Jonah 2:8
New International Version
“Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.

New Living Translation
Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies.

English Standard Version
Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.

Berean Standard Bible
Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion.

King James Bible
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

New King James Version
“Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy.

New American Standard Bible
“Those who are followers of worthless idols Abandon their faithfulness,

NASB 1995
“Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness,

NASB 1977
“Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness,

Legacy Standard Bible
Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their lovingkindness,

Amplified Bible
“Those who regard and follow worthless idols Turn away from their [living source of] mercy and lovingkindness.

Christian Standard Bible
Those who cherish worthless idols abandon their faithful love,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Those who cling to worthless idols forsake faithful love,

American Standard Version
They that regard lying vanities Forsake their own mercy.

Contemporary English Version
All who worship worthless idols turn from the God who offers them mercy.

English Revised Version
They that regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Those who hold on to worthless idols abandon their loyalty [to you].

Good News Translation
Those who worship worthless idols have abandoned their loyalty to you.

International Standard Version
Those who cling to vain idols leave behind the gracious love that could have been theirs.

Majority Standard Bible
Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion.

NET Bible
Those who worship worthless idols forfeit the mercy that could be theirs.

New Heart English Bible
Those who regard worthless things forsake their faithfulness.

Webster's Bible Translation
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

World English Bible
Those who regard vain idols forsake their own mercy.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Those observing lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

Young's Literal Translation
Those observing lying vanities their own mercy forsake.

Smith's Literal Translation
They watching the vanities of falsehood will forsake their kindness.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
They that are vain observe vanities, forsake their own mercy.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Those who in vain observe vanities, abandon their own mercy.

New American Bible
Those who worship worthless idols abandon their hope for mercy.

New Revised Standard Version
Those who worship vain idols forsake their true loyalty.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
All those who revere false idols forsake thy mercy.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
All who observe empty religions forsake your mercy
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
They that regard lying vanities Forsake their own mercy.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
They that observe vanities and lies have forsaken their own mercy.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jonah's Prayer
7As my life was fading away, I remembered the LORD. My prayer went up to You, to Your holy temple. 8Those who cling to worthless idols forsake His loving devotion. 9But I, with the voice of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the LORD!”…

Cross References
Psalm 31:6
I hate those who cling to worthless idols, but in the LORD I trust.

Jeremiah 2:13
“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.

2 Kings 17:15
They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate.

Romans 1:21-23
For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, / and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Psalm 115:4-8
Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; ...

Psalm 135:15-18
The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths. ...

Isaiah 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. / Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing? / Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame. ...

1 Corinthians 8:4-6
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. / For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords), / yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.

1 John 5:21
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Jeremiah 10:14-15
Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them. / They are worthless, a work to be mocked. In the time of their punishment they will perish.

Isaiah 2:8
Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.

Hosea 4:12
My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God.

1 Samuel 12:21
Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty.

Deuteronomy 32:21
They have provoked My jealousy by that which is not God; they have enraged Me with their worthless idols. So I will make them jealous by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation without understanding.

Acts 14:15
“Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.


Treasury of Scripture

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

1 Samuel 12:21
And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.

2 Kings 17:15
And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.

Psalm 31:6
I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.

Jump to Previous
Cling Faithfulness False. Forfeit Forsake Gods Grace Hope Idols Lying Mercy Observe Observing Pay Regard Theirs True. Vain Vanities Worshippers Worthless
Jump to Next
Cling Faithfulness False. Forfeit Forsake Gods Grace Hope Idols Lying Mercy Observe Observing Pay Regard Theirs True. Vain Vanities Worshippers Worthless
Jonah 2
1. The prayer of Jonah.
10. He is delivered out of the belly of the fish.














Those who cling to worthless idols
This phrase begins with a stark warning against idolatry. In the Hebrew text, the word for "idols" is "הַבְלֵי" (hăḇ·lê), which can also mean "vanities" or "emptiness." This suggests that idols are not just false gods but are inherently empty and devoid of true power or substance. Historically, the Israelites were surrounded by nations that worshipped a plethora of gods, each represented by physical idols. The phrase serves as a reminder of the futility of such practices, emphasizing that these idols cannot save or provide true hope. In a broader spiritual context, this can be seen as a call to examine modern "idols"—anything that takes the place of God in one's life, such as wealth, power, or even personal relationships.

forsake His loving devotion
The Hebrew word for "loving devotion" is "חֶסֶד" (ḥeseḏ), which is often translated as "steadfast love," "mercy," or "covenant loyalty." This word is rich with meaning, encapsulating God's unwavering commitment to His people. The use of "forsake" here implies a deliberate turning away from something precious and life-giving. In the context of Jonah, who is praying from the belly of the fish, this phrase underscores the tragic irony of abandoning the one true source of love and mercy for something that is ultimately worthless. Historically, the Israelites experienced God's "חֶסֶד" through His covenant with them, a relationship marked by His faithfulness despite their frequent unfaithfulness. This serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of remaining faithful to God, who is the source of all true love and mercy.

(8) They that observe lying vanities.--See Note, Psalm 31:6.

Forsake their own mercy--i.e., forfeit their own share of the covenant grace. In Psalm 37:28 it is said that Jehovah does not forsake his chasidim; they, however, by forsaking Jehovah (Himself called Israel's mercy, Psalm 144:2, margin) and His law (Psalm 89:30) can forfeit their chesed or covenant privilege.

Verse 8. - Jonah contrasts the joy and comfort arising from the thought of God with the miserable fate of idolaters. They that observe (Psalm 31:6); court, pay deference to, reverence. Lying vanities; Septuagint, μάταια καὶ ψευδῆ, "vain things and false." Idom (comp. Jeremiah 18:15; Hosea 12:11; 1 Corinthians 8:4). Their own mercy; i.e. their state of favour with God - the mercy shown to them, as "the mercies of [shown to] David" (Isaiah 55:3); or God himself, the Fountain of mercy and goodness (Psalm 144:2). Henderson translates, "forsake their Benefactor."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Those who cling to
מְשַׁמְּרִ֖ים (mə·šam·mə·rîm)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

worthless
שָׁ֑וְא (šāw)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7723: Evil, idolatry, uselessness

idols
הַבְלֵי־ (haḇ·lê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1892: Emptiness, vanity, transitory, unsatisfactory

forsake
יַעֲזֹֽבוּ׃ (ya·‘ă·zō·ḇū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5800: To loosen, relinquish, permit

[His] loving devotion.
חַסְדָּ֖ם (ḥas·dām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2617: Kindness, piety, reproof, beauty


Links
Jonah 2:8 NIV
Jonah 2:8 NLT
Jonah 2:8 ESV
Jonah 2:8 NASB
Jonah 2:8 KJV

Jonah 2:8 BibleApps.com
Jonah 2:8 Biblia Paralela
Jonah 2:8 Chinese Bible
Jonah 2:8 French Bible
Jonah 2:8 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Jonah 2:8 Those who regard lying vanities forsake their (Jon. Jh)
Jonah 2:7
Top of Page
Top of Page