The Call of Jeremiah 1 WBS 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 WBS 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 WBS 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 WBS Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, BSB BSB: The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
5 WBS Before I formed thee in embryo I knew thee; and before thou wast born I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee 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 WBS 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 WBS But the LORD said to me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatever 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 WBS Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. BSB BSB: Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
9 WBS Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to 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 WBS See, I have this day set thee 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 WBS Moreover the word of the LORD 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 WBS Then said the LORD to me, Thou hast 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 WBS And the word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and its face is towards 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 WBS Then the LORD said to me, Out of the north an evil shall 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 WBS For lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls around, 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 WBS And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshiped 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 WBS Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee 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 WBS For behold, I have made thee this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against her princes, against her 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 WBS And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, 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.
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