Jeremiah 1
1 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests, who dwelt in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin;
These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.
2 to whom the word of Jehovah came in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign;
The word of Yahweh came to him in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3 to whom it also came in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the carrying away of Jerusalem into captivity in the fifth month.
It also came in 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 were taken away as prisoners.
4 The word of Jehovah came to me, saying:
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
5 Before I formed thee in the womb, I knew thee; and before thou camest into the world, I chose thee; I appointed thee to be a prophet to the nations.
“Before I formed you in the womb, I chose you; before you came out from the womb I set you apart; I made you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then said I, Alas, O Lord Jehovah! Behold, I am not able to speak; for I am a child.
“Ah, Lord Yahweh!” I said, “I do not know how to speak, for I am too young.”
7 But Jehovah said to me, Say not, I am a child; but go to whomever I send thee, and speak whatever I command thee!
But Yahweh said to me, “Do not say, 'I am too young.' You must go everywhere I send you, and you must say whatever I command you!
8 Be not afraid of them! For I am with thee to help thee, saith Jehovah.
Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to rescue you—this is Yahweh's declaration.”
9 Then Jehovah put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. Jehovah also said to me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
Then Yahweh reached out with his hand, touched my mouth, and said to me, “Now, I have placed my word in your mouth.
10 Behold, I have set thee this day over nations and over kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to overthrow; and to build, and to plant.
I am appointing you today over nations and over kingdoms, to uproot and break down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.”
11 Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, I see a rod of almond-wood.
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “I see an almond branch.”
12 And Jehovah said to me, Thou hast seen right; for I am watchful over my word to perform it.
Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to carry it out.”
13 And the word of Jehovah came to me a second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a boiling pot, whose face is turned from the north.
The word of Yahweh came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” I said, “I see a heated pot, whose surface is churning, tipping away from the north.”
14 And Jehovah said to me, From the north shall evil break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
Yahweh said to me, “Disaster will be opened up out of the north on all who live in this land.
15 For, behold, I will call all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, saith Jehovah; and they shall come, and shall set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all her walls around, and against all the cities of Judah.
For I am calling all the tribes of the northern kingdoms, declares Yahweh. They will come, and everyone will set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all the walls that surround it, and against all the cities of Judah.
16 And I will pronounce my judgments against them for all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshipped the work of their own hands.
I will pronounce sentence against them for all their evil in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods, and in worshiping what they made with their own hands.
17 Thou, therefore, gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command thee; be not afraid of them, lest I confound thee before them.
Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be shattered before them, or I will shatter you before them!
18 For, behold, I make thee this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass against all this land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
Behold! Today I have made you 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.
19 They shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I will be with thee, saith Jehovah, to help thee.
They will fight against you, but they will not defeat you, for I will be with you to rescue you—this is Yahweh's declaration.”
