Jeremiah 1
1
1These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests from the town of Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. 2The Lord first gave messages to Jeremiah during the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.#1:2 The thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign was 627 b.c. 3The Lord’s messages continued throughout the reign of King Jehoiakim, Josiah’s son, until the eleventh year of the reign of King Zedekiah, another of Josiah’s sons. In August#1:3 Hebrew In the fifth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. A number of events in Jeremiah can be cross-checked with dates in surviving Babylonian records and related accurately to our modern calendar. The fifth month in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign occurred within the months of August and September 586 b.c. Also see 52:12 and the note there. of that eleventh year the people of Jerusalem were taken away as captives.
Jeremiah’s Call and First Visions
4The Lord gave me this message:
5“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
6“O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
7The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” 9Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said,
“Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
10Today I appoint you to stand up
against nations and kingdoms.
Some you must uproot and tear down,
destroy and overthrow.
Others you must build up
and plant.”
11Then the Lord said to me, “Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?”
And I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.”
12And the Lord said, “That’s right, and it means that I am watching,#1:12 The Hebrew word for “watching” (shoqed) sounds like the word for “almond tree” (shaqed). and I will certainly carry out all my plans.”
13Then the Lord spoke to me again and asked, “What do you see now?”
And I replied, “I see a pot of boiling water, spilling from the north.”
14“Yes,” the Lord said, “for terror from the north will boil out on the people of this land. 15Listen! I am calling the armies of the kingdoms of the north to come to Jerusalem. I, the Lord, have spoken!
“They will set their thrones
at the gates of the city.
They will attack its walls
and all the other towns of Judah.
16I will pronounce judgment
on my people for all their evil—
for deserting me and burning incense to other gods.
Yes, they worship idols made with their own hands!
17“Get up and prepare for action.
Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say.
Do not be afraid of them,
or I will make you look foolish in front of them.
18For see, today I have made you strong
like a fortified city that cannot be captured,
like an iron pillar or a bronze wall.
You will stand against the whole land—
the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah.
19They will fight you, but they will fail.
For I am with you, and I will take care of you.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
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Jeremiah 1: NLT
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Jeremiah 1
1
1These are the messages of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah. Jeremiah belonged to the family of priests who lived in the town of Anathoth.#1:1 priests … of Anathoth These priests probably belonged to the family of the priest Abiathar. Abiathar was a high priest in Jerusalem during the time David was king. He was sent away to Anathoth by King Solomon. See 1 Kings 2:26. That town is in the land that belongs to the tribe of Benjamin. 2The Lord began to speak to Jeremiah in the 13th year#1:2 the 13th year That is, 627 B.C. that Josiah, son of Amon, was king of the nation of Judah. 3He continued to speak to Jeremiah during the time that Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, was king of Judah and during the eleven years and five months that Zedekiah, also a son of Josiah, was king of Judah. In the fifth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year as king, the people who lived in Jerusalem were taken away into exile.
God Calls Jeremiah
4The Lord’s message came to me:
5“Before I made you in your mother’s womb,
I knew you.
Before you were born,
I chose you for a special work.
I chose you to be a prophet to the nations.”
6Then I said, “But, Lord GOD, I don’t know how to speak. I am only a boy.”
7But the Lord said to me,
“Don’t say, ‘I am only a boy.’
You must go everywhere I send you
and say everything I tell you to say.
8Don’t be afraid of anyone.
I am with you, and I will protect you.”
This message is from the Lord.
9Then the Lord reached out with his hand and touched my mouth. He said to me,
“Jeremiah, I am putting my words in your mouth.
10Today I have put you in charge of nations and kingdoms.
You will pull up and tear down.
You will destroy and overthrow.
You will build up and plant.”
Two Visions
11The Lord’s message came to me: “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
I answered, “I see a stick made from almond wood.”
12The Lord said to me, “You have seen very well, and I am watching#1:12 watching This is a wordplay. Shaqed is the Hebrew word for “almond wood,” and shoqed means “watching.” to make sure that my message to you comes true.”
13The Lord’s message came to me again: “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
I answered, “I see a pot of boiling water. That pot is tipping over from the north.”
14The Lord said to me, “Something terrible will come from the north.
It will happen to all the people who live in this country.
15In a short time I will call all the people in the northern kingdoms.”
This is what the Lord said.
“The kings of those countries will come
and set up their thrones near the gates of Jerusalem.
They will attack the city walls of Jerusalem.
They will attack all the cities in Judah.
16And I will announce judgment against my people,
because they are evil and have turned away from me.
They offered sacrifices to other gods
and worshiped idols they made with their own hands.
17“As for you, Jeremiah, get ready.
Stand up and speak to the people.
Tell them everything that I tell you to say.
Don’t be afraid of the people.
If you are afraid of them,
I will give you good reason to be afraid of them.
18As for me, today I will make you like a strong city,
an iron column, a bronze wall.
You will be able to stand against everyone in the land,
against the kings of the land of Judah,
the leaders of Judah, the priests of Judah,
and against the people of the land of Judah.
19All those people will fight against you,
but they will not defeat you,
because I am with you,
and I will save you.”
This message is from the Lord.
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