Jeremiah 14 - Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Drought

14 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:(A)

2 Judah mourns;
her city gates languish.(B)
Her people are on the ground in mourning;
Jerusalem’s cry rises up.(C)
3 Their nobles send their servants[a] for water.
They go to the cisterns;
they find no water;
their containers return empty.
They are ashamed and humiliated;
they cover their heads.(D)
4 The ground is cracked
since no rain has fallen on the land.
The farmers are ashamed;(E)
they cover their heads.
5 Even the doe in the field
gives birth and abandons her fawn
since there is no grass.
6 Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights(F)
panting for air like jackals.
Their eyes fail
because there are no green plants.

7 Though our iniquities testify against us,
Lord, act for your name’s sake.
Indeed, our rebellions(G) are many;
we have sinned against you.(H)
8 Hope of Israel,(I)
its Savior in time of distress,
why are you like a resident alien in the land,
like a traveler stopping only for the night?
9 Why are you like a helpless man,
like a warrior unable to save?(J)
Yet you are among us, Lord,(K)
and we bear your name.
Don’t leave us!

10 This is what the Lord says concerning these people:

Truly they love to wander;(L)
they never rest their feet.
So the Lord does not accept them.
Now he will remember their iniquity
and punish their sins.(M)

False Prophets to Be Punished

11 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of these people.(N) 12 If 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.”(O)

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

14 But 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(Q) of their own minds.(R)

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

Jeremiah’s Request

17 You are to speak this word to them:
Let my eyes overflow with tears;
day and night may they not stop,(T)
for my dearest people[b]
have been destroyed by a crushing blow,(U)
an extremely severe wound.(V)
18 If I go out to the field,
look—those slain by the sword!
If I enter the city,
look—those ill(W) from famine!
For both prophet and priest
travel to a land they do not know.

19 Have you completely rejected Judah?
Do you detest(X) Zion?
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.(Y)
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord,
the iniquity of our ancestors;(Z)
indeed, we have sinned against you.
21 For your name’s sake, don’t despise us.
Don’t disdain your glorious throne.(AA)
Remember your covenant(AB) with us;
do not break it.
22 Can any of the worthless idols of the nations(AC) bring rain?
Or can the skies alone give showers?
Are you not the Lord our God?
We therefore put our hope in you,(AD)
for you have done all these things.

Footnotes

  1. 14:3 Lit little ones
  2. 14:17 Lit for the virgin daughter of my people

Cross references

  1. 14:1 : Jr 17:8
  2. 14:2 : Is 3:26
  3. 14:2 : 1Sm 5:12
  4. 14:3 : Est 6:12; 7:8
  5. 14:4 : Jl 1:11
  6. 14:6 : Jr 2:24
  7. 14:7 : Jr 2:19; 3:6,22; 5:6
  8. 14:7 : Is 64:5; Jr 3:25; 8:14; 14:20; Lm 3:42; 5:16; Dn 9:5,11
  9. 14:8 : Jr 17:13; 50:7
  10. 14:9 : Is 59:1
  11. 14:9 : Ex 29:45
  12. 14:10 : Jr 5:31; Am 8:12
  13. 14:10 : Hs 8:13
  14. 14:11 : Jr 7:16; 11:14; 15:1
  15. 14:12 : Jr 5:12
  16. 14:13 : Jr 4:10; 6:13–14; 8:10–12
  17. 14:14 : Ps 119:118; Jr 8:5; 23:26
  18. 14:14 : Jr 5:31; 20:6; 23:25–26,32; 27:10,14–16; 29:9,21,31
  19. 14:16 : Jr 7:33; 9:22
  20. 14:17 : Jr 9:1,10; 13:17
  21. 14:17 : Jr 4:6; 6:1
  22. 14:17 : Jr 10:19; 30:12
  23. 14:18 : Dt 29:22
  24. 14:19 : Lv 26:11,30,43–44
  25. 14:19 : Jr 8:15; 33:9
  26. 14:20 : Jr 3:25; 11:10; 16:12–13
  27. 14:21 : Dt 32:19; Jr 15:6; 17:12
  28. 14:21 : Lv 26:44; Jdg 2:1; Is 33:8
  29. 14:22 : Jr 8:19; 10:8,15; 16:19
  30. 14:22 : Is 8:17; 25:9

You Might Also Like:

Jeremiah 14 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

14 That which hath been the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah concerning the matters of the dearths: 2 Mourned hath Judah, and her gates have languished, They have mourned to the earth, And the cry of Jerusalem hath gone up. 3 And their honourable ones have sent their little ones to the water, They have...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

14 The word of the Lord, that was made to Jeremy, of the words of dryness. (The word of the Lord, that was made to Jeremiah, about the drought.) 2 Judah wailed, and the gates thereof fell down (and its cities fell down), and be made dark in [the] earth, and the cry of Jerusalem went up. 3 Greater me...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - World English Bible (WEB)

14 This is Yahweh’s word that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought. 2 “Judah mourns, and its gates languish.They sit in black on the ground. The cry of Jerusalem goes up.3 Their nobles send their little ones to the waters. They come to the cisterns, and find no water.They return with their vessel...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - The Voice (VOICE)

14 The word of the Eternal came to Jeremiah about the coming droughts. A series of droughts come upon the land of Judah, making life very difficult for the people. Even the animals suffer as God holds back the rain.2 Eternal One: Judah mourns and her cities grow weak; her people collapse to the grou...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Physical and Spiritual Drought14 The word of Adonai that came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts:2 Judah will mourn, and her gates languish. They will bow in black to the ground And Jerusalem’s wail will go up.3 Their nobles will send their lads for water. They come to the cisterns, but find no wat...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Great Drought14 The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: 2 “Judah mourns and her gates languish;her people lament on the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up.3 Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns,they find no water, they return with ...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Great Drought14 The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: 2 “Judah mourns and her gates languish;her people lament on the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up.3 Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns,they find no water, they return with ...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Great Drought14 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: 2 Judah mourns and her gates languish;they lie in gloom on the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up.3 Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns,they find no water, they return with th...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Great Drought14 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:(A)2 Judah mourns, and her gates languish;they lie in gloom on the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up.(B)3 Her[a] nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns;they find no water; they retur...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Judah’s Terrible Drought14 This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord, explaining why he was holding back the rain: 2 “Judah wilts; commerce at the city gates grinds to a halt.All the people sit on the ground in mourning, and a great cry rises from Jerusalem.3 The nobles send servants to get water,...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - New Life Version (NLV)

No Water—No Food14 The Word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah when there was no water: 2 “Judah is full of sorrow and her gates are weak. Her people sit on the ground in sorrow, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem. 3 Their men of honor have sent their servants for water. They have come to the wells ...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Sword, Famine, and Pestilence14 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts. 2 “Judah mourns,And (A)her gates languish;They (B)mourn for the land,And (C)the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.3 Their nobles have sent their lads for water;They went to the cisterns and found no water....
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Drought, famine, sword14 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: 2 ‘Judah mourns, her cities languish;they wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.3 The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns but find no water.They return with the...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - New International Version (NIV)

Drought, Famine, Sword14 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:(A) 2 “Judah mourns,(B) her cities languish;they wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.3 The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns but find no water.(C)They return...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

War and Hunger14 A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah. He told Jeremiah there wouldn’t be any rain in the land. The Lord said, 2 “Judah is filled with sadness. Its cities are wasting away.The people weep for the land. Crying is heard in Jerusalem.3 The nobles send their servants to get water. Th...
Read More

Jeremiah 14 - New English Translation (NET)

A Lament over the Ravages of Drought[a]14 This was[b] the Lord’s message to Jeremiah about the drought.[c] 2 “The people of Judah are in mourning.The people in her cities are pining away.They lie on the ground expressing their sorrow.[d]Cries of distress come up to me[e] from Jerusalem.3 The leading...
Read More