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1. This message came to Jeremiah from the LORD, explaining why he was holding back the rain:
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1. The word H1697 of the LORD H3068 that H834 came H1961 to H413 Jeremiah H3414 concerning H5921 H1697 the dearth H1226 .
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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.
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2. Judah H3063 mourneth H56 , and the gates H8179 thereof languish H535 ; they are black H6937 unto the ground H776 ; and the cry H6682 of Jerusalem H3389 is gone up H5927 .
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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.
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3. And their nobles H117 have sent H7971 their little ones H6810 to the waters H4325 : they came H935 to H5921 the pits H1356 , and found H4672 no H3808 water H4325 ; they returned H7725 with their vessels H3627 empty H7387 ; they were ashamed H954 and confounded H3637 , and covered H2645 their heads H7218 .
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4. The ground is parched and cracked for lack of rain. The farmers are deeply troubled; they, too, cover their heads.
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4. Because H5668 the ground H127 is chapped H2865 , for H3588 there was H1961 no H3808 rain H1653 in the earth H776 , the plowmen H406 were ashamed H954 , they covered H2645 their heads H7218 .
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5. Even the doe abandons her newborn fawn because there is no grass in the field.
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5. Yea H1571 , the hind H365 also calved H3205 in the field H7704 , and forsook H5800 it , because H3588 there was H1961 no H3808 grass H1877 .
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6. The wild donkeys stand on the bare hills panting like thirsty jackals. They strain their eyes looking for grass, but there is none to be found."
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6. And the wild asses H6501 did stand H5975 in H5921 the high places H8205 , they snuffed up H7602 the wind H7307 like dragons H8577 ; their eyes H5869 did fail H3615 , because H3588 there was no H369 grass H6212 .
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7. The people say, "Our wickedness has caught up with us, LORD, but help us for the sake of your own reputation. We have turned away from you and sinned against you again and again.
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7. O LORD H3068 , though H518 our iniquities H5771 testify H6030 against us, do H6213 thou it for thy name's sake H4616 H8034 : for H3588 our backslidings H4878 are many H7231 ; we have sinned H2398 against thee.
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8. O Hope of Israel, our Savior in times of trouble, why are you like a stranger to us? Why are you like a traveler passing through the land, stopping only for the night?
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8. O the hope H4723 of Israel H3478 , the savior H3467 thereof in time H6256 of trouble H6869 , why H4100 shouldest thou be H1961 as a stranger H1616 in the land H776 , and as a wayfaring man H732 that turneth aside H5186 to tarry H3885 for a night?
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9. Are you also confused? Is our champion helpless to save us? You are right here among us, LORD. We are known as your people. Please don't abandon us now!"
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9. Why H4100 shouldest thou be H1961 as a man H376 astonished H1724 , as a mighty man H1368 that cannot H3201 H3808 save H3467 ? yet thou H859 , O LORD H3068 , art in the midst H7130 of us , and we are called H7121 by thy name H8034 ; leave H5117 us not H408 .
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10. So this is what the LORD says to his people: "You love to wander far from me and do not restrain yourselves. Therefore, I will no longer accept you as my people. Now I will remember all your wickedness and will punish you for your sins."
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10. Thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 unto this H2088 people H5971 , Thus H3651 have they loved H157 to wander H5128 , they have not H3808 refrained H2820 their feet H7272 , therefore the LORD H3068 doth not H3808 accept H7521 them ; he will now H6258 remember H2142 their iniquity H5771 , and visit H6485 their sins H2403 .
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11. Then the LORD said to me, "Do not pray for these people anymore.
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11. Then said H559 the LORD H3068 unto H413 me, Pray H6419 not H408 for H1157 this H2088 people H5971 for their good H2896 .
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12. When they fast, I will pay no attention. When they present their burnt offerings and grain offerings to me, I will not accept them. Instead, I will devour them with war, famine, and disease."
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12. When H3588 they fast H6684 , I will not H369 hear H8085 H413 their cry H7440 ; and when H3588 they offer H5927 burnt offering H5930 and an oblation H4503 , I will not H369 accept H7521 them: but H3588 I H595 will consume H3615 them by the sword H2719 , and by the famine H7458 , and by the pestilence H1698 .
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13. Then I said, "O Sovereign LORD, their prophets are telling them, 'All is well-- no war or famine will come. The LORD will surely send you peace.'"
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13. Then said H559 I, Ah H162 , Lord H136 GOD H3069 ! behold H2009 , the prophets H5030 say H559 unto them , Ye shall not H3808 see H7200 the sword H2719 , neither H3808 shall ye have H1961 famine H7458 ; but H3588 I will give H5414 you assured H571 peace H7965 in this H2088 place H4725 .
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14. Then the LORD said, "These prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not give them any messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations they have never seen or heard. They speak foolishness made up in their own lying hearts.
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14. Then the LORD H3068 said H559 unto H413 me , The prophets H5030 prophesy H5012 lies H8267 in my name H8034 : I sent H7971 them not H3808 , neither H3808 have I commanded H6680 them, neither H3808 spoke H1696 unto H413 them: they H1992 prophesy H5012 unto you a false H8267 vision H2377 and divination H7081 , and a thing of naught H434 , and the deceit H8649 of their heart H3820 .
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15. Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I will punish these lying prophets, for they have spoken in my name even though I never sent them. They say that no war or famine will come, but they themselves will die by war and famine!
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15. Therefore H3651 thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 concerning H5921 the prophets H5030 that prophesy H5012 in my name H8034 , and I H589 sent H7971 them not H3808 , yet they H1992 say H559 , Sword H2719 and famine H7458 shall not H3808 be H1961 in this H2063 land H776 ; By sword H2719 and famine H7458 shall those H1992 prophets H5030 be consumed H8552 .
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16. As for the people to whom they prophesy-- their bodies will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and war. There will be no one left to bury them. Husbands, wives, sons, and daughters-- all will be gone. For I will pour out their own wickedness on them.
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16. And the people H5971 to whom H834 they H1992 prophesy H5012 shall be H1961 cast out H7993 in the streets H2351 of Jerusalem H3389 because H4480 H6440 of the famine H7458 and the sword H2719 ; and they shall have none H369 to bury H6912 them H1992 , them H1992 , their wives H802 , nor their sons H1121 , nor their daughters H1323 : for I will pour H8210 H853 their wickedness H7451 upon H5921 them.
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17. Now, Jeremiah, say this to them: "Night and day my eyes overflow with tears. I cannot stop weeping, for my virgin daughter-- my precious people-- has been struck down and lies mortally wounded.
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17. Therefore thou shalt say H559 H853 this H2088 word H1697 unto H413 them ; Let mine eyes H5869 run down H3381 with tears H1832 night H3915 and day H3119 , and let them not H408 cease H1820 : for H3588 the virgin H1330 daughter H1323 of my people H5971 is broken H7665 with a great H1419 breach H7667 , with a very H3966 grievous H2470 blow H4347 .
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18. If I go out into the fields, I see the bodies of people slaughtered by the enemy. If I walk the city streets, I see people who have died of starvation. The prophets and priests continue with their work, but they don't know what they're doing."
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18. If H518 I go forth H3318 into the field H7704 , then behold H2009 the slain H2491 with the sword H2719 ! and if H518 I enter H935 into the city H5892 , then behold H2009 them that are sick H8463 with famine H7458 ! yea H3588 , both H1571 the prophet H5030 and H1571 the priest H3548 go about H5503 into H413 a land H776 that they know H3045 not H3808 .
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19. LORD, have you completely rejected Judah? Do you really hate Jerusalem? Why have you wounded us past all hope of healing? We hoped for peace, but no peace came. We hoped for a time of healing, but found only terror.
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19. Hast thou utterly rejected H3988 H3988 H853 Judah H3063 ? hath thy soul H5315 loathed H1602 Zion H6726 ? why H4069 hast thou smitten H5221 us , and there is no H369 healing H4832 for us? we looked H6960 for peace H7965 , and there is no H369 good H2896 ; and for the time H6256 of healing H4832 , and behold H2009 trouble H1205 !
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20. LORD, we confess our wickedness and that of our ancestors, too. We all have sinned against you.
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20. We acknowledge H3045 , O LORD H3068 , our wickedness H7562 , and the iniquity H5771 of our fathers H1 : for H3588 we have sinned H2398 against thee.
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21. For the sake of your reputation, LORD, do not abandon us. Do not disgrace your own glorious throne. Please remember us, and do not break your covenant with us.
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21. Do not H408 abhor H5006 us , for thy name's sake H4616 H8034 , do not H408 disgrace H5034 the throne H3678 of thy glory H3519 : remember H2142 , break H6565 not H408 thy covenant H1285 with H854 us.
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22. Can any of the worthless foreign gods send us rain? Does it fall from the sky by itself? No, you are the one, O LORD our God! Only you can do such things. So we will wait for you to help us.
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22. Are there H3426 any among the vanities H1892 of the Gentiles H1471 that can cause rain H1652 ? or H518 can the heavens H8064 give H5414 showers H7241 ? art not H3808 thou H859 he H1931 , O LORD H3068 our God H430 ? therefore we will wait H6960 upon thee: for H3588 thou H859 hast made H6213 H853 all H3605 these H428 things .
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