Jeremiah 14:1

1 This message came to Jeremiah from the LORD, explaining why he was holding back the rain:

Jeremiah 14:1 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 14:1

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the
dearth.
] Or, "concerning the words of straints" ^F24; that is, concerning the businesses of a drought, as the Targum; concerning the Lord's restraining rain from the earth, and forbidding the heavens dropping it down; the consequence of which is a drought, or dryness of the earth; and the effect of that a famine; when this was it is not anywhere said; it could not be the famine at the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, because that only affected the city; this all Judea. Some think it was in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, long before the siege; and others, that it was in the reign of Jehoiakim, since we read of a fast in his time, ( Jeremiah 36:9 ) , which might be on this occasion; and it appears that there was one at this time, though not acceptable to God; see ( Jeremiah 14:12 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 (twrubh yrbd le) "super verbis, cohibitionum", Junius & Tremellius; "retentionum"; Tigurine version; "prohibitionum", Pagninus, Montanus.

Jeremiah 14:1 In-Context

1 This message came to Jeremiah from the LORD, explaining why he was holding back the rain:

2 “Judah wilts; commerce at the city gates grinds to a halt. All the people sit on the ground in mourning, and a great cry rises from Jerusalem.

3 The nobles send servants to get water, but all the wells are dry. The servants return with empty pitchers, confused and desperate, covering their heads in grief.

4 The ground is parched and cracked for lack of rain. The farmers are deeply troubled; they, too, cover their heads.

5 Even the doe abandons her newborn fawn because there is no grass in the field.