Jeremiah 14:22
New International Version
Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, LORD our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.

New Living Translation
Can any of the worthless foreign gods send us rain? Does it fall from the sky by itself? No, you are the one, O LORD our God! Only you can do such things. So we will wait for you to help us.

English Standard Version
Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are you not he, O LORD our God? We set our hope on you, for you do all these things.

Berean Standard Bible
Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.

King James Bible
Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.

New King James Version
Are there any among the idols of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O LORD our God? Therefore we will wait for You, Since You have made all these.

New American Standard Bible
Are there any among the idols of the nations who give rain? Or can the heavens grant showers? Is it not You, LORD our God? Therefore we wait for You, For You are the one who has done all these things.

NASB 1995
Are there any among the idols of the nations who give rain? Or can the heavens grant showers? Is it not You, O LORD our God? Therefore we hope in You, For You are the one who has done all these things.

NASB 1977
Are there any among the idols of the nations who give rain? Or can the heavens grant showers? Is it not Thou, O LORD our God? Therefore we hope in Thee, For Thou art the one who hast done all these things.

Legacy Standard Bible
Are there any among the idols of the nations who give rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Is it not You, O Yahweh our God? Therefore we hope in You, For You are the one who has done all these things.

Amplified Bible
Are there any among the idols of the nations who can send rain? Or can the heavens [of their own will] give showers? Is it not You, O LORD our God? Therefore we will wait and hope [confidently] in You, For You are the one who has made all these things [the heavens and the rain].

Christian Standard Bible
Can any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Or can the skies alone give showers? Are you not the LORD our God? We therefore put our hope in you, for you have done all these things.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Can any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Or can the skies alone give showers? Are You not the LORD our God? We therefore put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.

American Standard Version
Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O Jehovah our God? therefore we will wait for thee; for thou hast made all these things.

Contemporary English Version
Idols can't send rain, and showers don't fall by themselves. Only you control the rain, so we put our trust in you, the LORD our God.

English Revised Version
Are there any among the vanities of the heathen that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee; for thou hast made all these things.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The worthless gods of the nations can't make it rain. By themselves, the skies can't give showers. But you can, O LORD our God. We have hope in you because you do all these things.

Good News Translation
None of the idols of the nations can send rain; the sky by itself cannot make showers fall. We have put our hope in you, O LORD our God, because you are the one who does these things.

International Standard Version
Can any of the worthless gods of the nations make it rain? Can the heavens themselves bring forth showers? Aren't you the one who does this, LORD our God? So we hope in you, for you are the one who does all these things.

Majority Standard Bible
Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.

NET Bible
Do any of the worthless idols of the nations cause rain to fall? Do the skies themselves send showers? Is it not you, O Lord our God, who does this? So we put our hopes in you because you alone do all this."

New Heart English Bible
Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the sky give showers? Aren't you he, LORD our God? Therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things."

Webster's Bible Translation
Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.

World English Bible
Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the sky give showers? Aren’t you he, Yahweh our God? Therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Are there any among the vanities of the nations causing rain? And do the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O our God YHWH? And we wait for you, for You have done all these!

Young's Literal Translation
Are there among the vanities of the nations any causing rain? And do the heavens give showers? Art not Thou He, O Jehovah our God? And we wait for thee, for Thou -- Thou hast done all these!

Smith's Literal Translation
Is there among the vanities of the nations those causing ruin? and if the heavens will give showers? Art not thou he, Jehovah our God? And we will wait for thee: for thou didst make all these.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Are there any among the graven things of the Gentiles that can send rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou the Lord our God, whom we have looked for? for thou hast made all these things.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Could any of the graven images of the Gentiles send rain? Or are the heavens able to give showers? Have we not hoped in you, the Lord our God? For you have made all these things.”

New American Bible
Among the idols of the nations are there any that give rain? Or can the mere heavens send showers? Is it not you, LORD, our God, to whom we look? You alone do all these things.

New Revised Standard Version
Can any idols of the nations bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Is it not you, O LORD our God? We set our hope on you, for it is you who do all this.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For the gods of the Gentiles cannot bring rain nor cause the heavens to give showers, but thou art our God; therefore we will wait for thee; for thou hast made all these things.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
For the worshiped things of the Gentiles cannot bring rain down on us, neither will the sky give gentle showers, but you are LORD JEHOVAH our God, and we shall wait for you, for you have made all these things
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Art not Thou He, O LORD our God, and do we not wait for Thee? For Thou hast made all these things.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Is there any one among the idols of the Gentiles that can give rain? and will the sky yield his fulness at their bidding? Art not thou he? we will even wait on thee, O Lord: for thou hast made all these things.
Audio Bible



Context
A Prayer for Mercy
21For the sake of Your name do not despise us; do not disgrace Your glorious throne. Remember Your covenant with us; do not break it. 22Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.

Cross References
Psalm 135:7
He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

Psalm 104:13-14
He waters the mountains from His chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of His works. / He makes the grass grow for the livestock and provides crops for man to cultivate, bringing forth food from the earth:

Job 38:26-28
to bring rain on a barren land, on a desert where no man lives, / to satisfy the parched wasteland and make it sprout with tender grass? / Does the rain have a father? Who has begotten the drops of dew?

Deuteronomy 11:14
then I will provide rain for your land in season, the autumn and spring rains, that you may gather your grain, new wine, and oil.

Zechariah 10:1
Ask the LORD for rain in springtime; the LORD makes the storm clouds, and He will give everyone showers of rain and crops in the field.

1 Kings 8:35-36
When the skies are shut and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and they turn from their sins because You have afflicted them, / then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, so that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk. May You send rain on the land that You gave Your people as an inheritance.

Amos 4:7-8
“I also withheld the rain from you when the harvest was three months away. I sent rain on one city but withheld it from another. One field received rain; another without rain withered. / People staggered from city to city for water to drink, but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me,” declares the LORD.

Acts 14:17
Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”

Matthew 5:45
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

James 5:17-18
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. / Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth yielded its crops.

Isaiah 30:23
Then He will send rain for the seed that you have sown in the ground, and the food that comes from your land will be rich and plentiful. On that day your cattle will graze in open pastures.

Hosea 2:21-22
“On that day I will respond—” declares the LORD—“I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth. / And the earth will respond to the grain, to the new wine and oil, and they will respond to Jezreel.

Joel 2:23
Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.

1 Corinthians 3:7
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

Isaiah 45:8
Drip down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open up that salvation may sprout and righteousness spring up with it; I, the LORD, have created it.


Treasury of Scripture

Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? are not you he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait on you: for you have made all these things.

Are.

Jeremiah 10:15
They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

Jeremiah 16:19
O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.

Deuteronomy 32:21
They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

vanities.

Deuteronomy 32:21
They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

1 Kings 17:1
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

1 Kings 18:1
And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

art.

Jeremiah 5:24
Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

Jeremiah 10:13
When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

Jeremiah 51:16
When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

wait.

Psalm 25:3,21
Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause…

Psalm 27:14
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Psalm 130:5
I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

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Cause Gentiles Heavens Idols Nations Rain Showers Sky Vanities Wait
Jeremiah 14
1. The grievous famine,
7. causes Jeremiah to pray.
10. The Lord will not be entreated for the people.
13. false prophets are no excuse for them.
17. Jeremiah is moved to complain for them.














Can any of the idols of the nations bring rain?
This phrase challenges the power and efficacy of the idols worshiped by surrounding nations. The Hebrew word for "idols" often implies something worthless or vain. Historically, many ancient cultures, such as the Canaanites, worshiped deities like Baal, who was believed to control weather and fertility. Jeremiah's rhetorical question underscores the impotence of these idols, contrasting them with the sovereignty of the LORD. This serves as a reminder of the futility of idolatry and the exclusive power of God over creation.

Or can the skies alone give showers?
The "skies" here refer to the natural order, which some might mistakenly credit with autonomous power. In ancient Near Eastern thought, the heavens were often personified or deified. However, Jeremiah emphasizes that the skies are not independent agents but part of God's creation, subject to His command. This reflects a biblical worldview where God is the ultimate source of all natural phenomena, reinforcing the belief in His providence and control over the universe.

Is it not You, O LORD our God?
This phrase is a direct acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and power. The use of "LORD" (YHWH) is significant, as it is the covenant name of God, reminding the Israelites of His faithfulness and unique relationship with them. The rhetorical question affirms that it is indeed the LORD who controls the rain and the natural order, not any other entity. This declaration is a call to recognize God's rightful place as the sole deity worthy of worship and trust.

Therefore we put our hope in You
The word "hope" in Hebrew carries a sense of waiting with expectation and trust. This phrase is a declaration of faith and reliance on God, contrasting with the futility of trusting in idols or natural forces. It reflects a deep-seated belief in God's ability to provide and sustain, even in times of drought or difficulty. This hope is not passive but active, rooted in the knowledge of God's past faithfulness and His promises.

for You have done all these things
This concluding phrase acknowledges God's past actions as the basis for present trust. The "things" refer to God's mighty works in history, including creation, provision, and deliverance. It is a reminder of God's omnipotence and His active role in the world. By recalling God's deeds, the people are encouraged to trust in His continued faithfulness and power to act on their behalf. This serves as an inspiration for believers to remember God's past faithfulness as a foundation for present and future hope.

(22) Vanities.--sc., as in Jeremiah 10:8, the idols of the heathen, powerless and perishable.

Are there any . . . that can cause rain?--The question is asked with a special reference to the drought which had called forth the prophet's utterance (Jeremiah 14:1). Israel remembers at last that it is Jehovah alone who gives the rain from heaven and the fruitful seasons, and turns to Him in patient waiting for His gifts. The words contain an implied appeal to the history of Elijah (1Kings 18:41) and that of Joel 2:23).

Verse 22. - None of the vanities, or false gods (Jeremiah 3:17), of the heathen can deliver us in this our strait (want of rain). "Rainmakers" is still a common name of soothsayers among savage nations. Thou alone art God, and our God; or, in Jeremiah's phrase (not, Art not thou he, etc.? but) Art thou not Jehovah our God? and the ground of the appeal follows, Jehovah is the Maker of all these things; i.e. all the heavenly phenomena, especially the clouds and the rain.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Can
הֲיֵ֨שׁ (hă·yêš)
Adverb
Strong's 3426: Being, substance, existence, is

the worthless idols
בְּהַבְלֵ֤י (bə·haḇ·lê)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory

of the nations
הַגּוֹיִם֙ (hag·gō·w·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

bring rain?
מַגְשִׁמִ֔ים (maḡ·ši·mîm)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 1652: To shower violently

Do the skies alone
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם (haš·šā·ma·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

send
יִתְּנ֣וּ (yit·tə·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

showers?
רְבִבִ֑ים (rə·ḇi·ḇîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7241: Abundant showers

Is this not
הֲלֹ֨א (hă·lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

by You,
אַתָּה־ (’at·tāh-)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

O LORD
יְהוָ֤ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

our God?
אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ (’ĕ·lō·hê·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

So we put our hope in You,
וּ֨נְקַוֶּה־ (ū·nə·qaw·weh-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 6960: To bind together, collect, to expect

for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

You
אַתָּ֥ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

have done
עָשִׂ֖יתָ (‘ā·śî·ṯā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

these things.
אֵֽלֶּה׃ (’êl·leh)
Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 14:22 Are there any among the vanities (Jer.)
Jeremiah 14:21
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