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Jeremiah 14
Lexham English Bible
Jeremiah 14
Lexham English Bible
The Severe Drought
14 That which came as the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah concerning the matter[a] of the severe drought.
2 “Judah mourns, and her gates languish,
they are in mourning on the ground,
and the cry of lament of Jerusalem goes up.
3 And their nobles send their servants for water.
They come to the pits, they find no water.
They return with their vessels empty.[b]
They are ashamed, and they are confounded,
and they cover their heads.[c]
4 Because of the ground, which is cracked
because there was no rain on the ground.
The farmers are ashamed,
they cover their heads.[d]
5 For even the doe in the field gives birth and forsakes her young,[e]
because there is no green growth.
6 And wild asses stand on the barren heights,
they gasp for breath like the jackals.
Their eyes fail
because there is no vegetation.”
7 Although our iniquities testify against us, O Yahweh,
act for the sake of your name.
Yes, our apostasies are many;
we have sinned against you.
8 You are the hope of Israel,
its savior in time of distress.
Why should you be like an alien in the land,
or like a traveler who spreads out his tent [f] to spend the night?
9 Why should you be like a confused man,
like a warrior who is not able to help?
Yet you are in our midst, O Yahweh,
and your name is called upon us.
You must not leave us!
10 Thus says Yahweh concerning this people:
“They have loved so much to wander,
they have not spared their feet.
Therefore Yahweh is not favorable to them,
now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.”
Lying Prophets
11 So Yahweh said to me, “You must not pray for this people, for their happiness.[g] 12 Although they fast, I am not listening to their cry of entreaty. And although they present burnt offering and grain offering, I am not favorable to them. But by the sword, and by the famine, and by the plague, I am about to destroy them.” 13 Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh, look, the prophets are saying to them, ‘You will not see the sword, and famine will not be yours, but reliable peace I will give to you in this place.’” 14 And Yahweh said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies[h] in my name. I have not sent them, and I have not commanded them, and I have not spoken to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, and a divination, worthless, and the deceitfulness of their minds.”[i] 15 Therefore[j] thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets who prophecy in my name though I have not sent them, yet they are saying, “Sword and famine will not be in this land.” “By the sword and by the famine those prophets will perish. 16 And the people to whom they are prophesying will be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem because of[k] the famine and the sword. And there will be no one who buries them, their wives, or their sons, or their daughters. And I will pour out on them their wickedness.
The Nation Hopes in Yahweh
17 “And you shall say to them this word,
‘Let my eyes melt with tears night and day,
and let them not cease,
for with a great wound the virgin daughter of my people is broken,
with a very incurable wound.
18 If I go out into the field,
then look, those slain by the sword.
And if I enter the city,
then look, the sickness of the famine.
For both prophet and priest wander around through the land,
they do not know what is going on.’”[l]
19 Have you completely rejected Judah?
Or has your soul[m] loathed Zion?
Why have you struck us
so that there is no healing for us?
We hope for peace, but there is no good,
and for a time of healing, but look, there is terror.
20 We know, O Yahweh, our wickedness,
the iniquity of our ancestors,[n]
for we have sinned against you.
21 You must not spurn us[o] for the sake of your name,
you must not dishonor your glorious throne.[p]
Remember us![q]
You must not break your covenant with us.
22 Are there any among the idols of the nation who cause rain to pour?
Or can the heavens give showers?
Is it not you, O Yahweh our God?
Therefore, we hope in you, for you do all these things.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 14:1 Hebrew “matters”
- Jeremiah 14:3 Literally “without success”
- Jeremiah 14:3 Hebrew “head”
- Jeremiah 14:4 Hebrew “head”
- Jeremiah 14:5 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Jeremiah 14:8 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Jeremiah 14:11 Or “good”
- Jeremiah 14:14 Hebrew “lie”
- Jeremiah 14:14 Literally “heart”
- Jeremiah 14:15 Literally “To thus”
- Jeremiah 14:16 Literally “from the face of”
- Jeremiah 14:18 Literally “and not they know”
- Jeremiah 14:19 Or “inner self”
- Jeremiah 14:20 Or “fathers”
- Jeremiah 14:21 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Jeremiah 14:21 Literally “the throne of your glory”
- Jeremiah 14:21 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
Jeremiah 14
Expanded Bible
Jeremiah 14
Expanded Bible
A Time Without Rain
14 These are the words that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah ·about the time when there was no rain [concerning the drought; C often a punishment from God; Lev. 26:18–20; Deut. 28:22–24; 1 Kin. 17:1]:
2 “The nation of Judah ·cries as if someone has died [mourns],
and her ·cities [L gates] ·are very sad [languish].
They ·are distressed [wail] over the land.
A cry goes up [C to God] from Jerusalem.
3 The ·important men [nobles] send their ·servants [L young/little ones] to get water.
They go to the ·wells [cisterns],
but they find no water.
So they return with empty jars.
They are ·ashamed [humiliated] and embarrassed
and ·cover [veil] their heads [C in shame].
4 The ground is cracked open,
because no rain falls on the land.
The farmers are ·upset and sad [L ashamed],
so they ·cover [veil] their heads.
5 Even the mother deer in the field
·leaves her newborn fawn to die [L gives birth and leaves],
because there is no ·grass [vegetation].
6 Wild donkeys stand on the bare hills
and ·sniff the wind [pant] like ·wild dogs [jackals].
But their eyes go blind,
because there is no ·food [pasture].”
7 We know that we suffer because of our sins.
Lord, ·do something to help us for the good of your name [L act on behalf of your name/reputation].
·We have left you many times [L Many are our apostasies/infidelities];
we have sinned against you.
8 The Hope of Israel [C God],
you have ·saved [rescued] it [C Israel] in times of ·trouble [distress].
Why are you like a ·stranger [alien resident] in the land,
or like a traveler who only stays one night?
9 Why are you like someone who has been attacked by surprise,
like a warrior who is not able to ·save anyone [be victorious]?
But you are among us, Lord,
and we are called by your name
so don’t ·leave us without help [forsake us]!
10 This is what the Lord says about this people [C of Judah]:
“They really love to wander from me;
they don’t ·stop themselves from leaving me [L restrain their feet].
So now the Lord will not ·accept [be pleased with] them.
He will now remember ·the evil they do [their iniquity]
and will punish them for their sins.”
11 Then the Lord said, “Don’t pray for good things to happen to the people [C of Judah]. 12 Even if they fast, I will not listen to their ·prayers [cry; Prov. 1:28]. Even if they offer burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17] and ·grain [L gift; tribute] offerings [Lev. 2:1] to me, I will not ·accept [be pleased with] them. Instead, I will ·destroy [finish] them [C the people of Judah] with ·war [sword], ·hunger [famine], and ·terrible diseases [plagues; pestilence].”
13 But I said, “Oh, Lord God, the prophets keep telling the people, ‘·You will not suffer from an enemy’s [L Do not fear] sword or from ·hunger [famine]. I, the Lord, will give you ·lasting [reliable; true] peace in this land.’”
14 Then the Lord said to me, “Those prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them or ·appoint [command] them or speak to them. They have been prophesying false visions, idolatries, worthless ·magic [divination], and ·their own wishful thinking [L the deceit of their hearts; Deut. 13:1–5; 18:14–22]. 15 So this is what I say about the prophets who are prophesying in my name. I did not send them. They say, ‘·No enemy will attack this country with swords. There will never be hunger [L Sword and famine will not be] in this land.’ So those prophets will ·die from [L be finished off by] ·hunger [famine] and from ·an enemy’s sword [L sword]. 16 And the people to whom the prophets speak will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem. There they will die from ·hunger [famine] and from ·an enemy’s sword [L sword]. And no one will be there to bury them, or their wives, or their sons, or their daughters. I will ·punish them [L pour out on them harm/disaster/evil].
17 “Speak [C addressed to Jeremiah] this ·message [word] to them [C the people of Judah]:
‘Let my eyes ·be filled [flow] with tears
night and day, without stopping.
·My people [L The virgin daughter of my people] have received a ·terrible blow [L great fracture];
they have been ·hurt [wounded] badly.
18 If I go into the ·country [L field],
I see people killed by swords.
If I go into the city,
I see ·much sickness, because the people have no food [L the sickness of famine].
Both the priests and the prophets
·have been taken to a foreign land [L wander/or ply their trade in a land they do not know].’”
19 Lord, have you completely rejected the nation of Judah?
Do you ·hate [L abhor] ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]?
Why have you ·hurt us so badly [L struck us]
·that we cannot be made well again [L and not healed us]?
We hoped for peace,
but nothing good has come.
We looked for a time of healing,
but only terror came.
20 Lord, we ·admit that we are wicked [L know our wickedness]
and ·that our ancestors did evil things [L the iniquity of our fathers].
We have sinned against you.
21 For ·your sake [L the sake of your name/fame/reputation], do not ·hate [despise] us [Lev. 26:11, 30, 44].
Do not ·take away the honor from [L treat disdainfully] your glorious throne.
Remember your ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with us,
and do not break it.
22 Do ·foreign idols [L futile/useless/meaningless things] have the power to bring rain?
Does the ·sky [heaven] itself have the power to send down showers?
·No, it is you [L Is it not you…?], Lord our God.
You are our only hope,
because you are the one who made all these things.
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
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Expanded Bible (EXB)
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