Jeremiah 1
Expanded Bible
1 These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah [C perhaps the person who discovered the lost book of the law; 2 Kin. 22:4, 8–14]. ·He belonged to the family of [L …from the] priests who lived in Anathoth [C a town given to the Levites a few miles northeast of Jerusalem; Josh. 21:18; 1 Kin. 2:26] in the land of Benjamin. 2 The Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah during the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah [C 627–626 bc; a good king who returned Israel to true worship; 2 Kin. 22:1—23:31; 2 Chr. 34–35]. 3 The Lord also spoke to Jeremiah while Jehoiakim [2 Kin. 23:34–37; 2 Chr. 36:4–8] son of Josiah was king of Judah and during the eleven years that Zedekiah [2 Kin. 24:18–20; 2 Chr. 36:11–16] son of Josiah was king of Judah. In the fifth month of his last year [C 586 bc], the people of Jerusalem were taken away as ·captives [exiles; 2 Kin. 25:1–21; 2 Chr. 36:4–8].
The Lord Calls Jeremiah
4 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:
5 “Before I ·made [formed] you in your mother’s womb, I ·chose [L knew] you.
Before you ·were born [L came out of the womb], I ·set you apart for a special work [consecrated you].
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “But Lord God, I don’t know how to speak. I am only a ·boy [child; youth].”
7 But the Lord said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am only a ·boy [child; youth].’ You must go everywhere I send you, and you must say everything I ·tell you to say [L command you]. 8 Don’t be afraid of anyone, because I am with you to protect you,” says the Lord.
9 Then the Lord ·reached [L sent] out his hand and touched my mouth [C to consecrate it; Is. 6:7]. He said to me, “See, I am putting my words in your mouth. 10 Today I have ·put you in charge of [L appointed you over] nations and kingdoms. You will ·pull [pluck] up and ·tear [pull] down, destroy and overthrow, build up and plant [C he will announce judgment and salvation].”
Jeremiah Sees Two Visions
11 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying: “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
I answered, “I see a ·stick [branch] of almond ·wood [tree].”
12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, because I am watching to make sure my words come true [C “to watch” (shaqad) sounds like “almond tree” (shoqed)].”
13 The Lord spoke his word to me ·again [or a second time]: “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a pot of boiling water, tipping over from the north.”
14 The Lord said to me, “Disaster will ·come [let loose; open up] from the north and strike all the people who live in this country [C the Babylonians would attack from the north]. 15 In a short time I will call all of the ·people [clans] in the northern kingdoms,” said the Lord.
“Those kings will come and set up their thrones
near the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem.
They will attack all the city walls around Jerusalem
and all the cities in Judah.
16 And I will announce my judgments against my people
because of their evil in ·turning away from [abandoning; forsaking] me.
They ·offered sacrifices [or burned incense] to other gods
and ·worshiped [bowed down to] ·idols they had made with [L the works of] their own hands.
17 “Jeremiah, ·get ready [brace yourself; L gird up your loins]. Stand up and tell them everything I command you to say. Don’t be afraid of the people, or I will give you good reason to be afraid of them. 18 Today I am going to make you a ·strong [fortified] city, an iron pillar, a bronze wall. You will be able to stand against everyone in the land: Judah’s kings, officers, priests, and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, but they will not ·defeat [prevail over] you, because I am with you to protect you!” says the Lord.
Jeremiah 1
New American Standard Bible
Jeremiah’s Call and Commission
1 The words of (A)Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in (B)Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 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. 3 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.
4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 “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.”
6 Then (K)I said, “Oh, Lord [a]God!
Behold, I do not know how to speak,
Because (L)I am a youth.”
7 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.
8 (O)Do not be afraid of them,
For (P)I am with you to save you,” declares the Lord.
9 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
- Jeremiah 1:6 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
- Jeremiah 1:11 Heb shaqed, see note v 12
- Jeremiah 1:12 Heb shoqed, a wordplay on almond in v 11 (see note v 11)
- Jeremiah 1:14 Lit opened
- Jeremiah 1:16 Lit speak
- Jeremiah 1:16 Or burned incense
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
