Jeremiah 14

1 This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:

The worde of the Lord that came vnto Ieremiah, concerning the dearth.

2 “Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.

Iudah hath mourned, and the gates thereof are desolate, they haue bene brought to heauinesse vnto the grounde, and the cry of Ierusalem goeth vp.

3 The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns, but find no water; their jars return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads.

And their nobles haue sent their inferiours to the water, who came to the welles, and founde no water: they returned with their vessels empty: they were ashamed and confounded, and couered their heads.

4 The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.

For the grounde was destroyed, because there was no rayne in the earth: the plowmen were ashamed, and couered their heads.

5 Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.

Yea, the hinde also calued in the fielde, and forsooke it, because there was no grasse.

6 Wild donkeys stand on barren heights; they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail for lack of pasture.”

And the wilde asses did stande in the hygh places, and drew in their winde like dragons their eyes did faile, because there was no grasse.

7 Although our iniquities testify against us, O LORD, act for the sake of Your name. Indeed, our rebellions are many; we have sinned against You.

O Lord, though our iniquities testifie against vs, deale with vs according to thy name: for our rebellions are many, we sinned against thee.

8 O Hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are You like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays but a night?

O the hope of Israel, the sauiour thereof in the time of trouble, why art thou as a strager in ye land, as one that passeth by to tary for a night?

9 Why are You like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? Yet You are among us, O LORD, and we are called by Your name. Do not forsake us!

Why art thou as a man astonied, and as a strong man that cannot helpe? yet thou, O Lord, art in the middes of vs, and thy Name is called vpon vs: forsake vs not.

10 This is what the LORD says about this people: “Truly they love to wander; they have not restrained their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; He will now remember their guilt and call their sins to account.”

Thus saith the Lord vnto this people, Thus haue they delited to wander: they haue not refrained their feete, therefore the Lord hath no delight in them: but he will now remember their iniquitie, and visite their sinnes.

11 Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people.

Then sayd the Lord vnto me, Thou shalt not pray to do this people good.

12 Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”

When they fast, I will not heare their cry, and when they offer burnt offering, and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sworde, and by the famine and by the pestilence.

13 “Ah, Lord GOD!” I replied, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”

Then answered I, Ah Lord God, beholde, the prophets say vnto them, Ye shall not see the sworde, neither shall famine come vpon you, but I wil giue you assured peace in this place.

14 “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.

Then the Lord said vnto me, The prophets prophecie lyes in my Name: I haue not sent them, neither did I command them, neither spake I vnto them, but they prophecie vnto you a false vision, and diuination, and vanitie, and deceitfulnes of their owne heart.

15 Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who prophesy in My name: I did not send them, yet they say, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end!

Therefore thus saith the Lord, Concerning the prophets that prophecie in my Name, whom I haue not sent, yet they say, Sworde and famine shall not be in this land, by sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

16 And the people to whom they prophesy will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out their own evil upon them.

And the people to whome these prophets doe prophecie, shalbe cast out in the streetes of Ierusalem, because of the famine, and the sword, and there shall be none to bury them, both they, and their wiues, and their sonnes, and their daughters: for I wil powre their wickednes vpon them.

17 You are to speak this word to them: ‘My eyes overflow with tears; day and night they do not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people has been shattered by a crushing blow, a severely grievous wound.

Therefore thou shalt say this worde vnto them, Let mine eyes drop downe teares night and day without ceasing: for the virgine daughter of my people is destroyed with a great destruction, and with a sore grieuous plague.

18 If I go out to the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I enter the city, I see those ravaged by famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know.’”

For if I go into the field, behold the slaine with the sworde: and if I enter into the citie, behold them that are sicke for hunger also: moreouer the Prophet also and the Priest go a wandring into a land that they know not.

19 Have You rejected Judah completely? Do You despise Zion? Why have You stricken us so that we are beyond healing? We hoped for peace, but no good has come, and for the time of healing, but there was only terror.

Hast thou vtterly reiected Iudah, or hath thy soule abhorred Zion? why hast thou smitten vs, that we cannot be healed? Wee looked for peace, and there is no good, and for the time of health, and behold trouble.

20 We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You.

We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickednesse and the iniquitie of our fathers: for we haue sinned against thee.

21 For the sake of Your name do not despise us; do not disgrace Your glorious throne. Remember Your covenant with us; do not break it.

Doe not abhorre vs: for thy Names sake cast not downe the throne of thy glory: remember and breake not thy couenant with vs.

22 Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.

Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles, that can giue raine? or can the heauens giue showres? is it not thou, O Lord our God? therefore we will waite vpon thee: for thou hast made all these things.