Jeremiah 14
The 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 ground in grief.
The cries of Jerusalem echo through the city.
3 The nobles send their servants for water that is not there.
They come to cisterns only to return home with their jars empty.
They have all been shamed, humiliated,
so they cover their heads.
4 The fields are dry and the ground is cracked because there is no rain.
The farmers suffer shame; they, too, cover their heads.
5 Even the animals of the field struggle:
the devoted doe walks away from her newborn fawn,
all because there is no grass to be found.
6 The wild donkeys stand on barren hills panting like jackals in the dry heat.
With no plants to eat, their bodies weaken—their eyes grow dim.
7 People (to God): We know our guilt cries out against us,
but O Eternal One, step in now and do something!
For the sake of Your own good name, help us.
It’s true—our betrayals are many, so much have we sinned against You.
8 But O Hope of Israel, her Savior in times of trouble, don’t forget us!
Why are You acting like a stranger here in Your own land,
Treating us like some traveler who’s only staying for the night?
9 Why do You seem surprised,
like a warrior who cannot defend us?
But we know You are here, among us even now.
Eternal One—we are Your people.
You know us by name;
do not disown us!
Eternal One: 10 (about His people) All this is true, but they love to wander from Me; they cannot control their restless feet—which are constantly running after other gods. That is why I won’t accept them and take them back. I will remember their guilt and hold them accountable for their sins.
11 (to Jeremiah) Do not pray for this people’s well being. 12 They will try to impress Me again, but when they fast, I will not hear their cry; when they bring Me their burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept any of them. Instead, I will offer to them their own destruction by war, by famine, and by disease.
Jeremiah: 13 But Eternal Lord, there are prophets in the land who keep telling the people none of this will happen. They claim to speak for You, saying, “No war or famine will come to you. Instead, I will give you peace and security in this place.”
Eternal One: 14 But these so-called prophets are “prophesying” lies. And they do so in My name! I have said no such thing. I have not sent them and directed them to speak in My name. Their prophecies are based on false visions, faulty revelation, and dark delusions of their own making.
15 This is what the Eternal says regarding the false prophets who attempt to speak in His name.
Eternal One: I simply did not send them. Those who are proclaiming to the people, “No war or famine will touch this land,” will themselves die in war and famine. 16 And those foolish enough to listen to their prophecies will be tossed into the streets of Jerusalem, weakened by famine, victims of war. They will die, and there will be no one to bury them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters because I will pour out their own evil upon them.
17 God told me to speak these words to them:
Jeremiah: May my eyes fill with tears day and night.
Let me not stop crying for what I see:
for my tender virgin daughter—my people—
Has suffered a crushing blow.
I see her now with a serious, gaping wound.
18 If I go to the countryside, I see the bodies of those cut down in war;
if I walk into the city, I see the misery brought on by famine.
And yet the prophets and priests go about their business in blissful ignorance,
unaware of what they are doing.
19 (to God) Have You abandoned Judah completely?
Do You now hate Zion?
Why have You wounded us beyond healing?
We longed for peace, but nothing good ever came.
We hoped for healing, but only terror came our way.
20 We admit our wickedness, O Eternal One.
We confess the sins of our ancestors.
We know we, too, have sinned against You.
21 For the sake of Your good name, do not disown us;
do not dishonor the throne of Your glory.
O God, remember Your people!
Do not break Your covenant with us.
22 Do any of the foreign idols bring the rain?
Do the showers fall from heaven by themselves?
No. They come from You, Eternal One our God.
That is why our hope is in You, for You alone do all this.
Jeremiah 14
King James Version
14 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.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.