Famine, Sword, and Pestilence
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The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning 1the drought:
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2"Judah mourns, and 3her gates languish; her people lament on the ground, and 4the cry of Jerusalem goes up.
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Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns; they find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are 5ashamed and confounded and 6cover their heads.
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Because of the ground that is dismayed, since there is 7no rain on the land, the farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.
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Even 8the doe in the field forsakes her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
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9The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights; they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail because there is no vegetation.
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"Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, 10for your name's sake; 11for our backslidings are many; 12we have sinned against you.
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13O you hope of Israel, its savior in time of trouble, why should you be like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?
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Why should you be like a man confused, 14like a mighty warrior who cannot save? Yet 15you, O LORD, are in the midst of us, and 16we are called by your name; 17do not leave us."
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Thus says the LORD concerning this people: "They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; 18therefore the LORD does not accept them; 19now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins."
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The LORD said to me: 20"Do not pray for the welfare of this people.
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Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, 21and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them 22by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence."
Lying Prophets
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Then I said: "Ah, Lord GOD, behold, the prophets 23say to them, 'You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.'"
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And the LORD said to me: "The 24prophets are prophesying lies in my name. 25I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, 26worthless divination, and 27the deceit of their own minds.
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Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although 28I did not send them, and who say, 29'Sword and famine shall not come upon this land': 30By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed.
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And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword, 31with none to bury them--them, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out their evil upon them.
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"You shall say to them this word: 32'Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin 33daughter of my people is shattered with a great wound, 34with a very grievous blow.
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35If I go out into the field, behold, those pierced by the sword! 36And if I enter the city, behold, the diseases of famine! 37For both prophet and priest ply their trade through the land and have no knowledge.'"
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38Have you utterly rejected Judah? Does your soul loathe Zion? Why have you struck us down 39so that there is no healing for us? 40We looked for peace, but no good came; 41for a time of healing, but behold, terror.
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42We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, and the iniquity of our fathers, 43for we have sinned against you.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)