The Call of Jeremiah 1 AKJV The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: BSB BSB: These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.
2 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah,
3 AKJV It 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. BSB BSB: and 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.
4 AKJV Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, BSB BSB: The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
5 AKJV Before I formed you in the belly I knew you; and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you, and I ordained you a prophet to the nations. BSB BSB: “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.”
6 AKJV Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. BSB BSB: “Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!”
7 AKJV But the LORD said to me, Say not, I am a child: for you shall go to all that I shall send you, and whatever I command you you shall speak. BSB BSB: But 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.
8 AKJV Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD. BSB BSB: Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
9 AKJV Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. BSB BSB: Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
10 AKJV See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. BSB BSB: See, I have appointed you today over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.”
11 AKJV Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what see you? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. BSB BSB: And the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” “I see a branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
12 AKJV Then said the LORD to me, You have well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it. BSB BSB: “You have observed correctly,” said the LORD, “for I am watching over My word to accomplish it.”
13 AKJV And the word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying, What see you? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north. BSB BSB: Again 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.”
14 AKJV Then the LORD said to me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth on all the inhabitants of the land. BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to me, “Disaster from the north will be poured out on all who live in the land.
15 AKJV For, see, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, says the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. BSB BSB: For 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.
16 AKJV And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands. BSB BSB: I 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.
17 AKJV You therefore gird up your loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command you: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound you before them. BSB BSB: Get 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.
18 AKJV For, behold, I have made you this day a defended city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. BSB BSB: Now 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.
19 AKJV And they shall fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you. BSB BSB: They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
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