Print Page Options

The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. Yahweh’s[a] word came to him 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, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month. Now Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.
    Before you were born, I sanctified you.
    I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Then I said, “Ah, Lord[b] Yahweh! Behold,[c] I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.”

But Yahweh said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am a child;’ for you must go to whomever I send you, and you must say whatever I command you. Don’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,” says Yahweh.

Then Yahweh stretched out his hand and touched my mouth. Then Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 10 Behold, I have today set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

11 Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”

I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”

12 Then Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.”

13 Yahweh’s word came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?”

I said, “I see a boiling cauldron; and it is tipping away from the north.”

14 Then Yahweh said to me, “Out of the north, evil will break out on all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For behold, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says Yahweh.

“They will come, and they will each set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem,
    and 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,
    in that they have forsaken me,
    and have burned incense to other gods,
    and worshiped the works of their own hands.

17 “You therefore put your belt on your waist, arise, and say to them all that I command you. Don’t be dismayed at them, lest I dismay you before them. 18 For behold, I have made you today a fortified city, 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 will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says Yahweh, “to rescue you.”

Footnotes

  1. 1:2 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.
  2. 1:6 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
  3. 1:6 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth(A) in the territory of Benjamin. The word of the Lord came(B) to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah(C) son of Amon king of Judah, and through the reign of Jehoiakim(D) son of Josiah king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah(E) son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.(F)

The Call of Jeremiah

The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb(G) I knew[a](H) you,
    before you were born(I) I set you apart;(J)
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.(K)

“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak;(L) I am too young.”(M)

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid(N) of them, for I am with you(O) and will rescue(P) you,” declares the Lord.(Q)

Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched(R) my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.(S) 10 See, today I appoint you over nations(T) and kingdoms to uproot(U) and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”(V)

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

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

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

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

“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(Z) 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.(AA)
16 I will pronounce my judgments(AB) on my people
    because of their wickedness(AC) in forsaking me,(AD)
in burning incense to other gods(AE)
    and in worshiping(AF) what their hands have made.(AG)

17 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say(AH) to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified(AI) by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18 Today I have made you(AJ) 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(AK) you, for I am with you(AL) and will rescue(AM) you,” declares the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 1:5 Or chose
  2. Jeremiah 1:12 The Hebrew for watching sounds like the Hebrew for almond tree.

耶利米的蒙召

便雅憫地亞拿突城的一位祭司,希勒家的兒子耶利米的話記在下面。 猶大王亞們的兒子約西亞作王第十三年,耶和華的話臨到耶利米。 從猶大王約西亞的兒子約雅敬年間,直到猶大王約西亞的兒子西底家末年,就是第十一年五月,耶路撒冷人被擄的時候,耶和華的話也常臨到耶利米。

耶和華的話臨到我,說:

“我使你在母腹中成形以先,就認識你;

你還未出母胎,我已把你分別為聖,

立你作列國的先知。”

我就說:“主耶和華啊!

我不曉得說話,

因為我年輕。”

耶和華對我說:

“你不要說:‘我年輕’,

因為無論我差你到誰那裡,你都要去;

無論我吩咐你說甚麼,你都要說。

你不要怕他們,

因為我與你同在,要拯救你。”

這是耶和華的宣告。

於是耶和華伸手按著我的口,對我說:

“看哪!我把我的話放在你口中。

10 今日我立你在列邦列國之上,

為要拔出、拆毀、

毀滅、傾覆,

又要建立和栽植。”

兩個異象

11 耶和華的話又臨到我,說:“耶利米,你看見甚麼?”我說:“我看見一根杏樹枝子。” 12 耶和華對我說:“你看得不錯,因為我要留意使我的話成就。”

13 耶和華的話再次臨到我,說:“你看見甚麼?”我說:“我看見一個沸騰的鍋,鍋口從北面向南傾側。” 14 耶和華對我說:“必有災禍從北方發出,臨到這地所有的居民。 15 看哪!我要呼召北方列國的眾族,他們要來,各人在耶路撒冷的城門口,設立自己的座位,攻擊耶路撒冷周圍的城牆,又攻擊猶大各城鎮。”這是耶和華的宣告。 16 “為了他們的一切惡事,就是離棄我,向別神燒香,叩拜自己手所做的,我要宣判他們的罪。

耶和華安慰且鼓勵耶利米

17 “因此,你要束腰,你要起來,把我吩咐你的一切話,都告訴他們。不要因他們驚惶,不然我就使你在他們面前驚惶。 18 看哪!今日我使你成為堅城、鐵柱、銅牆,抵擋全地,就是抵擋猶大的君王、首領、祭司和這地的眾民。 19 他們必攻擊你,卻不能勝過你,因為我與你同在,要拯救你。”這是耶和華的宣告。

The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one (A)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 Amon, king of Judah, in (D)the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of (E)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and (F)until the end of the eleventh year of (G)Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, (H)until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

The Call of Jeremiah

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

(I)“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born (J)I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet (K)to the nations.”

Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, (L)I do not know how to speak, (M)for I am only a youth.” 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 (N)whatever I command you, you shall speak.
(O)Do not be afraid of them,
(P)for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the Lord.”

(Q)Then the Lord put out his hand and (R)touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me,

“Behold, I have put (S)my words in your mouth.
10 See, I have set you this day (T)over nations and over kingdoms,
(U)to 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, (V)“Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond[a] 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 (W)a boiling pot, facing away (X)from the north.” 14 Then the Lord said to me, (Y)“Out of the north disaster[b] shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For behold, (Z)I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the Lord, (AA)and 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 (AB)I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil (AC)in forsaking me. (AD)They have made offerings to other gods and (AE)worshiped the works of their own hands. 17 But you, (AF)dress yourself for work;[c] arise, and (AG)say to them everything that I command you. (AH)Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. 18 And I, behold, I make you this day (AI)a fortified city, (AJ)an iron pillar, and (AK)bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. 19 (AL)They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for (AM)I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 1:11 Almond sounds like the Hebrew for watching (compare verse 12)
  2. Jeremiah 1:14 The Hebrew word can mean evil, harm, or disaster, depending on the context; so throughout Jeremiah
  3. Jeremiah 1:17 Hebrew gird up your loins

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

Jeremiah’s Call and Commission

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”(D)

Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.”(E) But the Lord said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy,’
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you.
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
            says the Lord.”(F)

Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me,

“Now I have put my words in your mouth.(G)
10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”(H)

11 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”(I) 12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching[a] 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 a boiling pot, tilted away from the north.”(J)

14 Then the Lord said to me: “Out of the north disaster shall break out on all the inhabitants of the land.(K) 15 For now I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, says the Lord, and they shall come, and all of them shall set their thrones at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its surrounding walls and against all the cities of Judah.(L) 16 And I will utter my judgments against them for all their wickedness in forsaking me; they have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands.(M) 17 But you, gird up your loins; stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them.(N) 18 And I for my part have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.(O) 19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.”(P)

Footnotes

  1. 1.12 In Heb the word for almond resembles the word for watching