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耶利米的蒙召

便雅悯地亚拿突城的一位祭司,希勒家的儿子耶利米的话记在下面。 犹大王亚们的儿子约西亚作王第十三年,耶和华的话临到耶利米。 从犹大王约西亚的儿子约雅敬年间,直到犹大王约西亚的儿子西底家末年,就是第十一年五月,耶路撒冷人被掳的时候,耶和华的话也常临到耶利米。

耶和华的话临到我,说:

“我使你在母腹中成形以先,就认识你;

你还未出母胎,我已把你分别为圣,

立你作列国的先知。”

我就说:“主耶和华啊!

我不晓得说话,

因为我年轻。”

耶和华对我说:

“你不要说:‘我年轻’,

因为无论我差你到谁那里,你都要去;

无论我吩咐你说甚么,你都要说。

你不要怕他们,

因为我与你同在,要拯救你。”

这是耶和华的宣告。

于是耶和华伸手按着我的口,对我说:

“看哪!我把我的话放在你口中。

10 今日我立你在列邦列国之上,

为要拔出、拆毁、

毁灭、倾覆,

又要建立和栽植。”

两个异象

11 耶和华的话又临到我,说:“耶利米,你看见甚么?”我说:“我看见一根杏树枝子。” 12 耶和华对我说:“你看得不错,因为我要留意使我的话成就。”

13 耶和华的话再次临到我,说:“你看见甚么?”我说:“我看见一个沸腾的锅,锅口从北面向南倾侧。” 14 耶和华对我说:“必有灾祸从北方发出,临到这地所有的居民。 15 看哪!我要呼召北方列国的众族,他们要来,各人在耶路撒冷的城门口,设立自己的座位,攻击耶路撒冷周围的城墙,又攻击犹大各城镇。”这是耶和华的宣告。 16 “为了他们的一切恶事,就是离弃我,向别神烧香,叩拜自己手所做的,我要宣判他们的罪。

耶和华安慰且鼓励耶利米

17 “因此,你要束腰,你要起来,把我吩咐你的一切话,都告诉他们。不要因他们惊惶,不然我就使你在他们面前惊惶。 18 看哪!今日我使你成为坚城、铁柱、铜墙,抵挡全地,就是抵挡犹大的君王、首领、祭司和这地的众民。 19 他们必攻击你,却不能胜过你,因为我与你同在,要拯救你。”这是耶和华的宣告。

Jeremiah’s Call and Commission

The words of (A)Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in (B)Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of (C)Josiah the son of (D)Amon, king of Judah, in the (E)thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of (F)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of (G)Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

“Before I (H)formed you in the womb I knew you,
And (I)before you were born I consecrated you;
I have (J)appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Then (K)I said, “Oh, Lord [a]God!
Behold, I do not know how to speak,
Because (L)I am a youth.”
But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’
(M)Because everywhere I send you, you shall go,
And (N)all that I command you, you shall speak.
(O)Do not be afraid of them,
For (P)I am with you to save you,” declares the Lord.

Then the Lord stretched out His hand and (Q)touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me,

“Behold, I have (R)put My words in your mouth.
10 See, (S)I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms,
(T)To root out and to tear down,
To destroy and to overthrow,
(U)To build and to plant.”

The Almond Branch and Boiling Pot

11 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “What do you see, (V)Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a branch of an [b]almond tree.” 12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for (W)I am [c]watching over My word to perform it.”

13 And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “(X)What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling (Y)pot, facing away from the north.” 14 Then the Lord said to me, “(Z)Out of the north the evil [d]will be unleashed on all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For, behold, I am calling (AA)all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” declares the Lord; “and they will come and (AB)place, each one of them, his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls around, and against all the (AC)cities of Judah. 16 And I will [e]pronounce My judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, since they have (AD)abandoned Me and have [f](AE)offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped the (AF)works of their own hands. 17 Now, (AG)belt your garment around your waist and arise, and speak to them all that I command you. (AH)Do not be dismayed before them, or I will make you dismayed before them. 18 Now behold, I have made you today like a fortified city and like a pillar of iron and walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its leaders, to its priests, and to the people of the land. 19 And they will fight against you but they will not overcome you, for (AI)I am with you to save you,” declares the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 1:6 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  2. Jeremiah 1:11 Heb shaqed, see note v 12
  3. Jeremiah 1:12 Heb shoqed, a wordplay on almond in v 11 (see note v 11)
  4. Jeremiah 1:14 Lit opened
  5. Jeremiah 1:16 Lit speak
  6. Jeremiah 1:16 Or burned incense

Jeremiah Called to Be a Priest

The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were (A)in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of (B)Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, (C)in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of (D)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, (E)until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, (F)until the carrying away of Jerusalem captive (G)in the fifth month.

The Prophet Is Called

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

“Before I (H)formed you in the womb (I)I knew you;
Before you were born I (J)sanctified[a] you;
I [b]ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Then said I:

(K)“Ah, Lord God!
Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”

But the Lord said to me:

“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’
For you shall go to all to whom I send you,
And (L)whatever I command you, you shall speak.
(M)Do not be afraid of their faces,
For (N)I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.

Then the Lord put forth His hand and (O)touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me:

“Behold, I have (P)put My words in your mouth.
10 (Q)See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms,
To (R)root out and to pull down,
To destroy and to throw down,
To build and to plant.”

11 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”

And I said, “I see a [c]branch of an almond tree.”

12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am [d]ready to perform My word.”

13 And the word of the Lord came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?”

And I said, “I see (S)a boiling pot, and it is facing away from the north.”

14 Then the Lord said to me:

“Out of the (T)north calamity shall break forth
On all the inhabitants of the land.
15 For behold, I am (U)calling
All the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says the Lord;
“They shall come and (V)each one 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 I will utter My judgments
Against them concerning all their wickedness,
Because (W)they have forsaken Me,
Burned (X)incense to other gods,
And worshiped the works of their own (Y)hands.

17 “Therefore (Z)prepare yourself and arise,
And speak to them all that I command you.
(AA)Do not be dismayed before their faces,
Lest I dismay you before them.
18 For behold, I have made you this day
(AB)A fortified city and an iron pillar,
And bronze walls against the whole land—
Against the kings of Judah,
Against its princes,
Against its priests,
And against the people of the land.
19 They will fight against you,
But they shall not prevail against you.
For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 1:5 set you apart
  2. Jeremiah 1:5 appointed
  3. Jeremiah 1:11 Lit. rod
  4. Jeremiah 1:12 Lit. watching

The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:

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.

It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.

Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy 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.

11 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.

12 Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

13 And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north.

14 Then the Lord said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the 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 entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.

16 And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.

17 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

18 For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against 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.