THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
JEREMIAH

Jeremiah 14 ©

A prophecy of a great drought, and the miseries that would ensue upon it in Judah, v. 1, etc. A mournful and fervent prayer of the prophet for mercy for Judah, 7. Whereupon God forbids him to intercede for them, annexing reasons why, 10. The prophet excuses the people as much as he can, by the seduction of the false prophets, but it avails not, God will punish those prophets and the people together, 13. The prophet is commanded by wailings to represent the calamities, 17. He prays again very mournfully for the people, 19.

1

THE word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah 1concerning the dearth.

2

2Judah mourneth, and the 3gates thereof 4languish; they are 5black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is 6gone up.

3

And their 7nobles have sent their 8little ones to the waters: they came to the 9pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and 10covered their heads.

4

Because the ground is 11chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.

5

Yea, the 12hind 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 13snuffed up the wind like 14dragons; their eyes did fail, because there was no grass.a

7

¶O LORD, 15though our iniquities 16testify against us, 17do thou it for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are 18many; we have sinned against thee.

8

O the 19hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a 20stranger in the land, and as a 21wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?

9

Why shouldest thou be as a man 22astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called 23by thy name; leave us not.

10

¶Thus saith the LORD 24unto this people, Thus have they loved to 25wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will 26now 27remember their iniquity,b and 28visit their sins.

11

Then said the LORD unto me, Prayc not for this people for their 29good.

12

Whend they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnte offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consumef them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

13

¶Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the 30prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see 31the sword, neither shall ye have 32famine; but 33I will give you 34assured peace in this place.

14

Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: Ig sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a 35false vision and 36divination, and a 37thing 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 38pour their 39wickedness upon them.

17

¶Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mineh eyes 40run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the 41virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great 42breach, with a very grievous 43blow.

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 44sick with famine! yea, 45both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they 46know not.

19

Hast thou 47utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul lothed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no 48healing for us? wei 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 againstj thee.

21

Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not 49disgrace the 50throne of thy glory: 51remember, 52break not thy covenant with us.

22

Are there any among the 53vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens 54give 55showers? art not thouk56he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon 57thee: for thou hast 58made all these things.