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
Yehudah mourneth, and the she’arim (gates, i.e., towns) thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Yerushalayim is gone up.
3
And their nobles have sent their servants for mayim; they came to the cisterns, and found no mayim; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and dismayed, and covered their rosh.
4
Because the adamah is cracked, for there was no geshem in the earth, the ikkarim (plowmen) were ashamed, they covered their rosh.
5
Indeed, the deer also calved in the sadeh, and forsook it, because there was no desheh (grass).
6
And the pera’im (wild donkeys) did stand on the bare heights, they pant for ruach like jackals; their eyes did fail, because there was no esev (grass).
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.