Jeremiah 14–15

The Drought

14The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: ^b

²Judah mourns;

her gates languish. ^c

Her people are on the ground in mourning;

Jerusalem’s cry rises up. ^d

³Their nobles send their servants ^efor water.

They go to the cisterns;

they find no water;

their containers return empty.

They are ashamed and humiliated;

they cover their heads. ^f

⁴The ground is cracked

since no rain has fallen on the land.

The farmers are ashamed; ^g

they cover their heads.

⁵Even the doe in the field

gives birth and abandons her fawn

since there is no grass.

⁶Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights ^h

panting for air like jackals.

Their eyes fail

because there are no green plants.

⁷Though our guilt testifies against us,

Yahweh, act for Your name’s sake.

Indeed, our rebellions ⁱare many;

we have sinned against You. ^j

⁸Hope of Israel, ^k

its Savior in time of distress,

why are You like a foreigner in the land,

like a traveler stopping only for the night?

⁹Why are You like a helpless man,

like a warrior unable to save? ^l

Yet You are among us, Yahweh, ^m

and we are called by Your name.

Don’t leave us!

¹⁰This is what the Lord says concerning these people:

Truly they love to wander; ⁿ

they never rest their feet.

So the Lord does not accept them.

Now He will remember their guilt

and punish their sins. ^o

False Prophets to be Punished

¹¹Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of these people. ^p12If 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.” ^q

¹³And I replied, “Oh no, Lord God! The prophets are telling them, ‘You won’t see sword or suffer famine. I will certainly give you true peace in this place.’ ” ^r

¹⁴But 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 ^sof their own minds. ^t

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. ¹⁶The 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 ^u—they, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. I will pour out their own evil on them.”

Jeremiah’s Request

¹⁷You are to speak this word to them:

Let my eyes overflow with tears;

day and night may they not stop, ^v

for the virgin daughter of my people

has been destroyed by a great disaster, ^w

an extremely severe wound. ^x

¹⁸If I go out to the field,

look—those slain by the sword!

If I enter the city,

look—those ill ^yfrom famine!

For both prophet and priest

travel to a land they do not know.

¹⁹Have You completely rejected Judah?

Do You detest ^zZion?

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. ^a

²⁰We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord,

the guilt of our fathers; ^b

indeed, we have sinned against You.

²¹Because of Your name, don’t despise us.

Don’t disdain Your glorious throne. ^c

Remember Your covenant ^dwith us;

do not break it.

²²Can any of the worthless idols of the nations ^ebring rain?

Or can the skies alone give showers?

Are You not the Lord our God?

We therefore put our hope in You, ^f

for You have done all these things.

The Lord’s Negative Response

15Then the Lord said to me: “Even if ^gMoses and ^hSamuel should ⁱstand before Me, ^jMy compassions would not reach out to these people. Send them from My presence, and let them go. ^k2If they ask you, ‘Where will we go?’ you must tell them: This is what the Lord says:

Those destined for death, ^lto death;

those destined for the sword, to the sword.

Those destined for famine, to famine;

those destined for captivity, to captivity.

³“I will ordain four kinds ^mof judgment for them”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, ⁿand the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land ^oto devour and destroy. ⁴I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh ^pson of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.

⁵Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? ^q

Who will show sympathy toward you? ^r

Who will turn aside

to ask about your welfare?

⁶You have left Me. ^s

This is the Lord’s declaration.

You have turned your back,

so I have stretched out My hand against you

and destroyed you.

I am tired ^tof showing compassion.

⁷I scattered them with a winnowing fork

at the gates of the land.

I made them childless; I destroyed My people.

They would not turn from their ways. ^u

⁸I made their widows more numerous

than the sand of the seas. ^v

I brought a destroyer at noon

against the mother of young men.

I suddenly released on her

agitation and terrors.

⁹The mother of seven grew faint; ^w

she breathed her last breath.

Her sun set while it was still day;

she was ashamed and humiliated.

The rest of them I will give over to the sword

in the presence of their enemies.”

This is the Lord’s declaration.

Jeremiah’s Complaint

¹⁰Woe is me, my mother,

that you gave birth to me, ^x

a man who incites dispute and conflict

in all the land.

I did not lend or borrow,

yet everyone curses me. ^y

The Lord’s Response

¹¹The Lord said:

I will certainly set you free and care for you. ^z

I will certainly intercede for you

in a time of trouble,

in your time of distress, with the enemy.

¹²Can anyone smash iron,

iron from the north, or bronze?

¹³I will give up your wealth

and your treasures as plunder,

without cost, ^afor all your sins

in all your borders.

¹⁴Then I will make you serve your enemies ^b

in a land you do not know,

for My anger will kindle a fire

that will burn against you. ^c

Jeremiah’s Prayer for Vengeance

¹⁵You know, ^dLord;

remember me and take note of me. ^e

Avenge me against my persecutors. ^f

In Your patience, ^gdon’t take me away.

Know that I suffer disgrace for Your honor. ^h

¹⁶Your words were found, and I ate them. ⁱ

Your words became a delight to me

and the joy of my heart,

for I am called by Your name, ^j

Yahweh God of Hosts.

¹⁷I never sat with the band of revelers,

and I did not celebrate with them.

Because Your hand was on me, I sat alone, ^k

for You filled me with indignation.

¹⁸Why has my pain become unending,

my wound incurable, ^l

refusing to be healed?

You truly have become like a mirage to me—

water that is not reliable.

Jeremiah Told to Repent

¹⁹Therefore, this is what the Lord says:

If you return, I will restore you;

you will stand in My presence.

And if you speak noble words,

rather than worthless ones,

you will be My spokesman. ^m

It is they who must return to you;

you must not return to them.

²⁰Then I will make you a fortified wall of bronze

to this people.

They will fight against you

but will not overcome you,

for I am with you

to save you and deliver you. ⁿ

This is the Lord’s declaration.

²¹I will deliver you from the power of evil people

and redeem you from the control of the ruthless.