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14 This is Yahweh’s word that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.

“Judah mourns,
    and its gates languish.
They sit in black on the ground.
    The cry of Jerusalem goes up.
Their nobles send their little ones to the waters.
    They come to the cisterns,
    and find no water.
They return with their vessels empty.
    They are disappointed and confounded,
    and cover their heads.
Because of the ground which is cracked,
    because no rain has been in the land,
the plowmen are disappointed.
    They cover their heads.
Yes, the doe in the field also calves and forsakes her young,
    because there is no grass.
The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights.
    They pant for air like jackals.
Their eyes fail,
    because there is no vegetation.
Though our iniquities testify against us,
    work for your name’s sake, Yahweh;
for our rebellions are many.
    We have sinned against you.
You hope of Israel,
    its Savior in the time of trouble,
why should you be as a foreigner in the land,
    and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to stay for a night?
Why should you be like a scared man,
    as a mighty man who can’t save?
Yet you, Yahweh, are in the middle of us,
    and we are called by your name.
    Don’t leave us.

10 Yahweh says to this people,

“Even so they have loved to wander.
    They have not restrained their feet.
Therefore Yahweh does not accept them.
    Now he will remember their iniquity,
    and punish them for their sins.”

11 Yahweh said to me, “Don’t pray for this people for their good. 12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.”

13 Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, the prophets tell them, ‘You will not see the sword, neither will you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.’”

14 Then Yahweh said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I didn’t send them. I didn’t command them. I didn’t speak to them. They prophesy to you a lying vision, divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart. 15 Therefore Yahweh says concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, but I didn’t send them, yet they say, ‘Sword and famine will not be in this land.’ Those prophets will be consumed by sword and famine. 16 The people to whom they prophesy will be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. They will have no one to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters, for I will pour their wickedness on them.

17 “You shall say 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 a great breach,
    with a very grievous wound.
18 If I go out into the field,
    then, behold, the slain with the sword!
If I enter into the city,
    then, behold, those who are sick with famine!
For both the prophet and the priest go about in the land,
    and have no knowledge.’”

19 Have you utterly rejected Judah?
    Has your soul loathed Zion?
Why have you struck us, and there is no healing for us?
    We looked for peace, but no good came;
    and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay!
20 We acknowledge, Yahweh, our wickedness,
    and the iniquity of our fathers;
    for we have sinned against you.
21 Do not abhor us, for your name’s sake.
    Do not disgrace the throne of your glory.
    Remember, and don’t break your covenant with us.
22 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.

Drought, Famine, Sword

14 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:(A)

“Judah mourns,(B)
    her cities languish;
they wail for the land,
    and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
The nobles send their servants for water;
    they go to the cisterns
    but find no water.(C)
They return with their jars unfilled;
    dismayed and despairing,
    they cover their heads.(D)
The ground is cracked
    because there is no rain in the land;(E)
the farmers are dismayed
    and cover their heads.
Even the doe in the field
    deserts her newborn fawn
    because there is no grass.(F)
Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights(G)
    and pant like jackals;
their eyes fail
    for lack of food.”(H)

Although our sins testify(I) against us,
    do something, Lord, for the sake of your name.(J)
For we have often rebelled;(K)
    we have sinned(L) against you.
You who are the hope(M) of Israel,
    its Savior(N) in times of distress,(O)
why are you like a stranger in the land,
    like a traveler who stays only a night?
Why are you like a man taken by surprise,
    like a warrior powerless to save?(P)
You are among(Q) us, Lord,
    and we bear your name;(R)
    do not forsake(S) us!

10 This is what the Lord says about this people:

“They greatly love to wander;
    they do not restrain their feet.(T)
So the Lord does not accept(U) them;
    he will now remember(V) their wickedness
    and punish them for their sins.”(W)

11 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray(X) for the well-being of this people. 12 Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry;(Y) though they offer burnt offerings(Z) and grain offerings,(AA) I will not accept(AB) them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword,(AC) famine(AD) and plague.”(AE)

13 But I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets(AF) keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine.(AG) Indeed, I will give you lasting peace(AH) in this place.’”

14 Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies(AI) in my name. I have not sent(AJ) them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions,(AK) divinations,(AL) idolatries[a] and the delusions of their own minds. 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(AM) by sword and famine.(AN) 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(AO) them, their wives, their sons and their daughters.(AP) I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.(AQ)

17 “Speak this word to them:

“‘Let my eyes overflow with tears(AR)
    night and day without ceasing;
for the Virgin(AS) Daughter, my people,
    has suffered a grievous wound,
    a crushing blow.(AT)
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.(AU)
Both prophet and priest
    have gone to a land they know not.(AV)’”

19 Have you rejected Judah completely?(AW)
    Do you despise Zion?
Why have you afflicted us
    so that we cannot be healed?(AX)
We hoped for peace
    but no good has come,
for a time of healing
    but there is only terror.(AY)
20 We acknowledge(AZ) our wickedness, Lord,
    and the guilt of our ancestors;(BA)
    we have indeed sinned(BB) against you.
21 For the sake of your name(BC) do not despise us;
    do not dishonor your glorious throne.(BD)
Remember your covenant(BE) with us
    and do not break it.
22 Do any of the worthless idols(BF) of the nations bring rain?(BG)
    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.(BH)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 14:14 Or visions, worthless divinations