Jeremiah 14

1 This is the word [message from God, divine utterance] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] that came [was given, revealed] to Jeremiah [whom Jehovah has appointed] concerning [regarding, about] the drought [dearth, time of little or no rain]: word study 2 “Judah [the tribe and region] mourns [is in distress, lamenting] and her gates [city entrances, places of gathering] languish [are weak, sitting in black]. Her people wail [are crying out, mourning] for the land [the earth, their territory], and a cry [outcry, shout of anguish] goes up from Jerusalem [the city of peace, capital of Judah]. word study 3 The nobles [great ones, leaders] send their servants [little ones, attendants] for water [to the waters, a source of refreshment]; they go to the cisterns [wells, pits], but find [discover, attain] no water [none, a lack of refreshment]; their jars [vessels, utensils] return empty [without purpose, in vain]. They are ashamed [disappointed, humiliated] and humiliated [insulted, shamed]; they cover [to conceal, hide] their heads [as a sign of grief, shame]. word study 4 The ground [dried up] is cracked because no [lacking, without] rain [shower, refreshing downpour] has fallen on the land [earth, soil]. The farmers [husbandmen, plowmen] are ashamed [dismayed, disappointed]; they cover [to hide, conceal] their heads [the topmost part of the body]. word study 5 Even the [female deer] doe in the [open land] field deserts [abandons, forsakes] her newborn [young one] fawn because there is [none, no] no grass [new growth, vegetation]. word study 6 Wild donkeys [strong and fierce animals, onagers] stand on barren [bare, smooth] heights; they pant [snuff, long] for air like [similar to, comparable with] jackals [monsters, serpents]; their eyes [sources of sight, spiritual perception] fail [are consumed, come to an end] for lack of pasture [vegetation, grass, herbage].” word study 7 Although our iniquities [moral evils, sins] testify against us, O LORD [Yehovah, the Lord of Israel], act for the sake of Your name [Your reputation, honor]. Indeed, our rebellions [faithlessness, backslidings] are many; we have sinned [missed the mark, gone wrong] against You. word study 8 O Hope [expectation, source of confidence] of Israel [Jacob’s descendants], its Savior [Rescuer, Deliverer] in times [seasons, periods] of distress [trouble, vexation], why are You like a stranger [sojourner, foreigner] in the land [earth, territory], like a traveler [wayfaring man, journeyer] who stays but a night [for a short time, temporarily]? word study 9 Why are You like a man [taken by surprise, astonied] taken by surprise, like a [mighty, strong] warrior powerless [unable to help] to save? Yet You are among us, O [Yehovah] LORD, and we are called by Your [name, identity, character] name. Do not [abandon, forsake, leave] forsake us! word study 10 This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says about this people [nation, community]: “Truly they love [have affection for, delight in] to wander [move from one place to another, stray]; they have not restrained [withheld, spared] their feet [steps, paths]. So the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme Ruler] does not accept [approve, be pleased with] them; He will now [at this time, presently] remember [recall, mark] their guilt [iniquity, moral evil] and call their sins [transgressions, offenses] to account [reckon, oversee].” word study 11 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to me, “Do not [absolutely not, let not be] pray [to intercede, make petition] for the well-being [good, welfare, pleasant] of this [specific, particular] people [nation, community]. word study 12 Although they may [go without food, abstain from food in order to honor me] fast, I will not [give ear to, pay attention to] listen to their [loud, ringing] cry; although they may offer [animal sacrifices, completely burned on the altar] burnt offerings and [gifts, donations] grain offerings, I will not [be pleased with] accept them. Instead, I will [completely, utterly] finish them off by [cutting instrument, warfare] sword and famine and plague.” word study 13 “Ah, Lord GOD [Yehovah]!” I replied, “Look [behold, take notice], the prophets [speakers for God, messengers] are telling them, ‘You will not see [experience, encounter] the sword [war, violence] or suffer famine [hunger, lack], but I will give you lasting [enduring, eternal] peace [shalom, completeness] in this place [location, condition].’” word study 14 “The prophets [false messengers, speaking lies] are prophesying [speaking under the influence of a false spirit] lies [deception, falsehood] in My name [My identity, character, and authority],” replied the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God]. “I did not send [commission, appoint] them or appoint [command, give orders to] them or speak [communicate, reveal My will] to them. They are prophesying [foretelling, speaking falsely] to you a false [lying, deceptive] vision [a revelation, a spiritual insight], a worthless [empty, meaningless] divination [a seeking of guidance through false means], the futility [emptiness, uselessness] and delusion [deceit, treachery] of their own minds [hearts, thoughts, and intentions]. word study 15 Therefore [thus, in this manner] this is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says about the prophets [those who speak for God] who prophesy [speak under the influence of the divine spirit] in My name [My identity, honor, and character]: I did not [absence or negation] send them, yet they say, ‘No [absence or negation] sword [a cutting instrument] or famine [hunger, lack of food] will touch [come into contact with] this land [the soil, country, or territory].’ By sword [a cutting instrument] and famine [hunger, lack of food] these very prophets [those who claim to speak for God] will meet their end [be consumed, finished]! word study 16 And the people [a nation, community] to whom they prophesy [speak under divine influence] will be thrown [cast away, rejected] into the streets [outdoors, public places] of Jerusalem [the city of peace, capital of Palestine] because of famine [hunger, lack of food] and sword [war, cutting instrument]. There will be no one to bury [inter, lay to rest] them or their wives [women, female companions], their sons [male descendants, children] or their daughters [female offspring, girls]. I will pour out [shed, unleash] their own evil [moral wickedness, badness] upon them. word study 17 You are to speak this word [a message, a prophecy] to them: ‘My eyes [the windows of my soul, the source of my tears] overflow with tears [weeping, lamentation]; day [by day, daily] and night [a time of darkness, a period of adversity] they do not cease [stop, come to an end], for the virgin [pure, untouched] daughter of my people [my nation, my family] has been shattered [broken, crushed] by a crushing blow [a severe wound, a great destruction], a severely grievous [very painful, exceedingly harmful] wound [a hurt, an injury]. word study 18 If I go out to the country [field, open land], I see those slain [pierced, killed] by the sword [cutting instrument, weapon]; if I enter the city [town, settlement], I see those ravaged [sick, diseased] by famine [hunger, lack of food]! For both prophet [one who speaks for God] and priest [spiritual leader, mediator] travel [go about, wander] to a land [country, territory] they do not know [are unaware of, have no knowledge of].’” word study 19 Have You [completely, utterly] rejected Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob] completely? Do You [strongly] despise [abhor, loathe] Zion [the city of Jerusalem]? Why have You [struck, smitten] stricken us so that we are beyond [without, lacking] healing [a cure, restoration, wholeness]? We hoped [awaited, expected] for peace [shalom, completeness, wellness], but no [none, nothing] good [beneficial, pleasing] has come, and for the time [season, occasion] of healing [restoration, recovery], but there was only [nothing but] terror [dismay, fear]. word study 20 We acknowledge [confess, are conscious of] our wickedness [wrongdoing, immoral actions], O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the guilt [iniquity, moral evil] of our fathers [ancestors, forefathers]; indeed, we have sinned [missed the mark, gone wrong] against You [the Lord]. word study 21 For the sake of Your [holy, revered] name [identity, character] do not [absolutely not, under no circumstances] despise [reject, scorn] us; do not [by no means] disgrace [bring shame to, dishonor] Your glorious [majestic, honorable] throne [seat of power, authority]. Remember [keep in mind, recall] Your covenant [promise, agreement] with us; do not [on no account] break [violate, fail to keep] it. word study 22 Can the worthless [vain, empty] idols of the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] bring rain? Do the skies [heavens, the atmosphere] alone send showers [heavy downpours, abundant blessings]? Is this not by You, O LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] our God [Elohim, the supreme Deity]? So we put our hope [wait with expectation] in You, for You have done [created, brought into being] all these things [everything, the whole creation]. word study