Chapter 14

The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.

Judah mourneth,¹ and the gates thereof languish;⁴⁹ they are black¹ unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.¹

And their nobles have sent¹ their little ones to the waters: they came¹ to the pits, ¹³⁶⁰ [and] found¹ no water; they returned¹ with their vessels empty; they were ashamed¹ and confounded,⁹⁰ and covered¹ their heads.

Because the ground is chapt,¹ for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed,¹ they covered¹ their heads.

Yea, the hind also calved¹ in the field, and forsook² [it], because there was no grass.

And the wild asses did stand¹ in the high places, they snuffed up¹ the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail,¹ because [there was] no grass.

O LORD, though our iniquities testify¹ against us, do³ thou [it] for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many;¹ we have sinned¹ against thee.

O the hope of Israel, the saviour⁵⁶ thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man⁶ [that] turneth aside¹ to tarry for a night?²

Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied,¹² as a mighty man [that] cannot ^{3201 4} save?⁵³ yet thou, O LORD, [art] in the midst of us, and we are called⁸ by thy name; leave⁵⁵ us not.

Thus saith¹ the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved¹ to wander,² they have not refrained¹ their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept¹ them; he will now remember⁴ their iniquity, and visit⁴ their sins.

Then said⁴ the LORD unto me, Pray¹⁰¹ not for this people for [their] good.

When they fast,⁴ I will not hear⁶ their cry; and when they offer⁵⁵ burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept⁶ them: but I will consume¹⁸ them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

Then said⁴ I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say⁶ unto them, Ye shall not see⁴ the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give⁴ you assured peace in this place.

Then the LORD said⁴ unto me, The prophets prophesy¹² lies in my name: I sent¹ them not, neither have I commanded¹⁴ them, neither spake¹⁴ unto them: they prophesy¹⁰² unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

Therefore thus saith¹ the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy¹² in my name, and I sent¹ them not, yet they say,⁶ Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.¹¹

And the people to whom they prophesy¹² shall be cast out⁹⁴ in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury¹⁸ them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour¹ their wickedness upon them.

Therefore thou shalt say¹ this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down⁴ with tears night and day, and let them not cease:⁴ for the virgin daughter of my people is broken⁸ with a great breach, with a very grievous¹² blow.

If I go forth¹ into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter¹ into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! yea, both the prophet and the priest go about¹ into a land that they know¹ not.

Hast thou utterly² rejected¹ Judah? hath thy soul lothed¹ Zion? why hast thou smitten⁵² us, and [there is] no healing for us? we looked¹⁵ for peace, and [there is] no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble!

We acknowledge,¹ O LORD, our wickedness, [and] the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned¹ against thee.

Do not abhor⁴ [us], for thy name's sake, do not disgrace¹⁷ the throne of thy glory: remember,³ break⁵⁵ not thy covenant with us.

Are there [any] among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain?⁵⁶ or can the heavens give⁴ showers? [art] not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait¹⁷ upon thee: for thou hast made¹ all these [things].