1The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: (Jer 17:8)2“Judah mourns, and her gates languish; her people lament on the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up. (1Sa 5:12; Isa 3:26; La 1:4; La 2:8)3Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns; they find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are ashamed and confounded and cover their heads. (2Sa 15:30; Ps 40:14)4Because of the ground that is dismayed, since there is no rain on the land, the farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads. (Jer 3:3)5Even the doe in the field forsakes her newborn fawn because there is no grass. (Job 39:1; Ps 29:9)6The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights; they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail because there is no vegetation. (Jer 2:24)7“Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O Lord, for your name’s sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you. (Ps 25:11; Jer 2:19; Jer 14:20; Jer 14:21)8O 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? (Ps 71:5; Jer 17:13; Jer 50:7)9Why should you be like a man confused, like a mighty warrior who cannot save? Yet you, O Lord, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us.” (Ex 29:45; Ps 119:121; Isa 59:1; Da 9:18; Eph 3:15)10Thus says the Lord concerning this people: “They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore the Lord does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.” (Ho 8:13; Ho 9:9)11The Lord said to me: “Do not pray for the welfare of this people. (Jer 7:16)12Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.” (Pr 1:28; Isa 1:15; Jer 6:20; Jer 16:4; Jer 24:10; Jer 32:24; Eze 8:18; Eze 14:21; Mic 3:4)
Lying Prophets
13Then 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 assured peace in this place.’” (Jer 4:10; Jer 6:14)14And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds. (De 18:20; Jer 5:31; Jer 23:21; Jer 23:26; Jer 27:9; Jer 27:15; Jer 29:8; Eze 13:6; Mt 7:15; Mr 13:22)15Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not come upon this land’: By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed. (Jer 14:12; Jer 14:14; Jer 23:34)16And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword, with none to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out their evil upon them. (Ps 79:3)17“You shall say to them this word: ‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is shattered with a great wound, with a very grievous blow. (Jer 8:21; Jer 10:19; Jer 13:17; Jer 30:12)18If I go out into the field, behold, those pierced by the sword! And if I enter the city, behold, the diseases of famine! For both prophet and priest ply their trade through the land and have no knowledge.’” (Jer 5:31; Eze 7:15)19Have you utterly rejected Judah? Does your soul loathe Zion? Why have you struck us down so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; for a time of healing, but behold, terror. (Jer 8:15; Jer 15:18; La 5:22)20We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against you. (Ps 106:6; Da 9:5; Da 9:8)21Do not spurn us, for your name’s sake; do not dishonor your glorious throne; remember and do not break your covenant with us. (Le 26:42; Ps 106:45; Jer 14:7)22Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are you not he, O Lord our God? We set our hope on you, for you do all these things. (De 32:21; Job 12:9; Job 28:26; Job 38:26; Job 38:28; Isa 66:2; Jer 10:15; Zec 10:1)
Jeremiah 14
New International Version
Drought, famine, sword
1This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:2‘Judah mourns, her cities languish; they wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.3The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns but find no water. They return with their jars unfilled; dismayed and despairing, they cover their heads.4The ground is cracked because there is no rain in the land; the farmers are dismayed and cover their heads.5Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.6Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights and pant like jackals; their eyes fail for lack of food.’7Although our sins testify against us, do something, Lord, for the sake of your name. For we have often rebelled; we have sinned against you.8You who are the hope of Israel, its Saviour in times of distress, why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveller who stays only a night?9Why are you like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? You are among us, Lord, and we bear your name; do not forsake us!10This is what the Lord says about this people: ‘They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the Lord does not accept them; he will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.’11Then the Lord said to me, ‘Do not pray for the well-being of this people.12Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague.’13But I said, ‘Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets keep telling them, “You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.” ’14Then the Lord said to me, ‘The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries[1] and the delusions of their own minds.15Therefore 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 by sword and famine.16And 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 them, their wives, their sons and their daughters. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.17‘Speak this word to them: ‘ “Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without ceasing; for the Virgin Daughter, my people, has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow.18If I go into the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I go into the city, I see the ravages of famine. Both prophet and priest have gone to a land they know not.” ’19Have you rejected Judah completely? Do you despise Zion? Why have you afflicted us so that we cannot be healed? We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror.20We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord, and the guilt of our ancestors; we have indeed sinned against you.21For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonour your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us and do not break it.22Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? 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.