The Call of Jeremiah 1 DBY The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkijah, 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 DBY to whom the word of Jehovah 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 DBY it came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto 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 DBY And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, BSB BSB: The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
5 DBY Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I hallowed thee, I appointed thee a prophet unto 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 DBY And I said, Alas, Lord Jehovah! 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 DBY But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child; for thou shalt go to whomsoever I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt 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 DBY Be not afraid of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith Jehovah. BSB BSB: Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
9 DBY And Jehovah put forth his hand and touched my mouth; and Jehovah said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy 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 DBY See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up, and to break down, and to destroy, and to overthrow, 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 DBY And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? 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 DBY And Jehovah said unto me, Thou hast well seen; for I am watchful over 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 DBY And the word of Jehovah came to me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething-pot, and its face is from 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 DBY And Jehovah said unto me, Out of the north shall evil break forth upon 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 DBY For behold, I am calling all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith Jehovah, 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 DBY and I will pronounce my judgments against them for all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto 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 DBY Thou, therefore, gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I shall command thee: be not dismayed at them, lest I cause thee to be dismayed 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 DBY And I, behold, I appoint thee this day as a strong city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land; against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, 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 DBY And they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee, saith Jehovah, to deliver thee. BSB BSB: They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.