Jeremiah
14:1 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.
14:2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the
ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
14:3 And 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.
14:4 Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the
plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.
14:5 Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there
was no grass.
14:6 And 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.
14:7 O 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.
14:8 O 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?
14:9 Why 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.
14:10 Thus 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.
14:11 Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.
14:12 When 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.
14:13 Then 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.
14:14 Then 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.
14:15 Therefore 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.
14:16 And 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.
14:17 Therefore 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.
14:18 If 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.
14:19 Hast 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!
14:20 We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers:
for we have sinned against thee.
14:21 Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy
glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.
14:22 Are 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.
