Jeremiah 14
World English Bible
14 This is Yahweh’s word that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.
2 “Judah mourns,
and its gates languish.
They sit in black on the ground.
The cry of Jerusalem goes up.
3 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.
4 Because of the ground which is cracked,
because no rain has been in the land,
the plowmen are disappointed.
They cover their heads.
5 Yes, the doe in the field also calves and forsakes her young,
because there is no grass.
6 The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights.
They pant for air like jackals.
Their eyes fail,
because there is no vegetation.
7 Though our iniquities testify against us,
work for your name’s sake, Yahweh;
for our rebellions are many.
We have sinned against you.
8 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?
9 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.
Jeremiah 14
Christian Standard Bible
The Drought
14 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:(A)
2 Judah mourns;
her city gates languish.(B)
Her people are on the ground in mourning;
Jerusalem’s cry rises up.(C)
3 Their nobles send their servants[a] for water.
They go to the cisterns;
they find no water;
their containers return empty.
They are ashamed and humiliated;
they cover their heads.(D)
4 The ground is cracked
since no rain has fallen on the land.
The farmers are ashamed;(E)
they cover their heads.
5 Even the doe in the field
gives birth and abandons her fawn
since there is no grass.
6 Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights(F)
panting for air like jackals.
Their eyes fail
because there are no green plants.
7 Though our iniquities testify against us,
Lord, act for your name’s sake.
Indeed, our rebellions(G) are many;
we have sinned against you.(H)
8 Hope of Israel,(I)
its Savior in time of distress,
why are you like a resident alien in the land,
like a traveler stopping only for the night?
9 Why are you like a helpless man,
like a warrior unable to save?(J)
Yet you are among us, Lord,(K)
and we bear your name.
Don’t leave us!
10 This is what the Lord says concerning these people:
Truly they love to wander;(L)
they never rest their feet.
So the Lord does not accept them.
Now he will remember their iniquity
and punish their sins.(M)
False Prophets to Be Punished
11 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of these people.(N) 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.”(O)
13 And 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.’”(P)
14 But 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(Q) of their own minds.(R)
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. 16 The 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(S)—they, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. I will pour out their own evil on them.”
Jeremiah’s Request
17 You are to speak this word to them:
Let my eyes overflow with tears;
day and night may they not stop,(T)
for my dearest people[b]
have been destroyed by a crushing blow,(U)
an extremely severe wound.(V)
18 If I go out to the field,
look—those slain by the sword!
If I enter the city,
look—those ill(W) from famine!
For both prophet and priest
travel to a land they do not know.
19 Have you completely rejected Judah?
Do you detest(X) 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.(Y)
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord,
the iniquity of our ancestors;(Z)
indeed, we have sinned against you.
21 For your name’s sake, don’t despise us.
Don’t disdain your glorious throne.(AA)
Remember your covenant(AB) with us;
do not break it.
22 Can any of the worthless idols of the nations(AC) bring rain?
Or can the skies alone give showers?
Are you not the Lord our God?
We therefore put our hope in you,(AD)
for you have done all these things.
by Public Domain. The name "World English Bible" is trademarked.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.