14:1 This is the word of the LORD to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
14:2 “Judah mourns, her cities languish; they wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
14:3 The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns but find no water. They return with their jars unfilled; dismayed and despairing, they cover their heads.
14:4 The ground is cracked because there is no rain in the land; the farmers are dismayed and cover their heads.
14:5 Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
14:6 Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights and pant like jackals; their eyesight fails for lack of pasture.”
14:7 Although our sins testify against us, O LORD, do something for the sake of your name. For our backsliding is great; we have sinned against you.
14:8 O Hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays only a night?
14:9 Why are you like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? You are among us, O LORD, and we bear your name; do not forsake us!
14:10 This is what the LORD says about this people: “They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; he will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.”
14:11 Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people.
14:12 Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague.”
14:13 But I said, “Ah, Sovereign LORD, the prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”
14:14 Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.
14:15 Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine.
14:16 And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.
14:17 “Speak this word to them: “‘Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without ceasing; for my virgin daughter–my people–has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow.
14:18 If I go into the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I go into the city, I see the ravages of famine. Both prophet and priest have gone to a land they know not.’”
14:19 Have you rejected Judah completely? Do you despise Zion? Why have you afflicted us so that we cannot be healed? We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror.
14:20 O LORD, we acknowledge our wickedness and the guilt of our fathers; we have indeed sinned against you.
14:21 For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us and do not break it.
14:22 Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, O LORD our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.
14:1 The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
14:2 Judah mourns, / And her gates languish; / In black they mourn on the ground, / And the cry of Jerusalem goes up.
14:3 And their nobles send their servants for water; / They come to cisterns, / And they find no water; / They return with their vessels empty; / They are ashamed and confounded / And cover their heads.
14:4 Because the ground is cracked, / For there has been no rain on the earth, / The farmers are ashamed; / They cover their heads.
14:5 For even the hind in the field gives birth and abandons its young / Because there is no grass.
14:6 And the wild asses stand on the bare heights; / They pant after the wind like jackals; / Their eyes fail, / For there is no herbage.
14:7 Although our iniquities testify against us, / O Jehovah, act for Your name s sake, / For our apostasies have become many; / We have sinned against You.
14:8 O Hope of Israel, / Its Savior in a time of distress, / Why should You be like a sojourner in the land, / Like a traveler who turns aside to lodge for the night?
14:9 Why should You be like an astonished man, / Like a mighty man who is unable to save? / Yet You are in our midst, O Jehovah, / And we are called by Your name; / Do not leave us.
14:10 Thus says Jehovah to this people, Even so they have loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet. Therefore Jehovah has no delight in them; now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.
14:11 And Jehovah said to me, Do not pray for the welfare of this people.
14:12 When they fast, I will not listen to their cry; when they offer up a burnt offering and a meal offering, I will not accept them; but by sword and by famine and by pestilence I will consume them.
14:13 And I said, Ah, Lord Jehovah! Indeed, the prophets say to them, You will not see sword, nor will you have famine, for I will give you assured peace in this place.
14:14 And Jehovah said to me, The prophets prophesy falsehood in My name; I did not send them or command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision and divination and a worthless thing and the deceit of their own heart.
14:15 Therefore thus says Jehovah concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, although I did not send them, yet they say, A sword and famine will not be in this land: By sword and by famine those prophets will be consumed.
14:16 And the people to whom they prophesy will be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and there will be no one to bury them ? them, their wives, and their sons and their daughters ? and I will pour out their own wickedness on them.
14:17 And you shall speak this word to them, / Let my eyes run down with tears / Night and day, and let them not cease; / For the virgin daughter of my people is broken with great brokenness, / A very grievous wound.
14:18 If I go forth into the field ? / Look, those slain by the sword; / And if I come into the city ? / Look, those diseased with famine. / For both the prophet and the priest / Will go about in a land that they do not know.
14:19 Have You utterly rejected Judah? / Or does Your soul loathe Zion? / Why have You stricken us / So that there is no healing for us? / We looked for peace, but no good came; / And for a time of healing, but there was terror.
14:20 We acknowledge, O Jehovah, our wickedness, / The iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against You.
14:21 Do not hold us in contempt, for Your name s sake; / Do not dishonor Your throne of glory; / Remember and do not break Your covenant with us.
14:22 Are there among the vanities of the nations any that can bring rain, / Or in the heavens any that can give showers? / Are You not He, O Jehovah our God? / Therefore we wait for You, / For You have made all these things.