Jeremiah 1
1 Words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of the priests who [are] 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 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,
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 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.
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 And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
5 '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.'
“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 And I say, 'Ah, Lord Jehovah! lo, I have not known — to speak, for I [am] a youth.'
“Ah, Lord Yahweh!” I said, “I do not know how to speak, for I am too young.”
7 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.
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 with thee [am] I to deliver thee, — an affirmation of Jehovah.'
Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to rescue you—this is Yahweh's declaration.”
9 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.
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 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.'
I am appointing you today over nations and over kingdoms, to uproot and break down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.”
11 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.'
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “I see an almond branch.”
12 And Jehovah saith unto me, 'Thou hast well seen: for I am watching over My word to do it.'
Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to carry it out.”
13 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.'
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 saith unto me, 'From the north is the evil loosed against all 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 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.
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 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.
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 '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.
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 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;
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 have fought against thee, and they prevail not against thee; for with thee [am] I, — an affirmation of Jehovah — 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.”
