Sword, Famine, and Pestilence

14 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts.

“Judah mourns,
And (A)her gates languish;
They (B)mourn for the land,
And (C)the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.
Their nobles have sent their lads for water;
They went to the cisterns and found no water.
They returned with their vessels empty;
They were (D)ashamed and confounded
(E)And covered their heads.
Because the ground is parched,
For there was (F)no rain in the land,
The plowmen were ashamed;
They covered their heads.
Yes, the deer also gave birth in the field,
But [a]left because there was no grass.
And (G)the wild donkeys stood in the desolate heights;
They sniffed at the wind like jackals;
Their eyes failed because there was no grass.”

O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us,
Do it (H)for Your name’s sake;
For our backslidings are many,
We have sinned against You.
(I)O the Hope of Israel, his Savior in time of trouble,
Why should You be like a stranger in the land,
And like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?
Why should You be like a man astonished,
Like a mighty one (J)who cannot save?
Yet You, O Lord, (K)are in our midst,
And we are called by Your name;
Do not leave us!

10 Thus says the Lord to this people:

(L)“Thus they have loved to wander;
They have not restrained their feet.
Therefore the Lord does not accept them;
(M)He will remember their iniquity now,
And punish their sins.”

11 Then the Lord said to me, (N)“Do not pray for this people, for their good. 12 (O)When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and (P)when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But (Q)I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.”

13 (R)Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you [b]assured (S)peace in this place.’ ”

14 And the Lord said to me, (T)“The prophets prophesy lies in My name. (U)I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, [c]divination, a worthless thing, and the (V)deceit of their heart. 15 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, (W)and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—‘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 because of the famine and the sword; (X)they will have no one to bury them—them nor their wives, their sons nor their daughters—for I will pour their wickedness on them.’

17 “Therefore you shall say this word to them:

(Y)‘Let my eyes flow with tears night and day,
And let them not cease;
(Z)For the virgin daughter of my people
Has been broken with a mighty stroke, with a very severe blow.
18 If I go out to (AA)the field,
Then behold, those slain with the sword!
And if I enter the city,
Then behold, those sick from famine!
Yes, both prophet and (AB)priest go about in a land they do not know.’ ”

The People Plead for Mercy

19 (AC)Have You utterly rejected Judah?
Has Your soul loathed Zion?
Why have You stricken us so that (AD)there is no healing for us?
(AE)We looked for peace, but there was no good;
And for the time of healing, and there was trouble.
20 We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness
And the iniquity of our (AF)fathers,
For (AG)we have sinned against You.
21 Do not abhor us, for Your name’s sake;
Do not disgrace the throne of Your glory.
(AH)Remember, do not break Your covenant with us.
22 (AI)Are there any among (AJ)the idols of the nations that can cause (AK)rain?
Or can the heavens give showers?
(AL)Are You not He, O Lord our God?
Therefore we will wait for You,
Since You have made all these.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 14:5 abandoned her young
  2. Jeremiah 14:13 true
  3. Jeremiah 14:14 Telling the future by signs and omens

Famine, Sword, and Pestilence

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

(B)“Judah mourns,
    and (C)her gates languish;
her people lament on the ground,
    and (D)the cry of Jerusalem goes up.
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.
Because of the ground that is dismayed,
    since there is (G)no rain on the land,
the farmers are ashamed;
    they cover their heads.
Even (H)the doe in the field forsakes her newborn fawn
    because there is no grass.
(I)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,
    act, O Lord, (J)for your name's sake;
(K)for our backslidings are many;
    (L)we have sinned against you.
(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?
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.

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

可怕的旱災

14 耶和華的話臨到耶利米,論到旱災的事:

猶大悲哀,城門衰敗;
眾人坐在地上哀慟,
耶路撒冷的哀聲上達。
他們的貴族打發僮僕去打水;
他們來到水池,
找不到水,就拿着空器皿,
蒙羞慚愧,抱頭而回。
因為無雨降在地上,土地就乾裂,
農夫為此蒙羞抱頭。
田野的母鹿因為無草
也撇棄才生的小鹿。
野驢站在光禿的高地喘氣,好像野狗;
牠們的眼目因無草而失明。」

耶和華啊,雖然我們的罪孽控告我們,
求你為你名的緣故行動吧!
我們本是多次背道,得罪了你。
以色列所盼望,在患難時作他救主的啊,
你在這地為何像寄居的,
又如旅行的只住一夜呢?
你為何像受驚嚇的人,
像不能救人的勇士呢?
耶和華啊,你在我們中間,
我們是稱為你名下的人,
求你不要離開我們。

10 耶和華論到這百姓如此說:
「這百姓喜愛遊蕩,
不約束自己的腳步,
所以耶和華不悅納他們。
現今他要記起他們的罪孽,
懲罰他們的罪惡。」

11 耶和華又對我說:「不要為這百姓求福。 12 他們禁食的時候,我不聽他們的呼求;他們獻燔祭和素祭,我也不悅納。我卻要用刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫滅絕他們。」

13 我就說:「唉!主耶和華,看哪,那些先知常對他們說:『你們必不見刀劍,也不遭饑荒;耶和華要在這地方賞賜你們真正的平安。』」 14 耶和華對我說:「那些先知託我的名說假預言,我並未差遣他們,沒有吩咐他們,也沒有對他們說話;他們向你們預言的是虛假的異象、占卜、虛無,以及心中的詭詐。 15 所以耶和華如此說:『論到託我名說預言的那些先知,我並未差遣他們;他們說這地不會有刀劍、饑荒,其實那些先知自己必被刀劍、饑荒滅絕。 16 聽他們說預言的百姓必因饑荒、刀劍被扔在耶路撒冷的街道上,無人埋葬。他們連妻子帶兒女,都是如此。我必將他們的惡倒在他們身上。』」

17 你要向他們說這些話:
願我眼淚汪汪,
    晝夜不息,
因為少女—我百姓[a]受了重大的打擊,
    傷口極其嚴重。
18 我若出到田間,
看哪,有被刀殺的;
我若進入城內,
看哪,有因饑荒患病的;
先知和祭司也在各地往來經商,
不知如何是好。

百姓懇求耶和華憐憫

19 你全然棄絕猶大嗎?
你的心厭惡錫安嗎?
你為何擊打我們,使我們無法得醫治呢?
我們指望平安,卻得不着福氣;
指望痊癒,看哪,受了驚惶。
20 耶和華啊,我們承認自己的罪惡
和我們祖先的罪孽,
因我們得罪了你。
21 求你為你名的緣故,
    不厭惡,不輕視你榮耀的寶座。
求你記念,
    不要違背你與我們所立的約。
22 外邦虛無的神明[b]中有能降雨的嗎?
天能自降甘霖嗎?
耶和華—我們的 神啊,不是你嗎?
我們要等候你,
因為這一切都是你所造的。

Footnotes

  1. 14.17 「我百姓」:原文直譯「我百姓的女兒」。
  2. 14.22 「虛無的神明」:原文是「虛無」。