Jeremiah 1
1 These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.
Words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of the priests who [are] in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin,
2 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah,
unto whom the word of Jehovah hath been in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign,
3 and through the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.
and it is in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, till the completion of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, till the removal of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
'Before I form thee in the belly, I have known thee; and before thou comest forth from the womb I have separated thee, a prophet to nations I have made thee.'
6 “Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!”
And I say, 'Ah, Lord Jehovah! lo, I have not known — to speak, for I [am] a youth.'
7 But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak.
And Jehovah saith unto me, 'Do not say, I [am] a youth, for to all to whom I send thee thou goest, and all that I command thee thou speakest.
8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,”
Be not afraid of their faces, for with thee [am] I to deliver thee, — an affirmation of Jehovah.'
9 Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
And Jehovah putteth forth His hand, and striketh against my mouth, and Jehovah saith unto me, 'Lo, I have put my words in thy mouth.
10 See, I have appointed you today over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.”
See, I have charged thee this day concerning the nations, and concerning the kingdoms, to pluck up, and to break down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.'
11 And the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” “I see a branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying, 'What art thou seeing, Jeremiah?' And I say, 'A rod of an almond tree I am seeing.'
12 “You have observed correctly,” said the LORD, “for I am watching over My word to accomplish it.”
And Jehovah saith unto me, 'Thou hast well seen: for I am watching over My word to do it.'
13 Again the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “What do you see?” “I see a boiling pot,” I replied, “and it is tilting toward us from the north.”
And there is a word of Jehovah unto me a second time, saying, 'What art thou seeing?' And I say, 'A blown pot I am seeing, and its face [is] from the north.'
14 Then the LORD said to me, “Disaster from the north will be poured out on all who live in the land.
And Jehovah saith unto me, 'From the north is the evil loosed against all inhabitants of the land.
15 For I am about to summon all the clans and kingdoms of the north,” declares the LORD. “Their kings will come and set up their thrones at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem. They will attack all her surrounding walls and all the other cities of Judah.
For, lo, I am calling for all families of the kingdoms of the north, — an affirmation of Jehovah — and they have come, and put each his throne at the opening of the gates of Jerusalem, and by its walls round about, and by all cities of Judah.
16 I will pronounce My judgments against them for all their wickedness, because they have forsaken Me to burn incense to other gods and to worship the works of their own hands.
And I have spoken My judgments with them concerning all their evil, in that they have forsaken Me, and make perfume to other gods, and bow themselves to the works of their own hands.
17 Get yourself ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them, or I will terrify you before them.
'And thou, thou dost gird up thy loins, and hast arisen, and spoken unto them all that I command thee: be not affrighted because of them, lest I affright thee before them.
18 Now behold, this day I have made you like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.
And I, lo, I have given thee this day for a fenced city, and for an iron pillar, and for brazen walls over all the land, to the kings of Judah, to its heads, to its priests, and to the people of the land;
19 They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
and they have fought against thee, and they prevail not against thee; for with thee [am] I, — an affirmation of Jehovah — to deliver thee.
