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

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

2 Y ahweh’s word came to him in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

3 I t 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.

It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

4 N ow Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,

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.”

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

6 T hen I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.”

Then I said, “Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth.”

7 B ut 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.

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak.

8 D on’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,” says Yahweh.

“ Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord.

9 T hen Yahweh stretched out his hand, and touched my mouth. Then Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

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

10 B ehold, 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.”

“See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant.” The Almond Rod and Boiling Pot

11 M oreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”

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

12 T hen Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.”

Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it.”

13 Y ahweh’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.”

The word of the Lord came to me a second time saying, “ What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.”

14 T hen Yahweh said to me, “Out of the north, evil will break out on all the inhabitants of the land.

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

15 F or, 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.

For, behold, I am calling all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” declares the Lord; “and they will come and they will set each one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls round about and against all the cities of Judah.

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.

I will pronounce My judgments on them concerning all their wickedness, whereby they have forsaken Me and have offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands.

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.

Now, gird up your loins and arise, and speak to them all which I command you. Do not be dismayed before them, or I will dismay you before them.

18 F or, 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.

Now behold, I have made you today as a fortified city and as a pillar of iron and as walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its princes, to its priests and to the people of the land.

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

They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord.