False Prophets

13 But I said, “Oh, Lord [a]God! Behold, the prophets are telling them, ‘You (A)will not see a sword, nor will you have famine; on the contrary, I will give you lasting (B)peace in this place.’” 14 Then the Lord said to me, “The (C)prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. (D)I have neither sent them nor commanded them, nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a (E)false vision, divination, futility, and the deception of their own [b]minds. 15 Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My name, although it was not I who sent them—yet they keep saying: ‘There will be no sword or famine in this land’—(F)by sword and famine those prophets shall meet their end! 16 And the people to whom they are prophesying will be (G)thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and there will be no one to (H)bury them—neither them, nor their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters. For I will (I)pour out their own wickedness upon them.

17 You will say this word to them,
(J)Let my eyes stream down tears night and day,
And let them not cease;
For the virgin (K)daughter of my people has been crushed with a mighty blow,
With a sorely (L)infected wound.
18 If I (M)go out to the country,
There are those killed by the sword!
Or if I enter the city,
There are diseases from famine!
For (N)both prophet and priest
Have wandered around in the land that they do not know.’”

19 Have You completely (O)rejected Judah?
Or have [c]You loathed Zion?
Why have You stricken us so that we (P)are beyond healing?
We (Q)waited for peace, but nothing good came;
And for a time of healing, but behold, terror!
20 We (R)know our wickedness, Lord,
The wrongdoing of our fathers, for (S)we have sinned against You.
21 Do not despise us, (T)for the sake of Your own name;
Do not disgrace the (U)throne of Your glory.
Remember and do not annul Your covenant with us.
22 Are there any among the [d](V)idols of the nations who (W)give rain?
Or can the heavens grant showers?
Is it not You, Lord our God?
Therefore we (X)wait for You,
For You are the one who has done all these things.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 14:13 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  2. Jeremiah 14:14 Lit heart
  3. Jeremiah 14:19 Lit Your soul
  4. Jeremiah 14:22 Lit futilities

13 But I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets(A) keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine.(B) Indeed, I will give you lasting peace(C) in this place.’”

14 Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies(D) in my name. I have not sent(E) them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions,(F) divinations,(G) idolatries[a] and the delusions of their own minds. 15 Therefore this is what the Lord says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ Those same prophets will perish(H) by sword and famine.(I) 16 And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury(J) them, their wives, their sons and their daughters.(K) I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.(L)

17 “Speak this word to them:

“‘Let my eyes overflow with tears(M)
    night and day without ceasing;
for the Virgin(N) Daughter, my people,
    has suffered a grievous wound,
    a crushing blow.(O)
18 If I go into the country,
    I see those slain by the sword;
if I go into the city,
    I see the ravages of famine.(P)
Both prophet and priest
    have gone to a land they know not.(Q)’”

19 Have you rejected Judah completely?(R)
    Do you despise Zion?
Why have you afflicted us
    so that we cannot be healed?(S)
We hoped for peace
    but no good has come,
for a time of healing
    but there is only terror.(T)
20 We acknowledge(U) our wickedness, Lord,
    and the guilt of our ancestors;(V)
    we have indeed sinned(W) against you.
21 For the sake of your name(X) do not despise us;
    do not dishonor your glorious throne.(Y)
Remember your covenant(Z) with us
    and do not break it.
22 Do any of the worthless idols(AA) of the nations bring rain?(AB)
    Do the skies themselves send down showers?
No, it is you, Lord our God.
    Therefore our hope is in you,
    for you are the one who does all this.(AC)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 14:14 Or visions, worthless divinations