Charles Ellicott Commentary Jeremiah 14:3

"And their nobles send their little ones to the waters: they come to the cisterns, and find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are put to shame and confounded, and cover their heads." — Jeremiah 14:3 (ASV)

Their little ones. —Not their children, but their menial servants. The word is peculiar to Jeremiah, and occurs only here and in Jeremiah 48:4. The vivid picture of the messengers running back and forth to all wells, and springs, and tanks, reminds us of Ahab’s search for wells or springs in the time of the great drought of his reign (1 Kings 18:5), of the two or three cities wandering to the one city that was yet supplied with water (Amos 4:8).

The pits. —The tanks or reservoirs where, if anywhere, water might be looked for.

Covered their heads. —The extremest sign of a grief too great to utter itself to others, craving to be alone in its wretchedness (2 Samuel 15:30; 2 Samuel 19:4). The student will recollect it as occurring also in the account of the painting of Agamemnon at the Sacrifice of Iphigenia, ascribed to Timanthes.