< Jeremiah 14 >

1 This is the word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah regarding the drought,
This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
2 “Let Judah mourn; let her gates fall apart. They are wailing for the land; their cries for Jerusalem are going up.
“Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
3 Their mighty ones send out their servants for water. When they go to the trenches, they cannot find water. They all return unsuccessful; they cover their heads ashamed and dishonored.
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.
4 Because of this the ground is cracked, for there is no rain in the land. The plowmen are ashamed and cover their heads.
The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.
5 For even the doe leaves her young in the fields and abandons them, for there is no grass.
Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
6 The wild donkeys stand on the bare plains and they pant in the wind like jackals. Their eyes fail to work, for there is no vegetation.”
Wild donkeys stand on barren heights; they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail for lack of pasture.”
7 Even though our iniquities testify against us, Yahweh, act for the sake of your name. For our faithless actions increase; we have sinned against you.
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.
8 You are the Hope of Israel, the one who saves him in the time of distress, why will you be like a stranger in the land, like a foreign wanderer who stretches out and spends just one night?
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?
9 Why are you like someone who is astounded, or like a warrior who has no power to rescue? You are in our midst, Yahweh, and your name is called over us. Do not leave us!
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!
10 Yahweh says this to this people: “Since they love to wander, they have not held back their feet from doing so.” Yahweh is not pleased with them. Now he calls to mind their iniquity and has punished their sins.
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.”
11 Yahweh said to me, “Do not pray for good on behalf of this people.
Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people.
12 For if they fast, I will not listen to their wailing, and if they offer up burnt offerings and food offerings, I will not take pleasure in them. For I will put an end to them by sword, famine, and plague.”
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.”
13 Then I said, “Oh, Lord Yahweh! Behold! The prophets are saying to the people, 'You will not see the sword; there will be no famine for you, for I will give you true security in this place.'”
“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.’”
14 Yahweh said to me, “The prophets prophesy deceit in my name. I did not send them out, nor did I give them any command or speak to them. But deceitful visions and useless, deceitful divination coming from their own minds are what they are prophesying to you.”
“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.
15 Therefore Yahweh says this, “About the prophets prophesying in my name but whom I did not send out—those who say there will be no sword or famine in this land: These prophets will perish by sword and famine.
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!
16 Then the people to whom they prophesied will be thrown out in the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword, for there will be no one to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters—for I will pour out their wickedness on them.
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.
17 Say this word to them: 'Let my eyes flow with tears, night and day. Do not let them stop, for there will be a great collapse of the virgin daughter of my people— a great and incurable wound.
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.
18 If I go out to the field, there are the ones who were killed by the sword! If I come to the city, there are the diseases that are caused by famine. Both the prophet and the priest wander about the land, and they do not know.'”
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.’”
19 Have you completely rejected Judah? Do you hate Zion? Why will you afflict us when there is no healing for us? We hoped for peace, but there was nothing good— and for a time of healing, but see, there is only terror.
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.
20 We admit, Yahweh, our offenses, the iniquity of our ancestors, for we have sinned against you.
We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You.
21 Do not reject us! For the sake of your name, do not make your glorious throne a disgrace. Remember and do not break your covenant with us.
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.
22 Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Or can the skies themselves send down showers? Are you not the one, Yahweh our God? We wait for you, for you are the one who does all these things.
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.

< Jeremiah 14 >