Those who worship worthless idols forfeit the mercy that could be theirs.
New King James Version
"Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy.
New Living Translation
Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God's mercies.
New Life Bible
Those who worship false gods have given up their faith in You.
New Revised Standard
Those who worship vain idols forsake their true loyalty.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
They who take heed to the vanities of falsehood, do, their own lovingkindness, forsake.
Douay-Rheims Bible
(2-9) They that in vain observe vanities, forsake their own mercy.
Revised Standard Version
Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their true loyalty.
Young's Literal Translation
Those observing lying vanities their own mercy forsake.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They that holde of vayne vanyties, wil forsake his mercy.

Contextual Overview

1 While Jonah was in the stomach of the fish, he prayed to the Lord his God. He said, 2 "I was in very bad trouble. I called to the Lord for help, and he answered me. I was deep in the grave. I cried to you, and you heard my voice. 3 "You threw me into the sea. Your powerful waves splashed over me. I went down, down into the deep sea. The water was all around me. 4 Then I thought, ‘Now I must go where you cannot see me,' but I continued looking to your holy Temple for help. 5 "The seawater closed over me. The water covered my mouth, and I could not breathe. I went down, down into the deep sea. Seaweed wrapped around my head. 6 I was at the bottom of the sea, the place where the mountains begin. I thought I was locked in this prison forever, but the Lord my God took me out of my grave. God, you gave me life again! 7 "My soul gave up all hope, but then I remembered the Lord . I prayed to you, and you heard my prayers in your holy Temple. 8 "Some people worship useless idols, but those statues never help them. 9 I will give sacrifices to you, and I will praise and thank you. I will make special promises to you, and I will do what I promise." Salvation only comes from the Lord !

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Samuel 12:21, 2 Kings 17:15, Psalms 31:6, Jeremiah 2:13, Jeremiah 10:8, Jeremiah 10:14, Jeremiah 10:15, Jeremiah 16:19, Habakkuk 2:18-20

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 32:21 - with their vanities Judges 10:13 - General 1 Kings 16:13 - vanities 2 Kings 1:3 - ye go 2 Kings 21:22 - General Job 15:31 - trust Psalms 4:2 - love Psalms 16:4 - Their Psalms 40:4 - as turn Psalms 115:8 - General Psalms 119:29 - Remove Proverbs 12:11 - he that followeth Isaiah 28:15 - we have made Isaiah 50:11 - all ye Jeremiah 2:5 - walked Jeremiah 3:23 - in vain Jeremiah 51:18 - vanity Hosea 12:11 - surely Acts 14:15 - from

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
Then the Lord God planted a garden in the East, in a place named Eden. He put the man he made in that garden.
Genesis 2:9
Then the Lord God caused all the beautiful trees that were good for food to grow in the garden. In the middle of the garden, he put the tree of life and the tree that gives knowledge about good and evil.
Genesis 3:24
God forced the man to leave the garden. Then he put Cherub angels and a sword of fire at the entrance to the garden to protect it. The sword flashed around and around, guarding the way to the tree of life.
Genesis 4:16
Cain went away from the Lord and lived in the land of Nod.
Genesis 13:10
Lot looked and saw the whole Jordan Valley. He saw that there was much water there. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. At that time the Jordan Valley all the way to Zoar was like the Lord 's Garden. This was good land, like the land of Egypt.)
2 Kings 19:12
Did the gods of those nations save their people? No, my ancestors destroyed them all. They destroyed Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden living in Tel Assar.
Isaiah 51:3
In the same way, the Lord will bless Zion. He will feel sorry for her and her people, and he will do something great for her. He will turn the desert into a garden. It will be like the Garden of Eden. The land was empty, but it will become like the Lord 's garden. People there will be very happy. They will sing victory songs to thank God for what he did.
Ezekiel 27:23
Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad traded with you.
Ezekiel 28:13
You were in Eden, the garden of God. You had every precious stone— rubies, topaz, and diamonds, beryls, onyx, and jasper, sapphires, turquoise, and emeralds. And each of these stones was set in gold. You were given this beauty on the day you were created. God made you strong.
Ezekiel 31:16
I made the tree fall—and the nations shook with fear at the sound of the falling tree. I sent the tree down to the place of death to join the other people who had gone down into that deep hole. In the past, all the trees of Eden, the best of Lebanon, drank that water. The trees were comforted in the world below.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. They that worship idols, who are nothing, mere vanity and lies, and deceive those that serve them, these forsake the God of their lives, and of their mercies; and so do all such who serve divers lusts and pleasures, and pursue the vanities of this life; and also those who follow the dictates of carnal sense and reason, to the neglect of the will of God, and obedience to his commands; which was Jonah's case, and is, I think, chiefly intended. The Targum, Syriac version, and so Jarchi, and most interpreters, understand it of worshippers of idols in general; and Kimchi of the mariners of the ship Jonah had been in; who promised to relinquish their idols, but did not; and vowed to serve the Lord, and sacrifice to him, but did not perform what they promised. But I rather think Jonah reflects upon himself in particular, as well as leaves this as a general instruction to others; that should they do as he had done, give way to an evil heart of unbelief, and attend to the suggestions of a vain mind, and consult with flesh and blood, and be directed thereby, to the disregard of God and his will; they will find, as he had done to his cost, that they forsake that God that has been gracious and merciful to them, and who is all goodness and mercy,

Psalms 144:3; which to do is very ungrateful to him, and injurious to themselves; and now he being sensible of his folly, and influenced by the grace and goodness of God to him, resolves to do as follows:

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They that observe lying vanities - , i. e., (by the force of the Hebrew form , that diligently watch, pay deference to, court, sue, “vanities of vanities,” vain things, which prove themselves vain at last, failing the hopes which trust in them. Such were actual idols, in which men openly professed that they trusted Such are all things in which men trust, out of God. One is not more vain than another. All have this common principle of vanity, that people look, out of God, to that which has its only existence or permanence from God. It is then one general maxim, including all people’s idols, idols of the flesh, idols of intellect, idols of ambition, idols of pride, idols of self and self-will. People “observe” them, as gods, watch them, hang upon them, never lose sight of them, guard them as though they could keep them. But what are they? “lying vanities,” breath and wind, which none can grasp or detain, vanishing like air into air.

And what do they who so “observe” them? All alike “forsake their own mercy;” i. e., God, “Whose property is, always to have mercy,” and who would be mercy to them, if they would. So David calls God, “my mercy.” Psalms 144:2. Abraham’s servant and Naomi praise God, that He “hath not forsaken His mercy” Genesis 24:27; Ruth 2:20. Jonah does not, in this, exclude himself. His own idol had been his false love for his country, that he would not have his people go into captivity, when God would; would not have Nineveh preserved, the enemy of his country; and by leaving his office, he left his God, “forsook” his “own mercy.” See how God speaks of Himself, as wholly belonging to them, who are His. He calls Himself “their own mercy” . He saith not, “they who” do “vanities,” (for Ecclesiastes 1:2. ‘vanity of vanities, and all things are vanity’) lest he should seem to condemn all, and to deny mercy to the whole human race; but “they who observe, guard vanities,” or lies; “they,” into the affections of whose hearts those “vanities” have entered; who not only “do vanities,” but who “guard” them, as loving them, deeming that they have found a treasure - These “forsake their own mercy.” Although mercy be offended (and under mercy we may understand God Himself, for God is Psalms 145:8, “gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger and of great mercy,”) yet he doth not “forsake,” doth not abhor, “those who guard vanities,” but awaiteth that they should return: these contrariwise, of their own will, “forsake mercy” standing and offering itself.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jonah 2:8. They that observe lying vanities — They that trust in idols, follow vain predictions, permit themselves to be influenced with foolish fears, so as to induce them to leave the path of obvious duty, forsake their own mercy. In leaving that God who is the Fountain of mercy, they abandon that measure of mercy which he had treasured up for them.


 
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