Jeremiah 1

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

2. 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. It also came 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 exiling of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

4. And it came to pass, the Word of the LORD came to me, saying,

5. “Before I formed you in the belly I knew you; and before you came forth out of the womb I consecrated you, and I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

6. Then I said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak; for I am a youth.”

7. But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all that I shall send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

8. Do not be afraid of their faces; for I am with you to deliver you,” said the LORD.

9. And 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.

10. 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.”

11. And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see a rod of an almond tree.”

12. And the LORD said to me, “You have seen well; for I will watch over My Word to perform it.”

13. And the Word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot; and its face is from the north.”

14. And the LORD said to me, “Out of the north the disaster will be set loose on all the inhabitants of the land.

15. For, behold, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says the LORD. “And they shall come, and they shall each one set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its wall all around, and against all the cities of Judah.

16. And I will pronounce My judgments against them regarding all their wickedness in that they have forsaken Me, and burning incense to other gods, and worshiping the works of their own hands.

17. You therefore must gird up your loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed at their faces, lest I confound you before them.

18. For, behold, I have made you a fortified city this day, and an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against its rulers, against its priests, and against the people of the land.

19. And they shall fight against you; but they shall not overcome you. For I am with you,” says the LORD, “to deliver you.”