Drought, Famine, Sword, and Plague 1 Brenton And the Word of the Lord came to Jeremias concerning the Drought. BSB BSB: This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
2 Brenton Judea has mourned, and her gates are emptied, and are darkened upon the earth; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. BSB BSB: “Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
3 Brenton And her nobles have sent their little ones to the water: they came to the wells, and found no water: and brought back their vessels empty. BSB BSB: The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns, but find no water; their jars return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads.
4 Brenton And the labours of the land failed, because there was no rain: the husbandmen were ashamed, they covered their heads. BSB BSB: The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.
5 Brenton And hinds calved in the field, and forsook it , because there was no grass. BSB BSB: Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
6 Brenton The wild asses stood by the forests, and snuffed up the wind; their eyes failed, because there was no grass. BSB BSB: Wild donkeys stand on barren heights; they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail for lack of pasture.”
7 Brenton Our sins have risen up against us: O Lord, do thou for us for thine own sake; for our sins are many before thee; for we have sinned against thee. BSB BSB: Although our iniquities testify against us, O LORD, act for the sake of Your name. Indeed, our rebellions are many; we have sinned against You.
8 Brenton O Lord, thou art the hope of Israel, and deliverest us in time of troubles; why art thou become as a sojourner upon the land, or as one born in the land, yet turning aside for a resting-place? BSB BSB: O Hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are You like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays but a night?
9 Brenton Wilt thou be as a man asleep, or as a strong man that cannot save? yet thou art among us, O Lord, and thy name is called upon us; forget us not. BSB BSB: Why are You like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? Yet You are among us, O LORD, and we are called by Your name. Do not forsake us!
10 Brenton Thus saith the Lord to this people, They have loved to wander, and they have not spared, therefore God has not prospered them; now will he remember their iniquity. BSB BSB: This is what the LORD says about this people: “Truly they love to wander; they have not restrained their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; He will now remember their iniquity and punish them for their sins.”
11 Brenton And the Lord said to me, Pray not for this people for their good: BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people.
12 Brenton for though they fast, I will not hear their supplication; and though they offer whole-burnt-offerings and sacrifices, I will take no pleasure in them: for I will consume them with sword, and with famine, and with pestilence. BSB BSB: Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
13 Brenton And I said, O ever living Lord! behold, their prophets prophesy, and say, Ye shall not see a sword, nor shall famine be among you; for I will give truth and peace on the land, and in this place. BSB BSB: “Ah, Lord GOD!” I replied, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”
14 Brenton Then the Lord said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, and I commanded them not, and I spoke not to them: for they prophesy to you false visions, and divinations, and auguries, and devices of their own heart. BSB BSB: “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.
15 Brenton Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy lies in my name, and I sent them not, who say, Sword and famine shall not be upon this land; they shall die by a grievous death, and the prophets shall be consumed by famine. BSB BSB: Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who prophesy in My name: I did not send them, yet they say, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end!
16 Brenton And the people to whom they prophesy, they also shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, because of the sword and famine; and there shall be none to bury them: their wives also, and their sons, and their daughters shall die thus ; and I will pour out their wickedness upon them. BSB BSB: And the people to whom they prophesy will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out their own evil upon them.
17 Brenton And thou shalt speak this word to them; Let your eyes shed tears day and night, and let them not cease: for the daughter of my people has been sorely bruised, and her plague is very grievous. BSB BSB: You are to speak this word to them: ‘My eyes overflow with tears; day and night they do not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people has been shattered by a crushing blow, a severely grievous wound.
18 Brenton If I go forth into the plain, then behold the slain by the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold the distress of famine! for priest and prophet have gone to a land which they knew not. BSB BSB: If I go out to the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I enter the city, I see those ravaged by famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know.’”
A Prayer for Mercy (Isaiah 63:15–19)
19 Brenton Hast thou utterly rejected Juda? and has thy soul departed from Sion? wherefore hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? we waited for peace, but there was no prosperity; for a time of healing, and behold trouble! BSB BSB: Have You rejected Judah completely? Do You despise Zion? Why have You stricken us so that we are beyond healing? We hoped for peace, but no good has come, and for the time of healing, but there was only terror.
20 Brenton We know, O Lord, our sins, and the iniquities of our fathers: for we have sinned before thee. BSB BSB: We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You.
21 Brenton Refrain for thy name's sake, destroy not the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us. BSB BSB: For the sake of Your name do not despise us; do not disgrace Your glorious throne. Remember Your covenant with us; do not break it.
22 Brenton Is there any one among the idols of the Gentiles that can give rain? and will the sky yield his fulness at their bidding ? Art not thou he? we will even wait on thee, O Lord: for thou hast made all these things. BSB BSB: Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.
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