Jer 14:6 | KingComments | STEP | Jeremiah 14-15 belong together. They are about a terrible drought. We see here again the personal utterances of Jeremiah. The LORD has brought His people into a land of abundant blessing ( ). They would enjoy that blessing if they were obedient. But they have become disobedient. That explains the desolate sight of the land because of a drought about which the word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah ( ). The land is dependent on the rain from heaven. Whether the rain comes is again dependent on their faithfulness to the LORD ( ; ; ). In short phrases, Jeremiah indicates in the following verses the effects of the drought on land and city, on rich and poor, on man and beast. All prosperity is gone. There is sorrow in Judah ( ). The gates, through which food is brought in and where there are often many people to trade, give the picture of languishing, of fading away. Life flows out of them. The gates are also the places where justice is administered. The people who sit there to do that also don’t know anymore what to say. They see no hope of improving the situation, for they sit on the ground in mourning. The cry of Jerusalem ascends. There will be prayers for rain. However, their pleas are not expressions of repentance for their sinful ways and not a plea to the LORD for forgiveness. There is only crying because of the drought and because of the thirst and famine as a result. The drought and lack of water reflect the dryness of their souls. They have forsaken the source of living water, the LORD ( ), and therefore not only their bodies but also their souls are languishing. Even “their nobles”, the distinguished and considerable people, have nothing to their standing when it comes to having water drawn from the cisterns, for there is no water ( ). They don’t have to go out there themselves. They have their servants for that. But their servants return without success, with empty jugs and despondent. They can command their subordinates, but they cannot command God to give water. They have themselves to blame for the lack of rain. Because there is no rain, the drought has also cracked the ground ( ) and there will be no harvest. The farmers are also at their wits’ end. The animals in the field are also suffering from the drought. The doe, known for her care of her young, abandons it before it has grown up and can go its way on its own ( ; ). The wild donkeys, used to the harsh and dry wilderness life, can no longer breathe ( ; ). They can no longer see anything either, because there is nothing to eat. Their powers fail them. The beasts share in the consequences of the unfaithfulness of God’s people (cf. ).

‏ Jeremiah 14:6

The Drought

Jeremiah 14-15 belong together. They are about a terrible drought. We see here again the personal utterances of Jeremiah. The LORD has brought His people into a land of abundant blessing (Deu 8:7). They would enjoy that blessing if they were obedient. But they have become disobedient. That explains the desolate sight of the land because of a drought about which the word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah (Jer 14:1). The land is dependent on the rain from heaven. Whether the rain comes is again dependent on their faithfulness to the LORD (Deu 11:10-15 ; Deu 28:23-24; 1Kgs 8:35-36; 1Kgs 17:1).

In short phrases, Jeremiah indicates in the following verses the effects of the drought on land and city, on rich and poor, on man and beast. All prosperity is gone. There is sorrow in Judah (Jer 14:2). The gates, through which food is brought in and where there are often many people to trade, give the picture of languishing, of fading away. Life flows out of them. The gates are also the places where justice is administered. The people who sit there to do that also don’t know anymore what to say. They see no hope of improving the situation, for they sit on the ground in mourning.

The cry of Jerusalem ascends. There will be prayers for rain. However, their pleas are not expressions of repentance for their sinful ways and not a plea to the LORD for forgiveness. There is only crying because of the drought and because of the thirst and famine as a result. The drought and lack of water reflect the dryness of their souls. They have forsaken the source of living water, the LORD (Jer 2:13), and therefore not only their bodies but also their souls are languishing.

Even “their nobles”, the distinguished and considerable people, have nothing to their standing when it comes to having water drawn from the cisterns, for there is no water (Jer 14:3). They don’t have to go out there themselves. They have their servants for that. But their servants return without success, with empty jugs and despondent. They can command their subordinates, but they cannot command God to give water. They have themselves to blame for the lack of rain.

Because there is no rain, the drought has also cracked the ground (Jer 14:4) and there will be no harvest. The farmers are also at their wits’ end. The animals in the field are also suffering from the drought. The doe, known for her care of her young, abandons it before it has grown up and can go its way on its own (Jer 14:5; Job 39:1b-4). The wild donkeys, used to the harsh and dry wilderness life, can no longer breathe (Jer 14:6; Job 39:5-8). They can no longer see anything either, because there is nothing to eat. Their powers fail them. The beasts share in the consequences of the unfaithfulness of God’s people (cf. Rom 8:22).