Add parallel Print Page Options

11 Then the Lord said to me, “Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?”

And I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.”

12 And the Lord said, “That’s right, and it means that I am watching,[a] and I will certainly carry out all my plans.”

13 Then the Lord spoke to me again and asked, “What do you see now?”

And I replied, “I see a pot of boiling water, spilling from the north.”

14 “Yes,” the Lord said, “for terror from the north will boil out on the people of this land. 15 Listen! I am calling the armies of the kingdoms of the north to come to Jerusalem. I, the Lord, have spoken!

“They will set their thrones
    at the gates of the city.
They will attack its walls
    and all the other towns of Judah.
16 I will pronounce judgment
    on my people for all their evil—
for deserting me and burning incense to other gods.
    Yes, they worship idols made with their own hands!

17 “Get up and prepare for action.
    Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say.
Do not be afraid of them,
    or I will make you look foolish in front of them.
18 For see, today I have made you strong
    like a fortified city that cannot be captured,
    like an iron pillar or a bronze wall.
You will stand against the whole land—
    the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah.
19 They will fight you, but they will fail.
    For I am with you, and I will take care of you.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1:12 The Hebrew word for “watching” (shoqed) sounds like the word for “almond tree” (shaqed).

11 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”(A)

“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.

12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching[a](B) to see that my word is fulfilled.”

13 The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?”(C)

“I see a pot that is boiling,” I answered. “It is tilting toward us from the north.”

14 The Lord said to me, “From the north(D) 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.(E)
16 I will pronounce my judgments(F) on my people
    because of their wickedness(G) in forsaking me,(H)
in burning incense to other gods(I)
    and in worshiping(J) what their hands have made.(K)

17 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say(L) to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified(M) by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18 Today I have made you(N) 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(O) you, for I am with you(P) and will rescue(Q) you,” declares the Lord.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 1:12 The Hebrew for watching sounds like the Hebrew for almond tree.