Jeremia 14:1-11

1 Das Wort Jehovas, welches zu Jeremia geschah betreffs der Dürre.

2 Juda trauert, und seine Tore schmachten, liegen in Trauer am Boden, und Jerusalems Klagegeschrei steigt empor.

3 Und seine Vornehmen schicken seine Geringen nach Wasser; sie kommen zu den Zisternen, finden kein Wasser, sie kommen leer zurück mit ihren Gefäßen; sie sind beschämt und mit Scham bedeckt und verhüllen ihr Haupt.

4 Wegen des Erdbodens, der bestürzt ist, weil kein Regen im Lande war, sind die Ackerleute beschämt, verhüllen ihr Haupt.

5 Ja, auch die Hindin auf dem Felde, sie gebiert und verläßt ihre Jungen; denn kein Gras ist da.

6 Und die Wildesel stehen auf den kahlen Höhen, schnappen nach Luft wie die Schakale; ihre Augen schmachten hin, denn kein Kraut ist da.

7 Wenn unsere Missetaten wider uns zeugen, Jehova, so handle um deines Namens willen; denn viele sind unserer Abtrünnigkeiten, gegen dich haben wir gesündigt.

8 Du Hoffnung Israels, sein Retter in der Zeit der Bedrängnis, warum willst du sein wie ein Fremdling im Lande, und wie ein Wanderer, der zum Übernachten eingekehrt ist?

9 Warum willst du sein wie ein bestürzter Mann, wie ein Held, der nicht zu retten vermag? Du bist doch in unserer Mitte, Jehova, und wir sind nach deinem Namen genannt; verlaß uns nicht!

10 So spricht Jehova zu diesem Volke: Also haben sie geliebt umherzuschweifen, sie hielten ihre Füße nicht zurück; und Jehova hat kein Wohlgefallen an ihnen: Nun wird er ihrer Missetaten gedenken und ihre Sünden heimsuchen. -

11 Und Jehova sprach zu mir: Bitte nicht für dieses Volk zum Guten.

Jeremia 14:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 14

This chapter contains prophecy of a drought, which produced a famine, Jer 14:1, and is described by the dismal effects of it; and general distress in the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, Jer 14:2, even the nobles were affected with it, whose servants returned without water ashamed, when sent for it, Jer 14:3, the ploughmen could not use their plough, their ground was so hard, Jer 14:4 and the very beasts of the field suffered much, because there was no grass, Jer 14:5,6, upon this follows a prayer of the prophet to the Lord, that he would give rain for his name's sake; he confesses the sins of the people, that they were many, and against the Lord; and testified against them, that they deserved to be used as they were; and he addresses the Lord as the hope and Saviour of his people in time past, when it was a time of trouble with them; and expostulates with him, why he should be as a stranger and traveller, and like a mighty man astonished, that either had no regard to their land any more than a foreigner and a traveller; or no heart to help them, or exert his power, than a man at his wits' end, though he was among them, and they were called by his name; and therefore he begs he would not leave them, Jer 14:7-9, but he is told that it was for the sins of the people that all this was, which the Lord was determined to remember and visit; and therefore he is bid not to pray for them; if he did, it would not be regarded, nor the people's fasting and prayers also; for they should be consumed by the sword, famine, and pestilence, Jer 14:10-12, and though the prophet pleads, in excuse of the people, that the false prophets had deceived them; yet not only the vanity and falsehood of their prophecies are exposed, and they are threatened with destruction, but the people also, for hearkening unto them, Jer 14:13-16, wherefore the prophet, instead of putting up a prayer for them, has a lamentation dictated to him by the Lord, which he is ordered to express, Jer 14:17,18, and yet, notwithstanding this, he goes on to pray for them in a very pathetic manner; he expostulates with God, and pleads for help and healing; confesses the iniquities of the people; entreats the Lord, for the sake of his name, glory, and covenant, that he would not reject them and his petition; and observes, that the thing asked for (rain) was what none of the gods of the Heathens could give, or even the heavens themselves, only the Lord; and therefore determines to wait upon him for it, who made the heavens, the earth, and rain, Jer 14:19-22.