Because the ground is chapt Through the violent heat of the sun, and want of rain; or, is broken F25; and crumbles into dust. The Targum is,
``because of sins, the inhabitants of the earth are broken:''
for there was no rain in the earth; this was the reason of the dearth, and of the famine, and why there was no water in the pits, and the ground was parched. It is to be understood of the land of Judea only, not of the whole earth: the ploughmen were ashamed; because they could not work the earth with their plough; were obliged to sit still, could do no work, or go on with their husbandry; nothing could be done for want of rain: they covered their heads; as before; (See Gill on Jeremiah 14:3). FOOTNOTES:
2
Judah mourns and her gates languish; they lie in gloom on the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up.
3
Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns, they find no water, they return with their vessels empty. They are ashamed and dismayed and cover their heads,
4
because the ground is cracked. Because there has been no rain on the land the farmers are dismayed; they cover their heads.
5
Even the doe in the field forsakes her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
6
The wild asses stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail because there is no herbage.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.