Jeremiah 14

Drought, Famine, Sword

14This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:^p

²“Judah mourns,^q

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.^r

They return with their jars unfilled;

dismayed and despairing,

they cover their heads.^s

⁴The ground is cracked

because there is no rain in the land;^t

the farmers are dismayed

and cover their heads.

⁵Even the doe in the field

deserts her newborn fawn

because there is no grass.^u

⁶Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights^v

and pant like jackals;

their eyes fail

for lack of food.”^w

⁷Although our sins testify^x against us,

do something, Lord, for the sake of your name.^y

For we have often rebelled;^z

we have sinned^a against you.

⁸You who are the hope^b of Israel,

its Savior^c in times of distress,^d

why are you like a stranger in the land,

like a traveler who stays only a night?

⁹Why are you like a man taken by surprise,

like a warrior powerless to save?^e

You are among^f us, Lord,

and we bear your name;^g

do not forsake^h us!

¹⁰This is what the Lord says about this people:

“They greatly love to wander;

they do not restrain their feet.ⁱ

So the Lord does not accept^j them;

he will now remember^k their wickedness

and punish them for their sins.”^l

¹¹Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray^m for the well-being of this people. ¹²Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry;ⁿ though they offer burnt offerings^o and grain offerings,^p I will not accept^q them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword,^r famine^s and plague.”^t

¹³But I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets^u keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine.^v Indeed, I will give you lasting peace^w in this place.’ ”

¹⁴Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies^x in my name. I have not sent^y them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions,^z divinations,^a idolatries^a 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^b by sword and famine.^{c 16}And 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^d them, their wives, their sons and their daughters.^e I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.^f

¹⁷“Speak this word to them:

“ ‘Let my eyes overflow with tears^g

night and day without ceasing;

for the Virgin^h Daughter, my people,

has suffered a grievous wound,

a crushing blow.ⁱ

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.^j

Both prophet and priest

have gone to a land they know not.^k’ ”

¹⁹Have you rejected Judah completely?^l

Do you despise Zion?

Why have you afflicted us

so that we cannot be healed?^m

We hoped for peace

but no good has come,

for a time of healing

but there is only terror.ⁿ

²⁰We acknowledge^o our wickedness, Lord,

and the guilt of our ancestors;^p

we have indeed sinned^q against you.

²¹For the sake of your name^r do not despise us;

do not dishonor your glorious throne.^s

Remember your covenant^t with us

and do not break it.

²²Do any of the worthless idols^u of the nations bring rain?^v

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.^w