The word
of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the
dearth.
02 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof
languish; they are black unto the ground; and the
cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
03 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.
04 Because the ground is chapt, for there was no
rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they
covered their heads.
05 Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and
forsook it, because there was no grass.
06 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.
07 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.
08 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?
09 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.
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.
11 Then said the Lord unto me, Pray not for this
people for their good.
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.
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.
__________________________________ |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
20 We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and
the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned
against thee.
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.
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.
__________________________________ |
