TRV
Translation
King James Version
Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Y'hudah is mourning, her gates are languishing; they sit on the ground in gloom; Yerushalayim sends up a cry of anguish.
Berean Standard Bible
“Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
American Standard Version
Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish, they sit in black upon the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
World English Bible Messianic
Judah mourns, and its gates languish, they sit in black on the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Iudah hath mourned, and the gates thereof are desolate, they haue bene brought to heauinesse vnto the grounde, and the cry of Ierusalem goeth vp.
Young's Literal Translation
Mourned hath Judah, and her gates have languished, They have mourned to the earth, And the cry of Jerusalem hath gone up.
See also
In the KJVVerse 19,296 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Jeremiah 14 verses 1–9
1 ¶ The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.
2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
3 And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.
4 Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.
5 Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass.
6 And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because there was no grass.
7 O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.
8 O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?
9 Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.
The first verse is the title of the whole chapter: it does indeed all concern the dearth, but much of it consists of the prophet's prayers concerning it; yet these are not unfitly said to be, The word of the Lord which came to him concerning it, for every acceptable prayer is that which God puts into our hearts; nothing is our word that comes to him but what is first his word that comes from him. In these verses we have,
I. The language of nature lamenting the calamity. When the heavens were as brass, and distilled no dews, the earth was as iron, and produced no fruits; and then the grief and confusion were universal. 1. The people of the land were all in tears. Destroy their vines and their fig-trees and you cause all their mirth to cease, Hos 2:11, Hos 2:12. All their joy fails with the joy of harvest, with that of their corn and wine. Judah mourns (Jer 14:2), not for the sin, but for the trouble - for the withholding of the rain, not for the withdrawing of God's favour. The gates thereof, all that go in and out at their gates, languish, look pale, and grow feeble, for want of the necessary supports of life and for fear of the further fatal consequences of this judgment. The gates, through which supplies of corn formerly used to be brought into their cities, now look melancholy, when, instead of that, the inhabitants are departing through them to seek for bread in other countries. Even those that sit in the gates languish; they are black unto the ground, they go in black as mourners and sit on the ground, a the poor beggars at the gates are black in the face for want of food, blacker than a coal, Lam 4:8. Famine is represented by a black horse, Rev 6:5. They fall to the ground through weakness, not being able to go along the streets. The cry of Jerusalem has gone up; that is, of the citizens (for the city is served by the field), or of people from all parts of the country met at Jerusalem to pray for rain; so some. But I fear it was rather the cry of their trouble, and the cry of their prayer. 2. The great men of the land felt from this judgment (Jer 14:3): The nobles sent their little ones to the water, perhaps their own children, having been forced to part with their servants because they had not wherewithal to keep them, and being willing to train up their children, when they were little, to labour, especially in a case of necessity, as this was. We find Ahab and Obadiah, the king and the lord chamberlain of his household, in their own persons, seeking for water in such a time of distress as this was, Kg1 18:5, Kg1 18:6. Or, rather, their meaner ones, their servants and inferior officers; these they sent to seek for water, which there is no living without; but there was none to be found: They returned with their vessels empty; the springs were dried up when there was no rain to feed them; and then they (their masters that sent them) were ashamed and confounded at the disappointment. They would not be ashamed of their sins, nor confounded at the sense of them, but were unhumbled under the reproofs of the word, thinking their wealth and dignity set them above repentance; but God took a course to make them ashamed of that which they were so proud of, when they found that even on this side hell their nobility would not purchase them a drop of water to cool their tongue. Let our reading the account of this calamity make us thankful for the mercy of water, that we may not by the feeling of the calamity be taught to value it. What is most needful is most plentiful. 3. The husbandmen felt most sensibly and immediately from it (Jer 14:4): The ploughmen were ashamed, for the ground was so parched and hard that it would not admit the plough even when it was so chapt and cleft that it seemed as if it did not need the plough. They were ashamed to be idle, for there was nothing to be done, and therefore nothing to be expected. The sluggard, that will not plough by reason of cold, is not ashamed of his own folly; but the diligent husbandman, that cannot plough by reason of heat, is ashamed of his own affliction. See what an immediate dependence husbandmen have upon the divine Providence, which therefore they should always have an eye to, for they cannot plough nor sow in hope unless God water their furrows, Psa 65:10. 4. The case even of the wild beasts was very pitiable, Jer 14:5, Jer 14:6. Man's sin brings those judgments upon the earth which make even the inferior creatures groan: and the prophet takes notice of this as a plea with God for mercy. Judah and Jerusalem have sinned, but the hinds and the wild asses, what have they done? The hinds are pleasant creatures, lovely and loving, and particularly tender of their young; and yet such is the extremity of the case that, contrary to the instinct of their nature, they leave their young, even when they are newly calved and most need them, to seek for grass elsewhere; and, if they can find none, they abandon them, because not able to suckle them. It grieved not the hind so much that she had no grass herself as that she had none for her young, which will shame those who spend that upon their lusts which they should preserve for their families. The hind, when she has brought forth her young, is said to have cast forth her sorrows (Job 39:3), and yet she continues her cares; but, as it follows there, she soon sees the good effect of them, for her young ones in a little while grow up, and trouble her no more, Jer 14:4. But here the great trouble of all is that she has nothing for them. Nay, one would be sorry even for the wild asses (though they are creatures that none have any great affection for); for, though the barren land is made their dwelling at the best (Job 39:5, Job 39:6), yet even that is now made too hot for them, so hot that they cannot breathe in it, but they get to the highest places they can reach, where the air is coolest, and snuff up the wind like dragons, like those creatures which, being very hot, are continually panting for breath. Their eyes fail, and so does their strength, because there is no grass to support them. The tame ass, that serves her owner, is welcome to his crib (Isa 1:3) and has her keeping for her labour, when the wild ass, that scorns the crying of the driver, is forced to live upon air, and is well enough served for not serving. He that will not labour, let him not eat.
II. Here is the language of grace, lamenting the iniquity, and complaining to God of the calamity. The people are not forward to pray, but the prophet here prays for them, and so excites them to pray for themselves, and puts words into their mouths, which they may make use of, in hopes to speed, Jer 14:7-9. In this prayer, 1. Sin is humbly confessed. When we come to pray for the preventing or removing of any judgment we must always acknowledge that our iniquities testify against us. Our sins are witnesses against us, and true penitents see them to be such. They testify, for they are plain and evident; we cannot deny the charge. They testify against us, for our conviction, which tends to our present shame and confusion, and our future condemnation. They disprove and overthrow all our pleas for ourselves; and so not only accuse us, but answer against us. If we boast of our own excellencies, and trust to our own righteousness, our iniquities testify against us, and prove us perverse. If we quarrel with God as dealing unjustly or unkindly with us in afflicting us, our iniquities testify against us that we do him wrong; "for our backslidings are many and our revolts are great, whereby we have sinned against thee - too numerous to be concealed, for they are many, too heinous to be excused, for they are against thee." 2. Mercy is earnestly begged: "Though our iniquities testify against us, and against the granting of the favour which the necessity of our case calls for, yet do thou it." They do not say particularly what they would have done; but, as becomes penitents and beggars, they refer the matter to God: "Do with us as thou thinkest fit," Jdg 10:15. Not, Do thou it in this way or at this time, but "Do thou it for thy name's sake; do that which will be most for the glory of thy name." Note, Our best pleas in prayer are those that are fetched from the glory of God's own name. "Lord, do it, that they mercy may be magnified, thy promise fulfilled, and thy interest in the world kept up; we have nothing to plead in ourselves, but every thing in thee." There is another petition in this prayer, and it is a very modest one (Jer 14:9): "Leave us not, withdraw not thy favour and presence." Note, We should dread and deprecate God's departure from us more than the removal of any or all our creature-comforts. 3. Their relation to God, their interest in him, and their expectations from him grounded thereupon, are most pathetically pleaded with him, Jer 14:8, Jer 14:9. (1.) They look upon him as one they have reason to think should deliver them when they are in distress, yea, though their iniquities testify against them; for in him mercy has often rejoiced against judgment. The prophet, like Moses of old, is willing to make the best he can of the case of his people, and therefore, though he must own that they have sinned many a great sin (Exo 32:31), yet he pleads, Thou art the hope of Israel. God has encouraged his people to hope in him; in calling himself so often the God of Israel, the rock of Israel, and the Holy One of Israel, he has made himself the hope of Israel. He has given Israel his word to hope in, and caused them to hope in it; and there are those yet in Israel that make God alone their hope, and expect he will be their Saviour in time of trouble, and they look not for salvation in any other; "Thou hast many a time been such, in the time of their extremity." Note, Since God is his people's all-sufficient Saviour, they ought to hope in him in their greatest straits; and, since he is their only Saviour, they ought to hope in him alone. They plead likewise, "Thou art in the midst of us; we have the special tokens of thy presence with us, thy temple, thy ark, thy oracles, and we are called by the name, the Israel of God; and therefore we have reason to hope thou wilt not leave us; we are thine, save us. Thy name is called upon us, and therefore what evils we are under reflect dishonour upon thee, as if thou wert not able to relieve thy own." The prophet had often told the people that their profession of religion would not protect them from the judgments of God; yet here he pleads it with God, as Moses, Exo 32:11. Even this may go far as to temporal punishments with a God of mercy. Valeat quantum valere potest - Let the plea avail as far as is proper. (2.) It therefore grieves them to think that he does not appear for their deliverance; and, though they do not charge it upon him as unrighteous, they humbly plead it with him why he should be gracious, for the glory of his own name. For otherwise he will seem, [1.] Unconcerned for his own people: What will the Egyptians say? they will say, "Israel's hope and Saviour does not mind them; he has become as a stranger in the land, that does not at all interest himself in its interests; his temple, which he called his rest for ever, is no more so, but he is in it as a wayfaring man, that turns aside to tarry but for a night in an inn, which he never enquires into the affairs of, nor is in any care about." Though God never is, yet he sometimes seems to be, as if he cared not what became of his church: Christ slept when his disciples were in storm. [2.] Incapable of giving them any relief. The enemies once said, Because the Lord was not able to bring his people to Canaan, he let them perish in the wilderness (Num 14:16); so now they will say, "Either his wisdom or his power fails him; either he is as a man astonished (who, though he has the reason of a man, yet, being astonished, is quite at a loss and at his wits' end) or as a mighty man who is overpowered by such as are more mighty, and therefore cannot save; though mighty, yet a man, and therefore having his power limited." Either of these would be a most insufferable reproach to the divine perfections; and therefore, why has the God that we are sure is in the midst of us become as a stranger? Why does the almighty God seem as if he were no more than a mighty man, who, when he is astonished, though he would, yet cannot save? It becomes us in prayer to show ourselves concerned more for God's glory than for our own comfort. Lord, what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–9. Public domain.
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Origen of AlexandriaAD 253
COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2:1
It will serve us to remember that what is called the Word came to certain persons, as “the word of the Lord which came to Hosea, the son of Beeri,” and “the word which came to Isaiah, the son of Amoz, concerning Judah and concerning Jerusalem,” and “the word that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.” We must inquire how this Word came to Hosea, and how it came also to Isaiah the son of Amoz, and again to Jeremiah concerning the drought. The comparison may enable us to find out how the Word was with God. We will generalize by simply looking at what the prophets said, as if that were the Word of the Lord or the Word that came to them. May it not be … that … the Son, the Word, of whom we are now theologizing, came to Hosea, sent to him by the Father, historically, that is to say, to the son of Beeri, the prophet Hosea.… Similarly the Word comes also to Isaiah, teaching the things that are coming on Judea and Jerusalem in the last days. So also it comes to Jeremiah lifted up by a divine elation.… Thus to find out what is meant by the phrase “the Word was with God,” we have adduced the words used about the prophets, how he came to Hosea, to Isaiah, to Jeremiah.… We have to add that in his coming to the prophets he illuminates the prophets with the light of knowledge, causing them to see things that had been before them but that they had not understood until then.
John ChrysostomAD 407
AGAINST THE ANOMOEANS 8:5
Again, the Scriptures speak of God as asleep when the psalmist says, “Arise! Why do you sleep, O Lord?” He does not say this to make us suspect that God sleeps. This would be the utmost madness. By the word sleep the psalm shows God’s patience and forbearance toward us. Another prophet has said, “You will not be like a person who sleeps, will you?” Do you not see that we need much help from our understanding and reason when we are searching into the treasure house of the divine Scriptures? If we listen to the words only, if we do not think but take the words as they come, not only will those absurdities follow, but many a conflict will be seen in what has been said.
JeromeAD 420
SIX BOOKS ON JEREMIAH 3:41.1-3
After many and various thoughts, he returns to the prophecy’s title, in which it is written, “What the word of the Lord gave to Jeremiah concerning the drought.” This is why he says, in effect: “Because the idols of demons are unable to make it rain, and the heavens are unable to give showers in and of themselves, therefore give us rain, O Lord our God, on whom we always wait and toward whom we have turned our hope and devotion. For everything is yours, and whatever is good cannot be given without you, to whom it belongs.” Let us speak this word also against the heretics who are unable to grant rain showers of doctrine. Although they prefer themselves to be the heavens and thus glory in themselves, concerning what is written, “the heavens tell forth the glory of God,” they are nonetheless incapable of providing rain showers of doctrine. For it is God alone who instructs people and grants a diversity of graces to those who wait on him.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Jeremiah
(Versedio 2 and the following verses.) Judah (or Judea) lamented and its gates collapsed (or became empty), and it was darkened (or obscured) over the land, and the cry of Jerusalem went up. Its elders sent their young ones (or younger ones) to the water: they came to draw (or to the wells) and found no water, they brought back their empty vessels, they were confused and distressed (or ashamed), and they covered their heads because of the desolation of the land (or the works of the land, for they failed), because there was no rain upon the land: the farmers were confused, they covered their heads. In times of drought, when the multitude suffers from hunger for hearing and learning the word of God, Judea mourns, boasting of having the worship of God first, and the confession of true faith, and its gates are either emptied or fall down, which we should attribute to the senses, through which discipline is conceived by souls. Then everything is obscured and wrapped in darkness; and reason and the teaching of doctrine do not reign in Jerusalem, but there is clamor and confusion. Moreover, those who should themselves go to fetch water send the younger ones, in whom there is no wisdom, and therefore they come to the wells and do not find water, which the history narrates that the patriarchs found (Genesis 26). They return with their vessels empty, namely the younger ones: not because there was no water, but because they could not find it. They are confused and afflicted, or they blush and cover their heads; because they could not say with the Apostle: But we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:18). Because of the desolation of the land, or rather, because the works of the land have failed, through which we come to know God. And the reason is clear: because, he says, rain has not come upon the earth. For it was commanded to the clouds not to rain down rain upon it. (Isai. V). Also, farmers, of whom one speaks, you are the agriculture of God, you are the building of God. (II Cor. III, 9). And in another place: we are the co-workers of God, they cover their heads, and they are confused, understanding that without the grace and assistance of God, they strive in vain.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 14:2 vividly portrays the profound national distress and despair gripping the kingdom of Judah. This verse, situated within a lament concerning a severe drought, describes the widespread suffering affecting the people, the city's vital functions, and the very landscape, culminating in a collective cry of anguish rising from Jerusalem. It underscores the dire consequences of spiritual rebellion and divine judgment, painting a picture of a nation brought to its knees by calamity.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 14:2 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of profound national distress. Personification is evident in "Judah mourneth," attributing human emotion to the entire kingdom, and even more strikingly, in "the gates thereof languish," giving the inanimate city gates the ability to suffer and waste away. This device effectively communicates the widespread and deeply felt impact of the calamity. The phrase "they are black unto the ground" utilizes vivid imagery to evoke a sense of desolation and mourning, whether referring to the parched earth or the people themselves. This visual detail powerfully conveys the severity of the drought and the accompanying grief. Finally, the "cry of Jerusalem is gone up" is an example of metonymy, where "Jerusalem" stands for its inhabitants, and the "cry" represents their collective anguish and desperate plea. This emphasizes the widespread nature of the suffering and the intensity of their lamentation, rising like an offering to God.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 14:2 powerfully illustrates the Old Testament principle that national sin leads to national judgment. The drought and the ensuing despair are not random occurrences but direct consequences of Judah's persistent idolatry and covenant breaking. This verse underscores God's sovereignty over creation and His use of natural phenomena as instruments of discipline, calling His people back to repentance. It highlights the interconnectedness of spiritual health and societal well-being, demonstrating that when a nation turns from God, the very fabric of its existence begins to unravel, leading to widespread suffering and a desperate cry for deliverance. The lament itself, even in its despair, implicitly acknowledges God as the ultimate source of help, even if His judgment is currently active.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 14:2 serves as a timeless reminder that societal distress often has deep spiritual roots. It challenges us to look beyond immediate symptoms of suffering—whether economic hardship, social unrest, or environmental crisis—to consider underlying issues of communal and individual faithfulness to God. The widespread mourning and languishing gates depicted in the verse call us to lament not only our personal struggles but also the brokenness and spiritual barrenness of our communities and nations. It prompts us to consider how our collective actions, or inactions, might contribute to spiritual drought and its attendant consequences. Ultimately, this passage is a call to humility, repentance, and a renewed turning to God, recognizing that true healing and restoration begin with acknowledging our dependence on Him and aligning our lives with His righteous ways.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "the gates thereof languish" in Jeremiah 14:2?
Answer: The phrase "the gates thereof languish" is highly symbolic and significant. In ancient Near Eastern cities, the gates (Hebrew: shaʻar) were far more than mere entry points. They were the vibrant centers of public life: places where legal judgments were rendered, commercial transactions took place, public announcements were made, and social gatherings occurred. Therefore, for the gates to "languish" (Hebrew: ʼâmal) means that all normal civic, economic, and social activity has ceased. It signifies a profound societal breakdown, a paralysis of daily life, and a widespread despair that has gripped the very heart of the community. It paints a picture of a city that is no longer functioning, indicative of the severe impact of the drought and divine judgment on every aspect of life in Judah. This imagery is powerfully echoed in other laments, such as Lamentations 1:4, where the gates of Zion are described as desolate.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Jeremiah 14:2 vividly portrays the consequences of Judah's sin and the resulting divine judgment, it also subtly points forward to the ultimate solution found in Christ. The desperate "cry of Jerusalem" that "is gone up" foreshadows the ultimate human need for a deliverer, a need that humanity cannot meet on its own. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is revealed as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, addressing the root cause of the "mourning" and "languishing" depicted in Jeremiah. He is the one who bears our griefs and carries our sorrows, ultimately offering a path to reconciliation and restoration that the Old Covenant system could not fully provide. The spiritual drought of sin, which led to the physical drought in Jeremiah's time, finds its ultimate remedy in Christ, who offers living water to those who thirst, ensuring that those who come to Him will never thirst again. Through His atoning sacrifice and resurrection, Christ transforms the "black unto the ground" despair into the hope of new life, establishing a new covenant where true peace and flourishing are possible, not through human effort or national righteousness, but through faith in Him, as promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34.