The Lord speaks to Jeremiah during a drought.
Judah and Jerusalem mourn and cry. The nobles send servants for water and there is none. Servants are shamed. Farmers are shamed nothing can grow with no water. No grass for the wild animals to eat.
How interesting that they felt shame. They recognized that they had some part in the relationship between God's sovereignty, nature, and their provision. I'm not saying we're to blame for every bad thing in our lives. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. But when these things happen, we should go to God and ask if this is a warning or, as Job learned, sometimes we just don't understand God's will.
Starting in verse 7, Jeremiah intercedes. Confess and ask that God act for His name's sake. He let's God know that they know He is among them, but seems unwilling to save them.
God replies by reminding Jeremiah that these people sin without thought of Him. He tells Jeremiah not to bother praying for them. Even when they fast, He will not listen. He also won't accept their sacrifice. He plans on ending them with sword, famine, and pestilence.
Jeremiah reminds the Lord that the people have false prophets telling them that none of those bad things will happen to them. They are being deceived. The Lord confirms it is a deception. A false message not from God. Then the Lord reassures him that those prophets will indeed fall by sword or famine.
Furthermore, the people will also die in such great numbers there will be no one to bury them. So God tells Jeremiah to go prophesy to them, with tears flowing, that terrible suffering and death are coming.
In verses 19-22, the final paragraph of the chapter, either Jeremiah or the voice of the people responds to God. First questioning why He has rejected them and is not answering their call. But then seems to get it and responds with confession and a call for Him to help them for His name's sake and the sake of the covenant. They even try to point out how the idols can do nothing that He can do.
This is the right approach, if it had been sincere and if it had been done in time; but they were warned that the covenant WAS toward this outcome. It wasn't a Christmas list of just good things; but a promise of bad things if they didn't get their act together. Also, way too late. Another thing they had been repeatedly warned about. God is merciful and patient...until He isn't.
A Ryrie Study Bible footnote states that verses 17-22 is Jeremiah continuing to intercede for the people, despite God telling him to stop praying for them.