- 1
- The words of Jeremiah son of
Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.
- 2
- The word of the LORD came to
him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah,
- 3
- and through the reign of
Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the
eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of
Jerusalem went into exile.
- 4
- The word of the LORD came to
me, saying,
- 5
- "Before I formed you in
the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you
as a prophet to the nations."
- 6
- "Ah, Sovereign
LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a
child."
- 7
- But the LORD said to me,
"Do not say, `I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to
and say whatever I command you.
- 8
- Do not be afraid of them, for
I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.
- 9
- Then the LORD reached out his
hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in
your mouth.
- 10
- See, today I appoint you over
nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to
build and to plant."
- 11
- The word of the LORD came to
me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?" "I see the branch of an
almond tree," I replied.
- 12
- The LORD said to me, "You
have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is
fulfilled."
- 13
- The word of the LORD came to
me again: "What do you see?" "I see a boiling pot, tilting
away from the north," I answered.
- 14
- The LORD said to me,
"From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the
land.
- 15
- I am about to summon all the
peoples of the northern kingdoms," declares the LORD. "Their kings
will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of
Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all
the towns of Judah.
- 16
- I will pronounce my judgments
on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense
to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.
- 17
- "Get yourself ready!
Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by
them, or I will terrify you before them.
- 18
- Today I have made you a
fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole
land--against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people
of the land.
- 19
- They will fight against you
but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,"
declares the LORD.
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