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Drought, Famine, Sword, and Plague
Jeremiah 14:1–18 speaks about drought, confession, judgement, and false prophecy. The passage moves from visible suffering in the land to Yahweh’s response, showing that fasting, offerings, and reassuring messages cannot overturn his verdict.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
This passage begins with Yahweh’s word to Jeremiah concerning a drought. It describes Judah, Jerusalem, workers, and animals suffering from lack of water and vegetation. Then the words turn to confession and appeal, followed by Yahweh’s refusal to accept the people and his exposure of prophets who speak lies in his name.
Jeremiah 14:1–18Main takeaway
This passage shows that Yahweh sees suffering in the land, knows the people’s sin, and rejects false messages that contradict his word.
Explore the message
01The drought reaches everythingThe opening verses describe drought in public and painful terms. Judah mourns, Jerusalem cries out, and children sent to the cisterns come back with empty vessels.
Explanation
The opening verses describe drought in public and painful terms. Judah mourns, Jerusalem cries out, and children sent to the cisterns come back with empty vessels. Farmers are ashamed because the ground is cracked. Even wild animals suffer because there is no grass or vegetation.
02The plea admits guiltThe prayer does not pretend innocence. It says, “our iniquities testify against us” and “we have sinned against you”.
Explanation
The prayer does not pretend innocence. It says, “our iniquities testify against us” and “we have sinned against you”. Yet Yahweh is also called Israel’s hope and saviour in trouble. The appeal asks him not to seem distant and not to leave the people called by his name.
03Yahweh refuses their cries and offeringsYahweh says the people have loved to wander and have not restrained their feet. Therefore he does not accept them.
Explanation
Yahweh says the people have loved to wander and have not restrained their feet. Therefore he does not accept them. Jeremiah is told not to pray for their good. When they fast, he will not hear, and when they offer sacrifices, he will not accept them.
04False prophets are exposedJeremiah reports that prophets are saying there will be no sword or famine, but assured peace.
Explanation
Jeremiah reports that prophets are saying there will be no sword or famine, but assured peace. Yahweh replies that he did not send, command, or speak to them. Their visions are lies and deceit. Those prophets, and the people to whom they prophesy, will face the judgement they denied.
05The right response is tearsThe passage ends with weeping and grief. Jeremiah is told to speak of tears without ceasing because the people are broken with a grievous wound.
Explanation
The passage ends with weeping and grief. Jeremiah is told to speak of tears without ceasing because the people are broken with a grievous wound. In field and city alike, sword and famine are seen. Even prophet and priest go about in the land without knowledge.
Questions to explore
01What details show how wide the drought’s effects are?
Notice how the passage mentions city gates, children, cisterns, ploughmen, deer, and wild donkeys to show suffering across the land.
02How does the prayer in verses 7–9 combine confession with appeal?
Look for both the admission of sin and the reasons given for asking Yahweh to act and not leave.
03How does Yahweh distinguish his own word from the message of the false prophets?
Compare the promised peace in verse 13 with Yahweh’s repeated statement that he did not send or speak to those prophets.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Jeremiah 14:1–18
1This is Yahweh’s word that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
2“Judah mourns, and its gates languish. They sit in black on the ground. The cry of Jerusalem goes up.
3Their nobles send their little ones to the waters. They come to the cisterns, and find no water. They return with their vessels empty. They are disappointed and confounded, and cover their heads.
4Because of the ground which is cracked, because no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are disappointed. They cover their heads.
5Yes, the doe in the field also calves and forsakes her young, because there is no grass.
6The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights. They pant for air like jackals. Their eyes fail, because there is no vegetation.
7Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name’s sake, Yahweh; for our rebellions are many. We have sinned against you.
8You hope of Israel, its Savior in the time of trouble, why should you be as a foreigner in the land, and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to stay for a night?
9Why should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who can’t save? Yet you, Yahweh, are in the middle of us, and we are called by your name. Don’t leave us.
10Yahweh says to this people: “Even so they have loved to wander. They have not restrained their feet. Therefore Yahweh does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and punish them for their sins.”
11Yahweh said to me, “Don’t pray for this people for their good.
12When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.”
13Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, the prophets tell them, ‘You will not see the sword, neither will you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.’ ”
14Then Yahweh said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I didn’t send them. I didn’t command them. I didn’t speak to them. They prophesy to you a lying vision, divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.
15Therefore Yahweh says concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, but I didn’t send them, yet they say, ‘Sword and famine will not be in this land.’ Those prophets will be consumed by sword and famine.
16The people to whom they prophesy will be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. They will have no one to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters, for I will pour their wickedness on them.
17“You shall say this word to them: “ ‘Let my 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 wound.
18If I go out into the field, then behold, the slain with the sword! If I enter into the city, then behold, those who are sick with famine! For both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.’ ”