Jeremiah 14

A Prophecy of great drought, and the miseries that should ensue thereupon in Juda, vers,1. etc. A mourrnful and servent prayer of the Prophet, for mercy for Juda, 7. Whereupon God forbiddeth him to intercede for them, annexing reason why be should not, 10. The Prophet excuseth the people , as much as he can, by the seducing of the false Prophets, but it availeth not, God will punish those Prophets, and the people together 13. The Prophet is commanded by wailing to represent the calamities, 17. He prayeth again very mournfully for the people, 19.

1. The word of the LORD, that came to Jeremia, concerning the matters of the great drought, restraints, cutting off, hinderances, with–holdings; to wit, of rain dew, (see above chap 3.3) whence drought and dearth must needs follow, so as that the Hebrew word, is likewise taken for it. Compare below chapter 17.8. and see the signification of the original word, Gen.11.6. Job 44.2, &c.]

2. Juda [That is the people, or the land of Juda, He speaketh here of Judah as of a woman] mourneth, and her gates [That is, Cities, and consequently, the inhabitants, or the Judges, and the people that were wont to meet together in the gates. See Genes.22 on vers.17.] are weakened, [Or, languish, are growth faint] they are clothed in black unto the ground: [Or, lie on the ground in black, for a token of mourning. see Job 5. on vers. 11 and Psal 3.5 on verse.14.] and the cry of Jerusalem goeth up. [Increaseth, waxeth greater and greater;by reason of the great misery, that is seen everywhere in the Land; in regard of drought and want both among great and small, as followeth]

3. And their excellent ones [Or, illustrious, glorious ones, &c. See Psal 8. on vers.2.] send their little ones [That is, servants] to the water: they come to the pits [Or, ponds] they finde no water, they return with their vessels empty; they are ashamed: yea blush and cover their head, [Or, wrap their head about, in token of shame and mourning See 2 Sam 15. on vers. 30. so in the next verse]

4. Because the ground in chapt [Or, hurst, split] seeing there is no rain on the earth: the husbandmen are ashamed, they cover their head .

5. For also the hindes cast (their) young ones in the field, [Hebr, the hinde bringeth forth &c] for sake (them) because there is no young grasse.

6. And the wild Asses stand upon the high places, they draw in the winde [As above chapter 2. 24. refreshing themselves therewith, in stead of moist-grasse, or water] like the Dragons: [Which draw in and put forth their breath strongly, as some do write of them] their eyes fail, because there is no herb.

7. Though [Or, seeing, surely] our iniquities testify against us, [Compare Isaiah 59:12. Hosea 5:5. and 7. 10.] O LORD , do (it) for thy Names sake: [As if the Prophet should say, if our sins stand in thy way, that thou canst not shew mercy to us, then take and find cause in thine own self, and do it for thy precious Names sake, that thine unsearchable mercy and long suffering may extolled by the godly, and that thy Name may not be blasphemed by the enemies. This is the Prophet intercession for the people] for our backslidings are manifold, [Or, great] we have sinned against thee.

8. O the expectation of Israel, [Thou onely true God, in whom alone thy Church petteth her hope and trust, and from whom she ought and wont to look for help in her necessities. So below chapter 17.13 and 50.7. Compare below verse. 22] the deliverer thereof in time of trouble! why shouldest thou be as stranger in the land? as traveller, [Or, way faring man walker] (that onely) turneth in to overnight?[That is, why shouldest thou demean thyself, as if thou wert no more moved at our condition, then a stranger, or one that passeth thorow the Land, etc whereas thou hast taken up thy constant dwelling amongst us, as followeth]

9. Why shouldest thou be us man astonied? [Or, amazed, that is void of counsel, and knoweth not what to do. Oth, wearied. The Hebrew word is onely found here] as a Champion, that cannot deliver? yet thou art in the midst of us, O LORD, and we are called by thy Name, [As above chapter 7.10.] leave us not.

10. Thus saith the LORD, concerning this people [Here followeth Gods answer to intercession] Thus have they loved to wander [Sometimes to strange heathenish nations, and sometimes to all manner of Idols, to seek help of them, See above chapter 2. 36, etc.] they have not refrained their feet: therefore thhe LORD hath not pleasure in them, he will now remember [See Genes. 8. on vers.1. and compare Hosea 8:13. and 9.9.] their iniquity, [That is, he will soon punish them. See Hos. 10. on vers.3.] and visit [That is, punish. See Genes. 21 on vers1.] their sins.

11. Moreover, the LORD saith unto me: Pray not for this people for good.[For their good, that is should spare them any longer. Understand this of those that were incorrigible, whereby God will shew unto all the people, how greatly he was displeased with them, to move them that were corrigible to repentance]

12. Though they fast, I will not hearken to their cry. [compare Proverbs 1:28. Isaiah 1:15. above chapter 11.11. Ezech 8.18. Mich.3.4.] though they offer burnt – offering and meat offering, I will not accept them; Compare above chap 6. 20. and 7.21,22.] but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

13. Then said I; Ah Lord LORD, behold, those Prophets [Meaning false prophets, as followeth. See above chapter 5.31 and 6.23.] say unto them , ye shall not see the sword, [That is, ye shall not have experience of the voilence, and cruelty of war, or, it shall not come upon you. See Job 9. on vers. 7. and below chapter 42.14.] neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you [As if God himself had spoken this] assured peace, [Hebr. peace of truth, assurance, faithfulness; that is, undoubted, assured, firm peace; that is, sure prosperity] in this place.

14. And the LORD said unto me; These Prophets prophesie false in my Name;I have sent them, nor given them command, nor spoken to them. [Compare below chapter 23. 21. and 27.15. and 29. 8,9] they prophesie unto you a false vision,[Hebr.vision of falshood] and divination, [See Deut.18. 10. Ezech 13.2,3,7,89. with the annotat] and a thing of nought , or , nothing, are the Idols also called Elilim. See Levit 19. on vers.4.]

15. Therefore thus saith the LORD; concerning the Prophhets, that prophesie in my Name, whereas I sent them not, and (yet) they say, There shall be no sword nor famine in this land : those very Prophets shall be consumed by the sword, and by the famine.

16. And the people, to whom they prophesie, shall be cast away in the street of Jerusalem, because of the famine and the sword; and there shall be none to bury them, them, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters: thus will I pour out [Compare above chapter 10. on vers. 25.] their wickedness [Or, their evil; that is, the punishment of their wickedness, as above chapter 11. 12. both in one sense] upon them.

17. Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them, Mine eyes shall come down with tears [As above chap 9.18. Compare above chapter 13.17. Lament. 1.16. and 2.18.] night and day, and not cease: for the Virgin of the Daughter of my people, [That is, my people, or, my countrey–men: or, (as some) the state and condition of my people, which he according to Scripture language, compareth to virgin, by reason of her beauty, tenderness, and comliness, in respect of the state, that was given them of God; or (as some) because they were never yet conquered, and destroyed. See 2 Kings 19. on verse 21. Oth. the Virgin, the Daughter of my people] is broken (with) a great breach, [see above chap 4. 6.] a plague that is very smarting:[Or, wound, that is very painful, grievous, sore, and consequently dangerous. So above chap 10.19. below chapter 30. 12. Nahum 3:19.]

18. If I go forth into the field , behold there the slain with the sword; and if I enter into the City, behold there the sick [Hebr, sickness. See Job 24. on vers. 20.] with famine; Yea both the Prophets and the priest] run about in the land, and know not. [That is, are void, of counsel, know not what to do, whom it besitted to remedy this evil. Oth. for both Prophets and Priests practise merchandise against the Land, and they (to wit, the people ) perceive it not : to wit that they exhaust and cousen them with false Prophecies Compare above, chap 5.31.]

19. Hast thou then utterly rejected [Hebr. rejecting rejected] Juda? hath thy soul loathed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, (so) that there is no healing [Or, Physick, remedie] for us? We look for peace, but there is no good; and for a time of healing, but lo there is terrour [See above chapter 8.15.]

20. LORD, we know our wickedness, (and) the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee. [Compare Psal.106. 6. Daniel 9:8.]

21. Do not disdain (us) for thy Name sake; cast not down [Or, vilify not, let not decay, or, fade, disgrace not] the throne of thy glory: [Thy Temple, Jerusalem , Juda, where thou hast taken up thy seat, and discovered thy glory. Or, hereby may understood the Ark of the covenant, as Psal 63.3. and 78.61.] remember, [To wit, thy covenant]

22. Disannul, not thy covenant with us, [Or, make not avoid, break not, the covenant which thou hast made with us]

23. Are there (any) among the vanities of the Gentiles, that (can) cause it to rain? [That is, can idols give rain? See on 1 Kings 16:13. and 2 Kings 17:15. As if he should say, by no means. See Genes 18. on vers.17.] or can the heaven give [To wit, of itself] drops? [Or, showers of rain] art not thou he, O LORD our God? [That is, it is indeed undoubtedly true, that thou art he, that doth this alone . See Genes. 13. on vers. 9. Compare Psal 13 5.7. and 147.8. Isai. 30. 23. above chapter 5. 24. and 10.13.] therefore we will wait upon thee; [That thou mayest give us such rain as is needful for us; for thou art our expectation (above vers. 8.) as in all other troubles and afflictions, so likewise in this of drought, whereof mention is made above in the beggining of this chapter] for thou dost all those things. [Or, thou hast made all those things: rain; and drought etc, come from thee]