Jeremiah 14

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

1This is the message the LORD gave to Jeremiah about the time with no rain. Jeremiah was a prophet, a man who told people what God said.

2Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.

2Judah is sad. The town gates are empty and weak. The people sit on the ground and weep. A loud cry rises from Jerusalem.

3And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.

3The rich leaders sent their servants to get water. They went to the water pits and found none. The jars came back empty. The servants felt ashamed. They covered their heads.

NoteThe "pits" were cisterns: holes cut in rock to catch and hold rainwater.

4Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.

4The ground is dry and cracked, because no rain fell on the land. The farmers felt ashamed too. They covered their heads.

5Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass.

5Even the mother deer leaves her newborn baby in the field. She does this because there is no grass to eat.

6And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because there was no grass.

6Wild donkeys stand on the bare hills. They gasp for air like jackals. Their eyes grow weak, because there is no grass.

NoteThe KJV word "dragons" here means jackals, wild dogs that pant in the heat.

7O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.

7Our sins speak against us, LORD. Even so, please act, so your name is honored. We have turned away from you many times. We have sinned against you.

8O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?

8You are the hope of Israel. You save them when trouble comes. Why do you act like a stranger in the land? Why like a traveler who stays only one night?

9Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.

9Why do you act like a man caught by surprise? Why like a strong soldier who cannot save anyone? But you, LORD, are right here with us. We are called by your name. Please do not leave us.

Note"Astonied" is an old spelling of astonished. It means caught off guard, unable to act.

10Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.

10The LORD says this about these people: They love to wander away from me. They would not hold their feet back. So the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their sin and punish it.

11Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.

11Then the LORD said to me, "Do not pray for good things to come to these people."

12When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

12When they fast and go without food to pray, I will not listen to their cry. When they bring burnt gifts and grain gifts, I will not accept them. Instead I will finish them with war, hunger, and deadly sickness.

NoteIn the KJV, "sword" stands for war, "famine" means hunger from no food, and "pestilence" means a sickness that spreads.

13Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.

13Then I said, "Oh, Lord GOD! Look, the prophets keep telling them this: 'War will not come. Hunger will not come. God will give you lasting peace here.'"

14Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

14Then the LORD said to me, "Those prophets tell lies and use my name. I did not send them. I gave them no orders. I never spoke to them. They tell you dreams that are not true. They use magic tricks that mean nothing. The words come from their own hearts.

15Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

15So the LORD says this about those prophets. They speak in my name, but I did not send them. They say, 'No war or hunger will come to this land.' Those very prophets will die by war and hunger.

16And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.

16The people who listened to them will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem. Hunger and war will kill them. No one will be left to bury them. No one will bury their wives, their sons, or their daughters. I will pour their own evil back on them.

17Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.

17So say this to them: Let my eyes pour out tears night and day. Let the tears never stop. My dear people, like a young girl, have been badly broken. They have been struck a very heavy blow.

18If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! yea, both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not.

18If I go out to the fields, I see people killed in the fighting. If I go into the city, I see people sick from hunger. Even the prophets and the priests, the men who served God at the temple, are taken to a land they do not know.

19Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul lothed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? we looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble!

19Have you turned away from Judah for good? Do you hate Zion, another name for Jerusalem? Why have you hurt us so badly that we cannot get well? We hoped for peace, but nothing good came. We hoped to be healed, but only fear came.

20We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.

20We admit the wrong we have done, LORD. We admit the sin of our fathers too. We have sinned against you.

21Do not abhor us, for thy name’s sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.

21Please do not turn away from us. Do this for the honor of your name. Do not shame your glorious throne. Remember the promise you made with us. Do not break it.

22Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.

22Can the worthless idols of other nations bring rain? Can the sky send showers all by itself? Only you can do this, LORD our God. So we will wait for you. You are the one who made all these things.