Jeremiah 14: The Drought and the Plea
A parched land drives Jeremiah to plead for mercy, but God answers that judgment must come and even prayer cannot turn it back.
Jeremiah 14 (WEB)
1 Yahweh’s word that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.
2 Judah mourns, and its gates languish, they sit in black on the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
3 Their 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.
4 Because of the ground which is cracked, because no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are disappointed, they cover their heads.
5 Yes, the hind also in the field calves, and forsakes her young, because there is no grass.
6 The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage.
7 Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name’s sake, Yahweh; for our rebellions are many; we have sinned against you.
8 You 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?
9 Why should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who can’t save? Yet you, Yahweh, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; don’t leave us.
10 Thus says Yahweh to this people, Even so have they loved to wander; they have not refrained their feet: therefore Yahweh does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.
11 Yahweh said to me, Don’t pray for this people for their good.
12 When 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, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
13 Then I said, Ah, Lord Yahweh! behold, the prophets tell them, You shall not see the sword, neither shall you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.
14 Then Yahweh said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I didn’t send them, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke I to them: they prophesy to you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.
15 Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, and I didn’t send them, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
16 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 no one to bury them—them, their wives, nor their sons, nor 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.
18 If I go out into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! and 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.
19 Have you utterly rejected Judah? has your soul loathed Zion? why have you struck us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay!
20 We acknowledge, Yahweh, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you.
21 Do not abhor us, for your name’s sake; do not disgrace the throne of your glory: remember, don’t break your covenant with us.
22 Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? or can the sky give showers? Aren’t you he, Yahweh our God? therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things.
Jeremiah 14 (KJV)
1 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.
2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
3 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.
4 Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.
5 Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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?
9 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.
Jeremiah 14 (ASV)
1 The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.
2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish, they sit in black upon the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
3 And their 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 put to shame and confounded, and cover their heads.
4 Because of the ground which is cracked, for that no rain hath been in the land, the plowmen are put to shame, they cover their heads.
5 Yea, the hind also in the field calveth, and forsaketh her young, because there is no grass.
6 And the wild asses stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage.
7 Though our iniquities testify against us, work thou for thy name’s sake, O Jehovah; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.
8 O thou hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a sojourner in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?
9 Why shouldest thou be as a man affrighted, as a mighty man that cannot save? Yet thou, O Jehovah, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.
10 Thus saith Jehovah unto this people, Even so have they loved to wander; they have not refrained their feet: therefore Jehovah doth not accept them; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.
11 And Jehovah said 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 meal-offering, 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 Jehovah! 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 Jehovah said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake I unto them: they prophesy unto you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their own heart.
15 Therefore thus saith Jehovah 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 And 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 wound.
18 If I go forth into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then, behold, they that are sick with famine! for both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.
19 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul loathed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and, behold, dismay!
20 We acknowledge, O Jehovah, 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 nations that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O Jehovah our God? therefore we will wait for thee; for thou hast made all these things.
Summary
Yahweh's word comes to Jeremiah concerning a crushing drought. The land mourns, the gates languish, and nobles send their servants to empty cisterns; even the wild animals stand panting on the bare heights because there is no grass. In the people's name Jeremiah confesses, “Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name's sake,” pleading with the God who is the hope of Israel not to act like a stranger passing through. But Yahweh answers that this people has loved to wander and will not restrain their feet, so he will not accept them; he even tells Jeremiah not to pray for their good. The prophet protests that other prophets keep promising peace, and God replies that those prophets speak lies he never sent—and they will perish by the very sword and famine they denied. Jeremiah is told to weep day and night over the wound of his people, for the land is full of the slain and the sick. The chapter closes with another desperate prayer: the people acknowledge their wickedness and beg God to remember his covenant and not abhor them for his name's sake, confessing that only Yahweh can send the rain. It is a portrait of honest lament that refuses to let go of God even under judgment.
Voices
- Jeremiah — The weeping prophet who intercedes for a guilty people, confesses their sin as his own, and is told not to pray for their good.
- Yahweh (the LORD) — The hope of Israel and its Savior in trouble, who sends the drought, refuses the people's prayers, and condemns the false prophets.
- The people of Judah — A drought-stricken nation that cries out and confesses sin, yet has loved to wander and will not turn back from its ways.
- The false prophets — Those who prophesy peace and assured safety in Yahweh's name, speaking a lying vision he never gave them.
Key Verse
Jeremiah 14:7 (WEB)
Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name’s sake, Yahweh; for our rebellions are many; we have sinned against you.
Lessons Learned
- Honest prayer names our sin plainly rather than excusing it.
- We can appeal to God's own name and character when we have no merit of our own to plead.
- Comforting words that ignore sin are not kindness but deception (Jeremiah 14:14).
- A faithful heart weeps over the brokenness of others, even when judgment is just (Jeremiah 14:17).
- Prayer can rest on God's name, not our worth. Jeremiah pleads, “work for your name’s sake, Yahweh; for our rebellions are many” (Jeremiah 14:7, WEB). Our only standing is God's own glory and mercy.
- God is the true hope in trouble. “You hope of Israel, its Savior in the time of trouble” (Jeremiah 14:8, WEB) names where help is found when every cistern runs dry.
- False comfort cannot avert real judgment. The prophets promise “assured peace” (Jeremiah 14:13, WEB), but God calls it “the deceit of their own heart” (14:14) and lets the sword fall.
- Confession clings to the covenant. “Remember, don’t break your covenant with us” (Jeremiah 14:21, WEB). Even in judgment, faith appeals to the promises of God.
- How does the drought serve as both a physical disaster and a picture of the people's spiritual condition?
- On what basis does Jeremiah ask God to act, since he admits the people are guilty (14:7)?
- Why does God tell Jeremiah not to pray for the people's good (14:11), and what does that reveal about how seriously he takes their sin?
- What is so dangerous about prophets who promise “assured peace” when none exists (14:13-14)?
- When have you had to pray for someone or something while honestly admitting there was no merit to plead—only God's mercy?
- The cracked ground, empty cisterns, and fainting animals picture a land cut off from the source of life, just as the people are cut off from God by sin. Help the group see how the outward barrenness mirrors the inward drought of a heart that has wandered from the Lord.
- Jeremiah does not claim the people deserve rescue; he appeals entirely to God's name and reputation (14:7, 21). This is the posture of all true prayer—coming empty-handed and resting on who God is rather than what we have earned.
- God's refusal underscores that persistent, unrepentant sin has consequences prayer will not simply erase. It is not that God cannot hear, but that he will not be manipulated into blessing rebellion. Yet notice Jeremiah keeps praying anyway, unable to stop loving his people.
- False prophets trade in comfort that costs nothing and changes nothing, lulling people to sleep on the edge of disaster (14:13-15). Encourage the group to value truth that wounds in order to heal over flattery that soothes on the way to ruin.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to recall interceding for someone undeserving—perhaps even themselves—and resting wholly on God's mercy. As leader, model how to plead God's name rather than our goodness, and keep the tone full of hope.