Drought, Famine, Sword, Pestilence
1The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.
2Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
3And 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.
4Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.
5Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass.
6And 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.
7O 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.
8O 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?
9Why 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.
10Thus 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. 11Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. 12When 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.
13Then 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. 14Then 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. 15Therefore 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. 16And 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.
17Therefore 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.
18If 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.
A Prayer for Mercy
19Hast 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!
20We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.
21Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.
22Are 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.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Drought, Famine, Sword, and Plague
1 The word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.
2 Judah mourns, and its gates languish, they sit in black on the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
3 Their nobles send their little ones to the waters: they come to the cisterns, and find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are disappointed and confounded, and cover their heads.
4 Because of the ground which is cracked, because no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are disappointed, they cover their heads.
5 Yes, the hind also in the field calves, and forsakes her young, because there is no grass.
6 The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage.
7 Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name’s sake, Yahweh; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.
8 You hope of Israel, its Savior in the time of trouble, why should you be as a foreigner in the land, and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to stay for a night?
9 Why should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who can’t save? Yet you, Yahweh, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; don’t leave us.
10 Thus says Yahweh to this people, Even so have they loved to wander; they have not refrained their feet: therefore Yahweh does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. 11 Yahweh said to me, Don’t pray for this people for their good. 12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
13 Then I said, Ah, Lord Yahweh! behold, the prophets tell them, You shall not see the sword, neither shall you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. 14 Then Yahweh said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I didn’t send them, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke I to them: they prophesy to you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart. 15 Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, and I didn’t send them, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. 16 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 on them.
17 You shall say this word to them, Let my 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 wound.
18 If I go forth into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then, behold, those who are sick with famine! for both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.
A Prayer for Mercy
(Isaiah 63:15–19)
19 Have you utterly rejected Judah? has your soul loathed Zion? why have you struck us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay!
20 We acknowledge, Yahweh, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you.
21 Do not abhor us, for your name’s sake; do not disgrace the throne of your glory: remember, don’t break your covenant with us.
22 Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? or can the sky give showers? Aren’t you he, Yahweh our God? therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things.
Drought, Famine, Sword, and Plague
1 This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
2 “Judah mourns
and her gates languish.
Her people 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;
their jars return empty.
They are ashamed and humiliated;
they cover their heads.
4 The ground is cracked
because no rain has fallen on the land.
The farmers are ashamed;
they cover their heads.
5 Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn
because there is no grass.
6 Wild donkeys stand on barren heights;
they pant for air like jackals; a
their eyes fail for lack of pasture.”
7 Although our iniquities testify against us, O LORD,
act for the sake of Your name.
Indeed, our rebellions are many;
we have sinned against You.
8 O Hope of Israel,
its Savior in times of distress,
why are You like a stranger in the land,
like a traveler who stays but a night?
9 Why are You like a man taken by surprise,
like a warrior powerless to save?
Yet You are among us, O LORD,
and we are called by Your name.
Do not forsake us!
10 This is what the LORD says about this people:
“Truly they love to wander;
they have not restrained their feet.
So the LORD does not accept them;
He will now remember their guilt
and call their sins to account.”
11 Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people. 12 Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
13 “Ah, Lord GOD!” I replied, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’ ”
14 “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.
15 Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who prophesy in My name: I did not send them, yet they say, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’
By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end! 16 And the people to whom they prophesy will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out their own evil upon them.
17 You are to speak this word to them:
‘My eyes overflow with tears;
day and night they do not cease,
for the virgin daughter of my people
has been shattered by a crushing blow,
a severely grievous wound.
18 If I go out to the country,
I see those slain by the sword;
if I enter the city,
I see those ravaged by famine!
For both prophet and priest
travel to a land they do not know.’ ”
A Prayer for Mercy
(Isaiah 63:15–19)
19 Have You rejected Judah completely?
Do You despise Zion?
Why have You stricken us
so that we are beyond healing?
We hoped for peace,
but no good has come,
and for the time of healing,
but there was only terror.
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD,
the guilt of our fathers;
indeed, we have sinned against You.
21 For the sake of Your name do not despise us;
do not disgrace Your glorious throne.
Remember Your covenant with us;
do not break it.
22 Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?
Do the skies alone send showers?
Is this not by You, O LORD our God?
So we put our hope in You,
for You have done all these things.
Footnotes:
6 a Or serpents or dragons
Drought, Famine, Sword, Pestilence
1That which hath been the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah concerning the matters of the dearths:
2Mourned hath Judah, and her gates have languished, They have mourned to the earth, And the cry of Jerusalem hath gone up.
3And their honourable ones have sent their little ones to the water, They have come unto ditches, They have not found water, They have turned back -- their vessels empty! They have been ashamed, And have blushed and covered their head.
4Because the ground hath been broken, For there hath been no rain in the land, Ashamed have been husbandmen, They have covered their head.
5For even the hind in the field hath brought forth -- to forsake it! For there hath been no grass.
6And wild asses have stood on high places, They have swallowed up wind like dragons, Consumed have been their eyes, for there is no herb.
7Surely our iniquities have testified against us, O Jehovah, work for Thy name's sake, For many have been our backslidings, Against Thee we have sinned.
8O Hope of Israel -- its saviour in time of trouble, Why art Thou as a sojourner in the land? And as a traveller turned aside to lodge?
9Why art Thou as one dumb? As a mighty one not able to save? And Thou art in our midst, O Jehovah, And Thy name over us is called, leave us not.
10Thus said Jehovah concerning this people: Well they have loved to wander, Their feet they have not restrained, And Jehovah hath not accepted them, Now doth He remember their iniquity, And inspect their sin. 11And Jehovah saith unto me: Thou dost not pray for this people for good, 12When they fast, I hearken not unto their cry, And when they cause to ascend burnt-offering and present, I accept them not, For by sword, and by famine, And by pestilence, I am consuming them.
13And I say, 'Ah, Lord Jehovah, Lo, the prophets are saying to them: Ye do not see a sword, yea, famine is not to you, For true peace I give to you in this place.' 14And Jehovah saith unto me: Falsehood the prophets are prophesying in My name, I did not send them, nor command them, Nor have I spoken unto them: A false vision, and divination, and vanity, And the deceit of their own heart, they are prophesying to you. 15Therefore, thus said Jehovah concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My name, and I have not sent them, and they are saying, Sword and famine is not in this land: By sword and by famine are these prophets consumed. 16And the people to whom they are prophesying, Are cast into out-places of Jerusalem, Because of the famine, and of the sword, And they have none burying them, Them, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, And I have poured out upon them this evil.
17And thou hast said unto them this word: Tears come down mine eyes night and day, And they do not cease, For, with a great breach, Broken hath been the virgin daughter of my people, A very grievous stroke.
18If I have gone forth to the field, Then, lo, the pierced of the sword! And if I have entered the city, Then, lo, the diseased of famine! For both prophet and priest have gone up and down Unto a land that they knew not.
A Prayer for Mercy
19Hast Thou utterly rejected Judah? Zion hath Thy soul loathed? Wherefore hast Thou smitten us, And there is no healing to us? Looking for peace, and there is no good, And for a time of healing, and lo, terror.
20We have known, O Jehovah, our wickedness, The iniquity of our fathers, For we have sinned against Thee.
21Do not despise, for Thy name's sake, Dishonour not the throne of Thine honour, Remember, break not Thy covenant with us.
22Are there among the vanities of the nations any causing rain? And do the heavens give showers? Art not Thou He, O Jehovah our God? And we wait for thee, for Thou -- Thou hast done all these!
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