Jeremiah 14 3

Jeremiah 14:3 kjv

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.

Jeremiah 14:3 nkjv

Their nobles have sent their lads for water; They went to the cisterns and found no water. They returned with their vessels empty; They were ashamed and confounded And covered their heads.

Jeremiah 14:3 niv

The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns but find no water. They return with their jars unfilled; dismayed and despairing, they cover their heads.

Jeremiah 14:3 esv

Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns; they find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are ashamed and confounded and cover their heads.

Jeremiah 14:3 nlt

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.

Jeremiah 14 verses

Jeremiah 14 3 Meaning

Jeremiah 14:3 describes the futile efforts of the nobles of Judah to find water during a severe drought, a consequence of God's judgment upon the land. Despite their social status and attempts to delegate the task to their servants, they are met with empty cisterns, leading to profound shame, disappointment, and public display of grief. It highlights the helplessness of humanity in the face of divine decree and the desperation brought by the lack of essential life-giving water.

Jeremiah 14 3 Context

Jeremiah 14:3 is embedded within the "Drought Oracles" of Jeremiah, specifically a lament that details the suffering inflicted upon Judah by a severe drought (Jer 14:1-10). The immediate chapter describes a land in crisis: skies are like bronze, ground is parched, crops fail, animals suffer, and even people of high standing are brought low by the absence of rain. This drought is not a random natural event but a divinely ordained judgment upon Judah for their unfaithfulness, idolatry, and rebellion against God, despite Jeremiah's continuous warnings. Historically, Judah faced growing pressure from regional powers like Egypt and Babylon, with God repeatedly urging them to trust Him alone rather than human alliances or false gods. Culturally, water was the lifeblood of ancient Near Eastern societies, and its absence represented a complete societal breakdown and divine wrath. The humiliation of the nobles underscores that no amount of status or power could mitigate the impact of God's judgment or provide a substitute for His blessing. This passage indirectly critiques the belief in false gods like Baal, a Canaanite deity associated with rain and fertility, by demonstrating that Yahweh alone controls the heavens and the earth, and only He can bring or withhold rain.

Jeremiah 14 3 Word analysis

• And their nobles (וְאַדִּירֵיהֶם - ve'addireihem):
  • Word: `אַדִּירִים` (addirim) means "mighty ones," "nobles," "magnates," "chief men."
  • Significance: This emphasizes that even those of high social standing, with resources and influence, are powerless in this crisis. It underlines the universal nature of God's judgment, affecting all levels of society.
• have sent (שָׁלְחוּ - shalachu):
  • Word: `שָׁלַח` (shalach) means "to send," "to dispatch."
  • Significance: It implies a planned effort, a deliberate dispatching of servants, suggesting that this was a task delegated as a matter of necessity by those in charge.
• their little ones (צְעִירֵיהֶם - tze'ireihem):
  • Word: `צְעִירִים` (tze'irim) literally means "young ones," often referring to younger servants or dependents, perhaps less esteemed members of their retinue, or even children, dispatched for this desperate mission.
  • Significance: This detail adds poignancy and desperation. It's not the nobles themselves performing this task, but their "little ones," highlighting the nobles' helplessness despite their power and possibly indicating that they're sending less important figures on this dangerous and difficult errand, or it may simply be the common practice to send servants for water. It underscores the severity of the crisis if even such individuals are pressed into this service.
• to the waters (לַמַּיִם - lammayim):
  • Word: `מַיִם` (mayim) means "water."
  • Significance: A general term for sources of water, implying an active search rather than going to a guaranteed source, foreshadowing the lack of success.
• they came (בָּאוּ - ba'u):
  • Word: `בֹּא` (bo) means "to come," "to go."
  • Significance: Indicates a successful journey to their intended destinations, but not a successful outcome.
• to the pits (לַגֵּבִים - laggevim):
  • Word: `גֵּב` (gev) means "cistern," "pit," "reservoir," or natural hollows where water would normally collect. These are typically man-made or natural depressions for collecting rainwater.
  • Significance: These pits were their hope, places where water should have been. The dryness of these common water collection points highlights the drought's severity; it wasn't just a surface drying but a depletion of stored reserves.
• and found no water (לֹא מָצְאוּ מַיִם - lo matz'u mayim):
  • Word: `לֹא מָצְאוּ` (lo matz'u) - "did not find." `מַיִם` (mayim) - "water."
  • Significance: This is the core failure, the tragic climax of their effort. The absolute lack of water in places where it should have been signifies the extremity of the divine judgment and the utter futility of human endeavor against it.
• they returned (שָׁבוּ - shavu):
  • Word: `שׁוּב` (shuv) means "to return," "to turn back."
  • Significance: A sorrowful return, emphasizing the failure of their mission.
• with their vessels empty (רֵיקִים כְּלֵיהֶם - reqim khleyhem):
  • Word: `רֵיקִים` (reqim) means "empty." `כְּלֵיהֶם` (khleyhem) means "their vessels," "their jars/buckets."
  • Significance: A vivid, visual image of their failure and the land's desolation. The empty vessels symbolize shattered hope, unmet need, and the inability to find life's essential resource.
• they were ashamed (בֹּשׁוּ - boshu):
  • Word: `בּוּשׁ` (bush) means "to be ashamed," "disappointed," "disgraced."
  • Significance: Shame comes from the public display of failure, particularly when attempting to fulfill a vital need for the community. It's a deep emotional blow.
• and confounded (וְחָפְרוּ - vekhaphru):
  • Word: `חָפַר` (chaphar) means "to be abashed," "disappointed," "confounded," or literally "to dig," which in some contexts implies being "brought down" or "disgraced." Often paired with `בּוּשׁ`.
  • Significance: Stronger than just "ashamed," it implies confusion, deep despair, or being utterly disgraced by their fruitless search. Their expectations were shattered, leaving them bewildered by the extent of the calamity.
• and covered their heads (וְחָפוּ רֹאשָׁם - vechapu rosham):
  • Word: `חָפָה` (chaphah) means "to cover," "to veil." `רֹאשׁ` (rosh) means "head."
  • Significance: This is a customary gesture in the ancient Near East signaling deep mourning, humiliation, shame, or despair. It's a public acknowledgment of their profound sorrow and abject failure, an admission of defeat.

Words-group by words-group analysis data

• "And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters": This opening establishes the authority and resources initially employed (nobles sending), yet also hints at vulnerability (sending "little ones") to confront a fundamental need (searching for "waters"). It sets up the impending failure, as even the powerful are reduced to desperate measures.
• "they came to the pits, and found no water": This phrase delivers the devastating reality. The "pits" (cisterns, reservoirs) represent their last hopes, engineered or natural solutions for water storage. The emphatic "found no water" reveals the drought's totality and the utter failure of human effort to mitigate divine judgment.
• "they returned with their vessels empty": A powerfully visual and symbolic image of futility. The "empty vessels" are tangible proof of their failure and the pervasive scarcity. It represents unfilled needs, unmet expectations, and the barrenness of the land and their efforts.
• "they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads": This concluding sequence details the profound emotional and social consequences. "Ashamed and confounded" describes the deep disappointment and bewilderment from their public failure and the severity of the divine wrath. "Covered their heads" is a traditional, public sign of deep grief, humiliation, and utter helplessness, underscoring the irreversible nature of their plight and the inescapable nature of God's judgment. This act symbolizes total defeat.

Jeremiah 14 3 Bonus section

• Theological Irony: The "nobles" and "mighty ones" are depicted as completely helpless, forced to send "little ones" for the most basic necessity. This inversion of social hierarchy in the face of judgment highlights God's absolute sovereignty over human power and status. Their impotence underscores that no human authority or wealth can overcome divine wrath.
• Symbolism of Water: In biblical literature, water is often a symbol of life, purification, and divine blessing (e.g., Ps 23:2, John 4:10). Its absence, therefore, powerfully signifies death, curse, and spiritual desolation. The "empty vessels" are not just physically empty but symbolically devoid of God's life-giving presence and blessing due to Judah's sin.
• Prophetic Foreboding: This scene of physical desperation serves as a microcosm and a prophetic foreshadowing of the greater desolation Judah would experience—the destruction of Jerusalem, exile, and the utter breakdown of their society due to their persistent sin. Just as they could not find water, they would not find salvation or deliverance apart from true repentance.

Jeremiah 14 3 Commentary

Jeremiah 14:3 is a poignant portrayal of Judah's desperation during a devastating drought, brought about by God's judgment. It powerfully illustrates the futility of human effort, even by those in power, when faced with divine decree. The image of "nobles" sending "little ones" for water underscores both their diminished capacity and the widespread suffering. The expectation of finding water in "pits" (cisterns) turns to utter dismay when none is found, rendering their "vessels empty." This visual motif encapsulates the land's barrenness and their shattered hope. The subsequent "shame, confusion," and public display of grief by "covering their heads" are stark reminders of their humiliation and the inescapability of God's hand in their calamity. It serves as a stark contrast to Baal worship, whose adherents believed their god controlled rain and fertility; here, only Yahweh demonstrates such power by withholding it. This verse is not merely a description of physical drought but also symbolizes a spiritual drought, where efforts to find spiritual sustenance outside of God lead to emptiness and despair. It calls for recognition of utter dependence on the Sovereign Lord, for without His blessing, all human endeavors are in vain.