The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞

- Chapter 1 -

This is the word of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah; he was one of the priests at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.

The word of Yahweh came to him in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

It also came in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem were taken away as prisoners.

The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb, I chose you; before you came out from the womb I set you apart; I made you a prophet to the nations.”

“Ah, Lord Yahweh!” I said, “I do not know how to speak, for I am too young.”

But Yahweh said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go everywhere I send you, and you must say whatever I command you!

Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to rescue you-this is Yahweh’s declaration.”

Then Yahweh reached out with his hand, touched my mouth, and said to me, “Now, I have placed my word in your mouth.

I am appointing you today over nations and over kingdoms, to uproot and break down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.”

The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “I see an almond branch.”

Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to carry it out.”

The word of Yahweh came to me a second time and said, “What do you see?” I said, “I see a heated pot, whose surface is churning, tipping away from the north.”

Yahweh said to me, “Disaster will be opened up out of the north on all who live in this land.

For I am calling all the tribes of the northern kingdoms, declares Yahweh. They will come, and everyone will set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all the walls that surround it, and against all the cities of Judah.

I will pronounce sentence against them for all their evil in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods, and in worshiping what they made with their own hands.

Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be shattered before them, or I will shatter you before them!

See! Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land-against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.

They will fight against you, but they will not defeat you, for I will be with you to rescue you-this is Yahweh’s declaration.”

The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.

The LORD’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 the LORD’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)

GOD! Behold,(c) I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.”

But the LORD 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 the LORD.

Then the LORD stretched out his hand and touched my mouth. Then the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

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.”

Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”

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

The LORD’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.”

Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north, evil will break out on all the inhabitants of the land.

For behold, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says the LORD. “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.

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.

“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.

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.

They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says the LORD, “to rescue you.”

Footnotes

(a)1:2 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

(b)1:6 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”

(c)1:6 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.