Jeremiah 14
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
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 Saviour in time of distress,
why are you like a resident foreigner in the land,
like a traveller 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.
Jeremiah 14
New King James Version
Sword, Famine, and Pestilence
14 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts.
2 “Judah mourns,
And (A)her gates languish;
They (B)mourn for the land,
And (C)the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.
3 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.
4 Because the ground is parched,
For there was (F)no rain in the land,
The plowmen were ashamed;
They covered their heads.
5 Yes, the deer also gave birth in the field,
But [a]left because there was no grass.
6 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.”
7 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.
8 (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?
9 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
- Jeremiah 14:5 abandoned her young
- Jeremiah 14:13 true
- Jeremiah 14:14 Telling the future by signs and omens
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.
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
