Jeremiah 1
1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were 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 the LORD 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 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, to the carrying away of Jerusalem captive 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 Then the word of the LORD 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 wast born I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee 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, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot 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 the LORD said to me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatever I command thee thou shalt speak.
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 their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to rescue you—this is Yahweh's declaration.”
9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD 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 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, 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 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “I see an almond branch.”
12 Then said the LORD to me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten 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 the LORD came to me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a boiling pot; and its face is toward 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 Then the LORD said to me, Out of the north an evil shall 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, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls on every side, 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 utter my judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshipped the works 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 dismayed at their faces, 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 have made thee this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, 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 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver 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.”
