He will say: “Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge,
Parallel translations
- WEB He will say, “Where are their gods, the rock in which they took refuge;
- KJV And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,
- NKJV He will say: ‘Where are their gods, The rock in which they sought refuge?
- NASB “And He will say, ‘Where are their gods, The rock in which they took refuge?
- NLT Then he will ask, ‘Where are their gods, the rocks they fled to for refuge?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God asks where the idols are, the 'rock' in which the people took refuge. It matters because it exposes the impotence of the false gods Israel trusted.
Overview
In their distress, the question mocks the powerless idols that cannot help. The contrast with the true Rock, established earlier, is unmistakable. This unmasking of false refuges calls the people back to the only sure refuge, ultimately pointing to Christ, in whom alone there is salvation and security.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Jer 2:28But 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.
- Judg 10:14Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you in your time of trouble.”
- 2 Kgs 3:13Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!” “No,” replied the king of Israel, “for it is the LORD who has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 32:37 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.