Read the Bible

¹ That which was the Word of Jehovah to Jeremiah concerning the matter of droughts.² Judah mourns, and her gates droop. They put on mourning for the land, and the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.³ And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters. They came to the cisterns; they found no water. They returned with their vessels empty. They were ashamed and confounded and covered their head.⁴ Because the ground was cracked, for there was no rain in the land; the plowmen were ashamed; they covered their head.⁵ For even the doe calved in the field and forsook it because there was no grass.⁶ And the wild asses stood in the high places; they snuffed up the wind like jackals; their eyes failed because there was no grass.⁷ O Jehovah, though our iniquities testify against us, act for Your name's sake; for our apostasies are many; we have sinned against You.⁸ O Hope of Israel, its Savior in time of trouble, why should You be as a stranger in the land, and as a traveler who turns aside to lodge?⁹ Why should You be as one who is stunned, as one mighty yet cannot save? Yet You, O Jehovah, are in our midst, and Your name is called on us. Do not leave us.

¹⁰ So says Jehovah to this people: So they have loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet; therefore, Jehovah does not accept them. He will now recall their iniquity and punish their sins.¹¹ Then Jehovah said to me, Do not pray for good for this people.¹² I will not listen to their cry when they fast; and when they offer burnt offering and food offering I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, and by famine, and by the plague.¹³ Then I said, Ah, O Lord Jehovah! Behold, the prophets are saying to them, You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you true peace in this place.¹⁴ And Jehovah said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I did not send them and I have not commanded them, nor did I speak to them. They prophesy to you a false vision, and a worthless divination, and the deceit of their heart.¹⁵ So Jehovah says this concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, and I did not send them; yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine those prophets shall 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 none will bury them, either them, their wives, or their sons, or their daughters. For I will pour evil on them.

¹⁷ And you shall speak this Word to them: Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and do not let them cease. For the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great break, with a very grievous blow.¹⁸ If I go out into the field, then I see those pierced with the sword. And if I enter into the city, then, behold, diseases of famine! Yes, both the prophet and the priest have gone around into a land that they do not know.¹⁹ Have You completely rejected Judah? Or has Your soul hated Zion? Why have You stricken us and no healing is for us? We looked for peace, but no good came ; and for a healing time, but, behold, terror!²⁰ We acknowledge our wickedness, O Jehovah, the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against You.²¹ For Your name's sake, do not spurn us ; do not dishonor the throne of Your glory. Remember, and do not break Your covenant with us.²² Among the vanities of the nations are there any who make rain fall? Or can the heavens give showers? Is it not You, O Jehovah our God? Then we will wait for You; for You do all these things.