Keraia
Major Prophets

Jeremiah 1

The Call of Jeremiah

1These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

1The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,

2The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah,

2to whom the word of YHWH came in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reigning.

3and through 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 went into exile.

3And it came to pass in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, until the completion of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

4The word of the LORD came to me, saying:

4And the word of YHWH came to me saying,

5“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

and before you were born I set you apart

and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

5“Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you; and before you came forth from the womb I consecrated you, and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

6“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!”

6And I said, “Ah, Lord YHWH! Behold, I have not known to speak, for I am a youth.”

7But the LORD told me:

“Do not say,

‘I am only a child.’

For to everyone I send you,

you must go,

and all that I command you,

you must speak.

7And YHWH said to me, “Do not say ‘I am a youth.’ For you shall go to all to whom I shall send you, and all that I command you, you shall speak.

8Do not be afraid of them,

for I am with you to deliver you,”

declares the LORD.

8“Do not be afraid of their faces; for I am with you to deliver you,” a declaration of YHWH.

9Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me:

“Behold, I have put My words

in your mouth.

9And YHWH stretched out His hand and touched my mouth. And YHWH said to me “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

10See, I have appointed you today

over nations and kingdoms

to uproot and tear down,

to destroy and overthrow,

to build and plant.”

10See, I have set you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to uproot and to tear down, and to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.”

11And the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”

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

11And the word of YHWH came to me saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”

12“You have observed correctly,” said the LORD, “for I am watching over My word to accomplish it.”

12And YHWH said to me, “You have seen well;” “For I am watching over My word to do it.”

13Again the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “What do you see?”

“I see a boiling pot,” I replied, “and it is tilting toward us from the north.”

13And the word of YHWH came to me a second time saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot; and its face is away from the face of the north.”

14Then the LORD said to me, “Disaster from the north will be poured out on all who live in the land.

14And YHWH said to me, “From the north evil shall break forth over all those dwelling in the land.

15For I am about to summon all the clans and kingdoms of the north,” declares the LORD.

“Their kings will come and set up their thrones

at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem.

They will attack all her surrounding walls

and all the other cities of Judah.

15For, behold, I am calling all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” a declaration of YHWH, “And they shall come, and set each man his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls round about, and against all the cities of Judah.

16I will pronounce My judgments against them

for all their wickedness,

because they have forsaken Me,

and they have burned incense to other gods

and worshiped the works of their own hands.

16And I will speak My judgments against them over all their wickedness, because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods, and bowed down to the works of their own hands.

17Get yourself ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them, or I will terrify you before them.

17And you must gird your loins, and stand up, and speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, lest I dismay you before their faces!

18Now behold, this day I have made you like 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.

18And behold, for I have made you this day as a fortified city, and as a pillar of iron, and as walls of bronze against all the land, against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land.

19They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.

19And they will fight against you, and they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you to deliver you,” a declaration of YHWH.