The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one aof the priests who were in bAnathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of aJosiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in bthe thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of aJehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and buntil the end of the eleventh year of cZedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, duntil the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
The Call of Jeremiah
4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 a“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born bI consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet cto the nations.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, aI do not know how to speak, bfor I am only a youth.” 7 But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and awhatever I command you, you shall speak.
8 aDo not be afraid of them,
bfor I am with you to deliver you,
declares the Lord.”
9 aThen the Lord put out his hand and btouched my mouth. And the Lord said to me,
“Behold, I have put cmy words in your mouth.
10 See, I have set you this day aover nations and over kingdoms,
bto pluck up and to break down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”
11 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, a“Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” 12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”
13 The word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see aa boiling pot, facing away bfrom the north.” 14 Then the Lord said to me, a“Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For behold, aI am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the Lord, band they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah. 16 And aI will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil bin forsaking me. cThey have made offerings to other gods and dworshiped the works of their own hands. 17 But you, adress yourself for work; arise, and bsay to them everything that I command you. cDo not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. 18 And I, behold, I make you this day aa fortified city, ban iron pillar, and cbronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. 19 aThey will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for bI am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”