King James Version
What Does Jeremiah 14:4 Mean?
“Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.”
Context
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.
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(4) **The ground is chapt.**—The word is so vivid as describing the long fissures of the soil in a time of drought that one admits with reluctance that no such meaning is found in the Hebrew word, which simply means *is struck with terror. *The translators apparently followed Luther, who gives *lechzet*—“languishes for thirst,” “gapes open with exhaustion,” and so applied to the earth, “is cracked or chapt.”
As the “gates” in Jeremiah 14:2 stood for the people of the city, so the “ground” stands here as in visible sympathy with the tillers of the soil, the “plowmen” of the next clause.
**They covered their heads.**—There is a singular, almost awful, pathos in the iteration of this description. Cities and country alike are plunged into the utter blackness of despair.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Jeremiah 14:4 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Jeremiah 14:4
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge