Jeremiah 1

God's Commission and Reassurance Jeremiah 1:4–10

⁴Verse 4. Now Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, ⁵Verse 5. “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.” ⁶Verse 6. Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.” ⁷Verse 7. 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. ⁸Verse 8. Don’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,” says Yahweh. ⁹Verse 9. Then Yahweh stretched out his hand, and touched my mouth. Then Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

¹⁰Verse 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.”

Visions of the Almond Tree and Cauldron Jeremiah 1:11–14

¹¹Verse 11. Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” ¹²Verse 12. Then Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.” ¹³Verse 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.” ¹⁴Verse 14. Then Yahweh said to me, “Out of the north, evil will break out on all the inhabitants of the land.

Judgment and Strengthened Resolve Jeremiah 1:15–19

¹⁵Verse 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. ¹⁶Verse 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. ¹⁷Verse 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.

¹⁸Verse 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. ¹⁹Verse 19. They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says Yahweh, “to rescue you.”