The Severe Drought
2 Judah mourns;her gates languish.(B)Her people are on the ground in mourning;Jerusalem’s cry rises up.(C)
2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
2 “Judah mournsAnd (B)her gates languish;They sit on the ground (C)in mourning,And the (D)cry of Jerusalem has ascended.
2 "Judah mourns, and her gates languish. The people mourn for the land, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up.
2 “Judah mournsAnd her gates languish;Her people sit on the ground in mourning clothesAnd the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.
3 Their nobles send their servants(a) for water.They go to the cisterns;they find no water;their containers return empty.They are ashamed and humiliated;they cover their heads.(D)
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.
3 “Their nobles have (E)sent their (a)servants for water;They have come to the (F)cisterns and found no water.They have returned with their vessels empty;They have been (G)put to shame and humiliated,And they (H)cover their heads.
3 Their nobles send their young people for water. They go to the cisterns, but they find no water. They return with their vessels empty. They're disappointed and dismayed, and they cover their heads in shame.
3 “Their nobles have sent their servants for water;They have come to the cisterns and found no water.They have returned with empty vessels;They have been shamed and humiliated,And they cover their heads.
4 The ground is crackedsince no rain has fallen on the land.The farmers are ashamed;(E)they cover their heads.
4 Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.
4 “Because the (I)ground is (b)cracked,For there has been (J)no rain on the land;The (K)farmers have been put to shame,They have covered their heads.
4 The ground is cracked, because there has been no rain in the land. The farmers are disappointed, and they cover their heads in shame.
4 “The ground is crackedBecause there has been no rain on the land;The farmers are distressed,And they have covered their heads [in shame].
5 Even the doe in the fieldgives birth and abandons her fawnsince there is no grass.
5 Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass.
5 “For even the doe in the field has given birth only to abandon her young,Because there is (L)no grass.
5 Even the doe in the field gives birth and then abandons her young because there is no grass.
5 “The doe in the field has given birth only to abandon her youngBecause there is no grass.
6 Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights(F)panting for air like jackals.Their eyes failbecause there are no green plants.
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.
6 “The (M)wild donkeys stand on the bare heights;They pant for air like jackals,Their eyes failFor there is (N)no vegetation.
6 Wild donkeys stand on the barren hills. They pant for air like jackals. Their eyesight fails because there is no vegetation."
6 “And the wild donkeys stand on the barren heights;They pant for air like jackals,Their eyesight failsBecause there is no grass.
7 Though our guilt testifies against us,Yahweh, act for Your name’s sake.Indeed, our rebellions(G) are many;we have sinned against You.
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.
7 “Although our (O)iniquities testify against us,O Lord, act (P)for Your name’s sake!Truly our (Q)apostasies have been many,We have (R)sinned against You.
7 LORD,even though our iniquities testify against us, do something for the sake of your name. Indeed, our apostasies are many, and we have sinned against you.
7 “O Lord, though our many sins testify against us” [prays Jeremiah],“Act now [for us and] for Your name’s sake [so that the faithless may witness Your faithfulness]!For our backslidings are countless;We have sinned against You.
8 Hope of Israel,(H)its Savior in time of distress,why are You like a foreigner in the land,like a traveler stopping only for the night?
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?
8 “O (S)Hope of Israel,Its (T)Savior in (U)time of distress,Why are You like a stranger in the landOr like a traveler who has pitched his tent for the night?
8 Hope of Israel, its deliverer in time of trouble, why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who sets up his tent for a night?
8 “O Hope of Israel,Her Savior in time of distress and trouble,Why should You be like a sojourner (temporary resident) in the landOr like a traveler who turns aside and spreads his tent to linger [only] for a night?
9 Why are You like a helpless man,like a warrior unable to save?(I)Yet You are among us, Yahweh,(J)and we are called by Your name.Don’t leave us!
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.
9 “Why are You like a man dismayed,Like a mighty man who (V)cannot save?Yet (W)You are in our midst, O Lord,And we are (X)called by Your name;Do not forsake us!”
9 Why are you like a man taken by surprise, like a strong man who can't deliver? You are among us, LORD, and your name is the one by which we're called. Don't abandon us!
9 “Why should You be [hesitant and inactive] like a man astounded and perplexed,Like a mighty man unable to save?Yet You, O Lord, are among us,And we are called by Your name;Do not leave us!”
10 This is what the Lord says concerning these people:Truly they love to wander;(K)they never rest their feet.So the Lord does not accept them.Now He will remember their guiltand punish their sins.(L)
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.
10 Thus says the Lord to this people, “Even so they have (Y)loved to wander; they have not (Z)kept their feet in check. Therefore the Lord does (AA)not accept them; now He will (AB)remember their iniquity and call their sins to account.”
10 This is what the LORD says to these people: "Yes, they do love to wander, and they haven't restrained their feet. So the LORD won't accept them now. He will remember their iniquity and punish their sin."
10 Thus says the Lord to this people [Judah], “In the manner and to the degree [already pointed out] they have loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet. Therefore the Lord does not accept them; He will now remember [in detail] their wickedness and punish them for their sins.”
Lying Prophets
12 If they fast, I will not hear their cry of despair. If they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. Rather, I will finish them off by sword, famine, and plague.”(N)
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.
12 When they fast, I am (AD)not going to listen to their cry; and when they offer (AE)burnt offering and grain offering, I am not going to accept them. Rather I am going to (AF)make an end of them by the (AG)sword, famine and pestilence.”
12 Although they fast, I won't listen to their cry, and although they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I won't accept them. Instead, I'll put an end to them with the sword, with famine, and with a plague."
12 Though they fast, I will not hear their cry; and though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them [because they are done as obligations, and not as acts of loving obedience]. Instead I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.”
13 And I replied, “Oh no, Lord God! The prophets are telling them, ‘You won’t see sword or suffer famine. I will certainly give you true peace in this place.’”(O)
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.
13 But, “Ah, Lord (c)God!” I said, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You (AH)will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I will give you (d)lasting (AI)peace in this place.’”
13 Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD, look! The prophets are saying to them, "You won't see the sword and you won't experience famine. Rather, I'll give you lasting peace in this place.'"
13 But I said, “Alas, Lord God! Behold, the [false] prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I [the Lord] will give you lasting peace in this place.’”
14 But the Lord said to me, “These prophets are prophesying a lie in My name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, the deceit(P) of their own minds.
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.
14 Then the Lord said to me, “The (AJ)prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. (AK)I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a (AL)false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own (e)minds.
14 Then the LORD told me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I didn't send them, I didn't command them, and I didn't speak to them. They're proclaiming to you false visions, worthless predictions, and the delusions of their own minds.
14 Then the Lord said to me, “The [counterfeit] prophets are prophesying lies in My Name. I have neither sent them nor authorized them nor spoken to them. They are prophesying to you made-up visions [pretending to call forth responses from handmade gods], a worthless divination and the deceit of their own mind.
15 “Therefore, this is what the Lord says concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, though I did not send them, and who say, ‘There will never be sword or famine in this land.’ By sword and famine these prophets will meet their end.
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.
15 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My name, although it was not I who sent them—yet they keep saying, ‘There will be no sword or famine in this land’—(AM)by sword and famine those prophets shall (f)meet their end!
15 Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the false prophets who prophesy in my name, "There will be no sword and famine in this land' (though I haven't sent them): "By the sword and by famine these prophets will be finished off!
15 Therefore, thus says the Lord concerning the [false] prophets who are prophesying in My Name, although I did not send them—yet they keep saying, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’: by sword and famine those prophets shall meet their end and be consumed.
16 The people they are prophesying to will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. There will be no one to bury them(Q)—they, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. I will pour out their own evil on them.”
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.
16 The people also to whom they are prophesying will be (AN)thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and there will be no one to (AO)bury them—neither them, nor their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters—for I will (AP)pour out their own wickedness on them.
16 The people to whom they have prophesied will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. There will be no one to bury them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters. I'll pour out on them the judgment they deserve.'"
16 And the people to whom they are prophesying will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword; and they will have no one to bury them—neither them, nor their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters. For I will pour out their [own] wickedness on them [and not only on the imposters posing as prophets, for the people could not have been deceived without their own consent].
The Nation Hopes In Yahweh
17 You are to speak this word to them:Let my eyes overflow with tears;day and night may they not stop,(R)for the virgin daughter of my peoplehas been destroyed by a great disaster,(S)an extremely severe wound.(T)
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.
17 “You will say this word to them,‘(AQ)Let my eyes flow down with tears night and day,And let them not cease;For the virgin (AR)daughter of my people has been crushed with a mighty blow,With a sorely (AS)infected wound.
17 "And deliver this message to them: "Let tears run down my face, night and day, and don't let them stop, because my virgin daughter my people will be broken with a powerful blow, with a severe wound.
17 “Therefore [Jeremiah] you will say this word to them,‘Let my eyes flow with tears night and day,And let them never cease;For the virgin daughter of my people has been crushed with a great blow,With a very serious and severely infected wound.
18 If I go out to the field,look—those slain by the sword!If I enter the city,look—those ill(U) from famine!For both prophet and priesttravel to a land they do not know.
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.
18 ‘If I (AT)go out to the country,Behold, those (g)slain with the sword!Or if I enter the city,Behold, diseases of famine!For (AU)both prophet and priestHave (h)gone roving about in the land that they do not know.’”
18 If I go out into the field, I see those slain by the sword! If I go into the city, I see the ravages of the famine! Indeed, both prophet and priest ply their trade in the land, but they don't know anything.'"
18 ‘If I go out into the field,Then I gaze on those slaughtered with the sword!And if I enter the city,Then I gaze on [those tormented with] the diseases of famine!For both prophet and priest [who should have guided the people]Go about [bewildered and exiled] in a land (Babylon) that they do not know or understand.’”
The People Plead With The Lord
19 Have You completely rejected Judah?Do You detest(V) Zion?Why do You strike uswith no hope of healing for us?We hoped for peace,but there was nothing good;for a time of healing,but there was only terror.(W)
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!
19 Have You completely (AV)rejected Judah?Or have (i)You loathed Zion?Why have You stricken us so that we (AW)are beyond healing?We (AX)waited for peace, but nothing good came;And for a time of healing, but behold, terror!
19 Have you completely rejected Judah? Do you despise Zion? Why have you struck us, so that there is no healing for us? We hoped for peace, but no good came, for a time of healing, but there was only terror.
19 Have You [O Lord] completely rejected Judah?Do You loathe Zion?Why have You stricken us so that there is no healing for us?We looked for peace and completeness, but nothing good came;And [we hoped] for a time of healing, but behold, terror!
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord,the guilt of our fathers;(X)indeed, we have sinned against You.
20 We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.
20 We (AY)know our wickedness, O Lord,The iniquity of our fathers, for (AZ)we have sinned against You.
20 We acknowledge, LORD, our wickedness, the guilt of our ancestors. Indeed, we have sinned against you.
20 We know and acknowledge, O Lord,Our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against You.
21 Because of Your name, don’t despise us.Don’t disdain Your glorious throne.(Y)Remember Your covenant(Z) with us;do not break it.
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.
21 Do not despise us, (BA)for Your own name’s sake;Do not disgrace the (BB)throne of Your glory;Remember and do not annul Your covenant with us.
21 For the sake of your name don't despise us. Don't dishonor your glorious throne. Remember, don't break your covenant with us!
22 Can any of the worthless idols of the nations(AA) bring rain?Or can the skies alone give showers?Are You not the Lord our God?We therefore put our hope in You,(AB)for You have done all these things.
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.
22 Are there any among the (j)(BC)idols of the nations who (BD)give rain?Or can the heavens grant showers?Is it not You, O Lord our God?Therefore we (k)(BE)hope in You,For You are the one who has done all these things.
22 Can any of the worthless gods of the nations make it rain? Can the heavens themselves bring forth showers? Aren't you the one who does this, LORD our God? So we hope in you, for you are the one who does all these things.
22 Are there any among the idols of the nations who can send rain?Or can the heavens [of their own will] give showers?Is it not You, O Lord our God?Therefore we will wait and hope [confidently] in You,For You are the one who has made all these things [the heavens and the rain].