Drought, Famine, Sword, and Plague

1The word of Jehovah which was to Jeremiah concerning the words of the drought.

2Judah mourned and her gates languished; they were darkened to the earth, and the outcry of Jerusalem went up.

3And their great ones sent their small ones to the waters; they came to the wells, they found no water; they turned back their vessels empty; they were ashamed and disgraced, and they covered their head.

4For the land was broken, for there was no rain in the land; the husbandmen were ashamed, they covered their head.

5For also the hind brought forth in the field, and forsook, for there was no grass.

6And the wild asses stood upon the naked hills, they panted after the wind as the jackals; their eyes failed because no grass.

7If our iniquities answered against us, O Jehovah, do for sake of thy name: for our turnings back were many; we sinned against thee.

8The hope of Israel, saving him in time of straits, wherefore wilt thou be as a sojourner in the earth, and as a traveler turning aside to lodge?

9Wherefore shalt thou be as a man struck dumb? as a strong one he shall not be able to save? and thou in the midst of us, O Jehovah, and thy name was called upon us; thou wilt not leave us.

10Thus said Jehovah to this people, Thus they loved to wander, they restrained not their feet, and Jehovah accepted them not; now will he remember their iniquity and he will review their sin. 11And Jehovah will say to me, Thou shalt not pray for this people for good. 12When they shall fast I hear not their outcry; and when they shall bring up a burnt-offering and gift, I accept them not; for with the sword and by famine and by death I consume them.

13And saying, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, the prophets saying to them, Ye shall not see the sword, and famine shall not be to you; for the peace of truth will I give to you in this place. 14And Jehovah will say to me, The prophets are prophesying a lie in my name: I sent them not, and I commanded them not, and I spake not to them: a vision of falsehood and a divination, and nought, and the deceit of their heart they are prophesying to you. 15For this, thus said Jehovah concerning the prophets prophesying in my name, and I sent them not, and they saying, The sword and famine shall not be in this land; by the sword and by famine shall these prophets die. 16And the people which they are prophesying to them shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, from the face of the famine and the sword; and none to them burying them, their wives and their sons and their daughters; and I poured their evil upon them.

17And say to them this word: Mine eyes shall bring down tears night and day, and they shall not rest: for the virgin daughter of my people was broken with a great breaking, a very sickly wound.

18If I shall go forth into the field, and behold, the wounded of the sword and if I came into the city, and behold, they shall be sick with famine for also the prophet, also the priest went about to a land they knew not.

A Prayer for Mercy
(Isaiah 63:15–19)

19Rejecting, didst thou reject Judah? if thy soul abhorred in Zion? wherefore didst thou smite us, and no healing to us? waiting for peace, and no good; and for a time of healing, and behold terror.

20We knew, O Jehovah, our evil, the iniquity of our fathers: for we sinned to thee.

21Thou wilt not despise us; for sake of thy name, thou wilt not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, thou wilt not break thy covenant with us.

22Is there among the vanities of the nations those causing ruin? and if the heavens will give showers? Art not thou he, Jehovah our God? And we will wait for thee: for thou didst make all these.