The words of aJeremiah
the son
of Hilkiah
, of the priests
who
were in bAnathoth
in the land
of Benjamin
,
to whom the word
of the LORD
came
in the days
of aJosiah
the son
of bAmon
, king
of Judah
, in the cthirteenth
year
of his reign
.
It came also in the days
of aJehoiakim
the son
of Josiah
, king
of Judah
, until
the end
of the eleventh
year
of bZedekiah
the son
of Josiah
, king
of Judah
, until
the exile
of Jerusalem
in the fifth
month
.
Now the word of the LORD
came
to me saying
,
"Before I aformed
you in the womb
I knew
you, And bbefore
you were born
I consecrated
you; I have cappointed
you a prophet
to the nations
."
Then aI said, "Alas
, Lord
1GOD
! Behold
, I do not know
how to speak
, Because
bI am a youth
."
But the LORD said
to me, "Do not say
, `I am a youth
,' aBecause
everywhere
I send
you, you shall go
, And ball
that I command
you, you shall speak
.
" aDo not be afraid of them, For bI am with you to deliver
you," declares
the LORD
.
Then the LORD stretched
out His hand
and atouched
my mouth
, and the LORD
said
to me, "Behold
, I have bput
My words
in your mouth
.
"See, aI have appointed
you this
day
over
the nations
and over
the kingdoms
, bTo pluck
up and to break
down
, To destroy
and to overthrow
, cTo build
and to plant
."
The word of the LORD
came
to me saying
, "What
do you see
, aJeremiah
?" And I said
, "I see
a rod
of an 1almond
tree
."
Then the LORD said
to me, "You have seen
well
, for aI am 1watching
over
My word
to perform
it."
The word of the LORD
came
to me a second
time
saying
, " aWhat
do you see
?" And I said
, "I see
a boiling
bpot
, facing
away from the north
."
Then the LORD said
to me, " aOut of the north
the evil
1will break
forth
on all
the inhabitants
of the land
.
"For, behold, I am calling
aall
the families
of the kingdoms
of the north
," declares
the LORD
; "and they will come
and they will bset
each
one
his throne
at the entrance
of the gates
of Jerusalem
, and against
all
its walls
round
about
and against
all
the ccities
of Judah
.
"I will 1pronounce My judgments
on them concerning
all
their wickedness
, whereby
they have aforsaken
Me and have 2 boffered
sacrifices
to other
gods
, and worshiped
the cworks
of their own hands
.
"Now, agird up your loins
and arise
, and speak
to them all
which
I command
you. bDo not be dismayed
before
them, or
I will dismay
you before
them.
"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
.
"They will fight against
you, but they will not overcome
you, for aI am with you to deliver
you," declares
the LORD
.