| Chapter
14 |
| 1 | The
word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth. |
| 2 | Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof
languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone
up. |
| 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. |
|
4 | Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth,
the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads. |
|
5 | Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook
it, because there was no grass. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
|
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? |
|
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. |
| 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. |
|
11 | Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people
for their good. |
| 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. |
|
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
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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! |
|
20 | We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our
fathers: for we have sinned against thee. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
