Jeremiah 14

The Drought

¹This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: ^a

²Judah mourns;

her city gates languish. ^b

Her people are on the ground in mourning;

Jerusalem’s cry rises up. ^c

³Their nobles send their servants ^d for water.

They go to the cisterns;

they find no water;

their containers return empty.

They are ashamed and humiliated;

they cover their heads. ^e

⁴The ground is cracked

since no rain has fallen on the land.

The farmers are ashamed; ^f

they cover their heads.

⁵Even the doe in the field

gives birth and abandons her fawn

since there is no grass.

⁶Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights ^g

panting for air like jackals.

Their eyes fail

because there are no green plants.

⁷Though our iniquities testify against us,

Lord, act for your name’s sake.

Indeed, our rebellions ^h are many;

we have sinned against you. ⁱ

⁸Hope of Israel, ^j

its Savior in time of distress,

why are you like a resident alien in the land,

like a traveler stopping only for the night?

⁹Why are you like a helpless man,

like a warrior unable to save? ^k

Yet you are among us, Lord, ^l

and we bear your name.

Don’t leave us!

¹⁰This is what the Lord says concerning these people:

Truly they love to wander; ^m

they never rest their feet.

So the Lord does not accept them.

Now he will remember their iniquity

and punish their sins. ⁿ

False Prophets to Be Punished

¹¹Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of these people. ^{o 12}If they fast, I will not hear their cry of despair. If they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. Rather, I will finish them off by sword, famine, and plague.” ^p

¹³And I replied, “Oh no, Lord God! The prophets are telling them, ‘You won’t see sword or suffer famine. I will certainly give you lasting peace in this place.’ ” ^q

¹⁴But the Lord said to me, “These prophets are prophesying a lie in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, the deceit ^r of their own minds. ^s

¹⁵“Therefore, this is what the Lord says concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, though I did not send them, and who say, ‘There will never be sword or famine in this land.’ By sword and famine these prophets will meet their end. ¹⁶The people they are prophesying to will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. There will be no one to bury them ^t #— #they, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. I will pour out their own evil on them.”

Jeremiah’s Request

¹⁷You are to speak this word to them:

Let my eyes overflow with tears;

day and night may they not stop, ^u

for my dearest people ^v

have been destroyed by a crushing blow, ^w

an extremely severe wound. ^x

¹⁸If I go out to the field,

look #— #those slain by the sword!

If I enter the city,

look #— #those ill ^y from famine!

For both prophet and priest

travel to a land they do not know.

¹⁹Have you completely rejected Judah?

Do you detest ^z Zion?

Why do you strike us

with no hope of healing for us?

We hoped for peace,

but there was nothing good;

for a time of healing,

but there was only terror. ^aa

²⁰We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord,

the iniquity of our ancestors; ^ab

indeed, we have sinned against you.

²¹For your name’s sake, don’t despise us.

Don’t disdain your glorious throne. ^ac

Remember your covenant ^ad with us;

do not break it.

²²Can any of the worthless idols of the nations ^ae bring rain?

Or can the skies alone give showers?

Are you not the Lord our God?

We therefore put our hope in you, ^af

for you have done all these things.