Jeremiah 14
14
The Land Dries Up
1When there had been no rain for a long time, the Lord told me to say to the people:
2Judah and Jerusalem weep
as the land dries up.
3Rulers send their servants
to the storage pits for water.#14.3 storage pits for water: Since water was scarce, pits were dug into solid rock for collecting and storing rainwater. These pits were called “cisterns.”
But there's none to be found;
they return in despair
with their jars still empty.
4There has been no rain,
and farmers feel sick
as they watch cracks appear
in the dry ground.#14.4 cracks … ground: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
5A deer gives birth in a field,
then abandons her newborn fawn
and leaves in search of grass.
6Wild donkeys go blind
from starvation.
So they stand on barren hilltops
and sniff the air,#14.6 sniff the air: The Hebrew text has “sniff the air, like jackals” (see the note at 9.11).
hoping to smell green grass.
The Lord's People Pray
7We rejected you and did evil,
so we deserve to be punished.
But if you rescue us, Lord,
everyone will see
how great you are.
8You're our only hope;
you alone can save us now.
You help us one day,
but you're gone the next.
9Did this disaster
take you by surprise?
Are you a warrior
with your hands tied?
You have chosen us,
and your temple is here.
Don't abandon us!
The Lord's Answer
10My people,
you love to wander away;
you don't even try
to stay close to me.
So now I will reject you
and punish you for your sins.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
Lying Prophets
11The Lord said, “Jeremiah, don't ask me to help these people. 12They may even go without eating#14.12 go without eating: The people of Israel sometimes went without eating to show sorrow for their sins. and offer sacrifices to please me#14.12 sacrifices to please me: These sacrifices have traditionally been called “whole burnt offerings” because the whole animal was burned on the altar. A main purpose of such sacrifices was to please the Lord with the smell of the sacrifice, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called “sacrifices to please the Lord.” and to give thanks.#14.12 sacrifices … to give thanks: These sacrifices have traditionally been called “grain offerings.” A main purpose of such sacrifices was to thank the Lord with a gift of grain, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called “sacrifices to give thanks to the Lord.” But when they cry out for my help, I won't listen, and I won't accept their sacrifices. Instead, I'll send war, starvation, and disease to wipe them out.”
13I replied, “The other prophets keep telling everyone that you won't send starvation or war, and that you're going to give us peace.”
14The Lord answered:
They claim to speak for me, but they're lying! I didn't even speak to them, much less choose them to be my prophets. Their messages come from worthless dreams, useless fortunetelling, and their own imaginations.
15Those lying prophets say there will be peace and plenty of food. But I say that those same prophets will die from war and hunger. 16And everyone who listens to them will be killed, just as they deserve. Their dead bodies will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, because their families will also be dead, and no one will be left to bury them.#14.16 dead bodies … bury them: A proper burial was considered very important.
17Jeremiah, go and tell the people how you feel about all this.
So I told them:
“Tears will flood my eyes
both day and night,
because my nation suffers
from a deadly wound.
18In the fields I see the bodies
of those killed in battle.
And in the towns I see crowds
dying of hunger.
But the prophets and priests
go about their business,
without understanding
what has happened.”#14.18 go about … has happened: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Jeremiah Prays to the Lord
19Have you rejected Judah, Lord?
Do you hate Jerusalem?
Why did you strike down Judah
with a fatal wound?
We had hoped for peace
and a time of healing,
but all we got was terror.
20We and our ancestors are guilty
of rebelling against you.
21If you save us, it will show
how great you are.
Don't let our enemies
disgrace your temple,
your beautiful throne.
Don't forget that you promised
to rescue us.
22Idols can't send rain,
and showers don't fall
by themselves.
Only you control the rain,
so we put our trust in you,
the Lord our God.
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Jeremiah 14: CEVDCI
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Yirmeyah 14
14
1The Davar Hashem that came to Yirmeyah concerning the batzorot (droughts).
2Yehudah mourneth, and the she'arim (gates),#14:2 i.e., towns thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Yerushalayim is gone up.
3And their nobles have sent their servants for mayim; they came to the cisterns, and found no mayim; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and dismayed, and covered their rosh.
4Because the adamah is cracked, for there was no geshem in the earth, the ikkarim (plowmen) were ashamed, they covered their rosh.
5Indeed, the deer also calved in the sadeh, and forsook it, because there was no desheh (grass).
6And the pera'im (wild donkeys) did stand on the bare heights, they pant for ruach like jackals; their eyes did fail, because there was no esev (grass).
7 Hashem, though avoneinu (our iniquities) testify against us, do Thou it l'ama'an (for the sake of) Shemecha (Thy Name); for meshuvoteinu (our backslidings) are great; we have sinned against Thee.
8O Mikveh Yisroel, the Moshi'a thereof in time of tzoros, why shouldest Thou be as a ger (stranger) in HaAretz, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?
9Why shouldest Thou be as an ish astonished, as a gibbor that cannot save? Yet Thou, Hashem, art in the midst of us, and we are called by Thy Shem; forsake us not.
10Thus saith Hashem unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not restrained their raglayim, therefore Hashem doth not accept them; He will now remember their avon (iniquity), and visit their sins.
11Then said Hashem unto me, Pray not for HaAm Hazeh for their tovah (well-being).
12When they undergo a tzom, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer olah (burnt offering) and minchah (grain offering), I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the cherev, and by the ra'av (famine), and by dever (pestilence).
13Then said I, Ah, Adonoi Hashem! Hinei, the nevi'im say unto them, Ye shall not see the cherev, neither shall ye have ra'av (famine); but I will give you shalom emes in this makom.
14Then Hashem said unto me, The nevi'im prophesy sheker in My Shem; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke unto them; they prophesy unto you a chazon sheker (false vision) and kesem (divination, pagan fortunetelling), and a worthless thing, and the delusion of their lev.
15Therefore thus saith Hashem concerning the nevi'im that prophesy in My Shem, and I sent them not, yet they say, Cherev and ra'av (famine) shall not be in HaAretz Hazot; By cherev and ra'av (famine) shall those nevi'im be consumed.
16And HaAm to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Yerushalayim because of the ra'av (famine) and the cherev; and they shall have none to bury them — them, their nashim, nor their banim, nor their banot; for I will pour out their ra'ah (wickedness, disaster) upon them.
17Therefore thou shalt say this davar unto them, Let mine eyes run down with tears lailah and yomam, and let them not cease: for the Betulat Bat Ami is broken with a shever gadol (great calamity), with a severe wound.
18If I go forth into the sadeh, then hinei! The slain with the cherev! And if I enter into the Ir, then hinei them that are ravaged with ra'av (famine)! Indeed, both the navi and the kohen go roaming to a land that they know not.
19Hast Thou utterly rejected Yehudah? Hath Thy nefesh loathed Tziyon? Why hast Thou afflicted us, and there is no healing for us? We hoped for shalom, and there is no tov; and for the time of healing, and hinei terror!
20We acknowledge, Hashem, our wickedness, and the avon Avoteinu; for we have sinned against Thee.
21Do not abhor us, for the sake of Shimecha, do not disgrace the Kisse Kevodecha (throne of Thy glory); remember, annul not Thy Brit with us.
22Are there any among the havalim (vanities, false g-ds) of the Goyim that can cause geshem? Or can HaShomayim give showers? Art not Thou He, Hashem Eloheinu? Therefore we will hope in and wait upon Thee; for Thou hast made all these things.
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