The Almond Branch and Boiling Pot

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

¹³ And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “^(C)What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling ^(D)pot, facing away from the north.” ¹⁴ Then the Lord said to me, “^(E)Out of the north the evil ^[c]will be unleashed on all the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁵ For, behold, I am calling ^(F)all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” declares the Lord; “and they will come and ^(G)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 ^(H)cities of Judah. ¹⁶ And I will ^[d]pronounce My judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, since they have ^(I)abandoned Me and have ^[e](J)offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped the ^(K)works of their own hands. ¹⁷ Now, ^(L)belt your garment around your waist and arise, and speak to them all that I command you. ^(M)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 ^(N)I am with you to save you,” declares the Lord.