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Jeremiah 14
New International Version
Jeremiah 14
New International Version
Drought, Famine, Sword
14 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:(A)
2 “Judah mourns,(B)
her cities languish;
they wail for the land,
and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
3 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)
4 The ground is cracked
because there is no rain in the land;(E)
the farmers are dismayed
and cover their heads.
5 Even the doe in the field
deserts her newborn fawn
because there is no grass.(F)
6 Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights(G)
and pant like jackals;
their eyes fail
for lack of food.”(H)
7 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.
8 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?
9 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
- Jeremiah 14:14 Or visions, worthless divinations
Jeremiah 14
Evangelical Heritage Version
Jeremiah 14
Evangelical Heritage Version
The Drought
14 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.
2 Judah mourns.
Her city gates fall apart.
They mourn for the land,
and a cry of grief rises from Jerusalem.
3 The strong send the weak to get water.
They go to the cisterns but find no water.
They return with empty containers.
Ashamed and humiliated, they cover their heads.
4 The ground is cracked,
because there has been no rain in the land.
The farmers are distressed.
They cover their heads.
5 Even the doe in the field gives birth
and then abandons the fawn,
because there is no grass.
6 Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights.
They pant for air like jackals.
Their eyes grow dim,
because there are no plants to eat.
Jeremiah’s Prayers and the Lord’s Answers
7 Do something, Lord, for the sake of your name,
even though our guilt testifies against us.
We have rebelled many times,
and we have sinned against you.
8 You are Israel’s hope,
its Savior in times of trouble.
Why are you like a stranger in the land,
like a traveler who stays only for the night?
9 Why are you like a man taken by surprise,
like a strong warrior who cannot save?
You are among us, Lord,
and we are called by your name.
Do not forsake us!
10 This is what the Lord says concerning this people.
They love to wander!
They never restrain their feet.
So the Lord does not accept them.
Instead, he will remember their guilt
and punish their sins.
11 The Lord told me, “Do not pray for the well-being of these people. 12 Even if they fast, I will not listen to their cries for help. Even if they sacrifice burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off with sword, famine, and plague.”
13 Then I said, “But, Lord God, the prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see sword or famine. I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”
14 Then the Lord said this to me:
Those prophets are prophesying lies in my name, but I did not send them. I did not command them, and I did not speak to them. They are prophesying a false vision to you and providing worthless omens—something from their own imagination. 15 Therefore, this is what the Lord says about the prophets who prophesy lies in my name. I did not send them. They say that there will be no sword or famine in this land, but by sword and famine those prophets will die. 16 The people to whom they are prophesying will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and the sword. No one will bury them—them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters. I will pour out on them the destruction that they deserve.
17 You, Jeremiah, are to say this to them:
Let my eyes overflow with tears,
without stopping night or day,
because the virgin daughter of my people has been severely injured.
It is a very serious wound.
18 If I go out to the field,
I see those who have been run through by the sword.
If go into the city,
I see those diseased by famine.
Both prophet and priest have gone to a land they do not know.
The People’s Prayer
19 Lord, have you completely rejected Judah?
Do you despise Zion?
Why have you afflicted us,
so that we cannot be healed?
We looked for health,
but nothing good came.
We hoped for healing,
but there was only terror.
20 We acknowledge our wickedness
and the guilt of our fathers.
We have sinned against you.
21 For your name’s sake, do not despise us.
Do not dishonor your glorious throne.
Remember your covenant with us,
and do not break it.
22 Do the worthless idols of the nations send rain?
Do the skies provide the torrential showers?
Is it not rather you, who are the Lord our God?
Our hope is in you,
because you are the one who does all these things.
Jeremiah 14
English Standard Version
Jeremiah 14
English Standard Version
Famine, Sword, and Pestilence
14 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning (A)the drought:
2 (B)“Judah mourns,
and (C)her gates languish;
her people lament on the ground,
and (D)the cry of Jerusalem goes up.
3 Her nobles send their servants for water;
they come to the cisterns;
they find no water;
they return with their vessels empty;
they are (E)ashamed and confounded
and (F)cover their heads.
4 Because of the ground that is dismayed,
since there is (G)no rain on the land,
the farmers are ashamed;
they cover their heads.
5 Even (H)the doe in the field forsakes her newborn fawn
because there is no grass.
6 (I)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,
act, O Lord, (J)for your name's sake;
(K)for our backslidings are many;
(L)we have sinned against you.
8 (M)O you hope of Israel,
its savior in time of trouble,
why should you be like a stranger in the land,
like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?
9 Why should you be like a man confused,
(N)like a mighty warrior who cannot save?
Yet (O)you, O Lord, are in the midst of us,
and (P)we are called by your name;
(Q)do not leave us.”
10 Thus says the Lord concerning this people:
“They have loved to wander thus;
they have not restrained their feet;
(R)therefore the Lord does not accept them;
(S)now he will remember their iniquity
and punish their sins.”
11 The Lord said to me: (T)“Do not pray for the welfare of this people. 12 Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, (U)and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them (V)by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.”
Lying Prophets
13 Then I said: “Ah, Lord God, behold, the prophets (W)say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’” 14 And the Lord said to me: “The (X)prophets are prophesying lies in my name. (Y)I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, (Z)worthless divination, and (AA)the deceit of their own minds. 15 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although (AB)I did not send them, and who say, (AC)‘Sword and famine shall not come upon this land’: (AD)By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed. 16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword, (AE)with none to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out their evil upon them.
17 “You shall say to them this word:
(AF)‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day,
and let them not cease,
for the virgin (AG)daughter of my people is shattered with a great wound,
(AH)with a very grievous blow.
18 (AI)If I go out into the field,
behold, those pierced by the sword!
(AJ)And if I enter the city,
behold, the diseases of famine!
(AK)For both prophet and priest ply their trade through the land
and have no knowledge.’”
19 (AL)Have you utterly rejected Judah?
Does your soul loathe Zion?
Why have you struck us down
(AM)so that there is no healing for us?
(AN)We looked for peace, but no good came;
(AO)for a time of healing, but behold, terror.
20 (AP)We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord,
and the iniquity of our fathers,
(AQ)for we have sinned against you.
21 Do not spurn us, (AR)for your name's sake;
do not dishonor your glorious throne;
(AS)remember and do not break your covenant with us.
22 Are there any among (AT)the false gods of the nations (AU)that can bring rain?
Or can the heavens give showers?
Are you not he, O Lord our God?
We set our hope on you,
(AV)for you do all these things.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.