Jeremiah 14 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

Judah’s Terrible Drought

Jer 14:1This message came to Jeremiah from the LORD, explaining why he was holding back the rain:

Jer 14:2“Judah wilts;
commerce at the city gates grinds to a halt.
All the people sit on the ground in mourning,
and a great cry rises from Jerusalem.

Jer 14:3

Jer 14:3The nobles send servants to get water,
but all the wells are dry.
The servants return with empty pitchers,
confused and desperate,
covering their heads in grief.

Jer 14:4

Jer 14:4The ground is parched
and cracked for lack of rain.
The farmers are deeply troubled;
they, too, cover their heads.

Jer 14:5

Jer 14:5Even the doe abandons her newborn fawn
because there is no grass in the field.

Jer 14:6

Jer 14:6The wild donkeys stand on the bare hills
panting like thirsty jackals.
They strain their eyes looking for grass,
but there is none to be found.”

Jer 14:7

Jer 14:7The people say, “Our wickedness has caught up with us, LORD,
but help us for the sake of your own reputation.
We have turned away from you
and sinned against you again and again.

Jer 14:8

Jer 14:8O Hope of Israel, our Savior in times of trouble,
why are you like a stranger to us?
Why are you like a traveler passing through the land,
stopping only for the night?

Jer 14:9

Jer 14:9Are you also confused?
Is our champion helpless to save us?
You are right here among us, LORD.
We are known as your people.
Please don’t abandon us now!”

Jer 14:10

Jer 14:10So this is what the LORD says to his people:
“You love to wander far from me
and do not restrain yourselves.
Therefore, I will no longer accept you as my people.
Now I will remember all your wickedness
and will punish you for your sins.”

The LORD Forbids Jeremiah to Intercede

Jer 14:11

Jer 14:11Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for these people anymore.

Jer 14:12

Jer 14:12When they fast, I will pay no attention. When they present their burnt offerings and grain offerings to me, I will not accept them. Instead, I will devour them with war, famine, and disease.”

Jer 14:13

Jer 14:13Then I said, “O Sovereign LORD, their prophets are telling them, ‘All is well—no war or famine will come. The LORD will surely send you peace.’”

Jer 14:14

Jer 14:14Then the LORD said, “These prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not give them any messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations they have never seen or heard. They speak foolishness made up in their own lying hearts.

Jer 14:15

Jer 14:15Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I will punish these lying prophets, for they have spoken in my name even though I never sent them. They say that no war or famine will come, but they themselves will die by war and famine!

Jer 14:16

Jer 14:16As for the people to whom they prophesy—their bodies will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and war. There will be no one left to bury them. Husbands, wives, sons, and daughters—all will be gone. For I will pour out their own wickedness on them.

Jer 14:17

Jer 14:17Now, Jeremiah, say this to them:
“Night and day my eyes overflow with tears.
I cannot stop weeping,
for my virgin daughter—my precious people—
has been struck down
and lies mortally wounded.

Jer 14:18

Jer 14:18If I go out into the fields,
I see the bodies of people slaughtered by the enemy.
If I walk the city streets,
I see people who have died of starvation.
The prophets and priests continue with their work,
but they don’t know what they’re doing.”

A Prayer for Healing

Jer 14:19

Jer 14:19LORD, have you completely rejected Judah?
Do you really hate Jerusalem?[fn]
Why have you wounded us past all hope of healing?
We hoped for peace, but no peace came.
We hoped for a time of healing, but found only terror.

Jer 14:20

Jer 14:20LORD, we confess our wickedness
and that of our ancestors, too.
We all have sinned against you.

Jer 14:21

Jer 14:21For the sake of your reputation, LORD, do not abandon us.
Do not disgrace your own glorious throne.
Please remember us,
and do not break your covenant with us.

Jer 14:22

Jer 14:22Can any of the worthless foreign gods send us rain?
Does it fall from the sky by itself?
No, you are the one, O LORD our God!
Only you can do such things.
So we will wait for you to help us.

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NLT Footnotes

(14:19)

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Jeremiah Chapter 14 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New King James Version New International Version English Standard Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 2020 New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Westminster Leningrad Codex Septuagint Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Open New Arabic Version Brenton's English Septuagint Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras

Jeremiah 14 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

NLT Footnotes

Jeremiah Chapter 14 — Additional Translations:

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