Jeremiah 1
GOD’S WORD Translation
The Prophet Jeremiah
1 ⌞These are⌟ the words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah. He was one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. 2 The Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah when King Josiah, son of Amon, was in his thirteenth year as king of Judah. 3 The Lord also spoke when Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, was king of Judah and during the 11 years that Zedekiah, ⌞another⌟ son of Josiah, was king of Judah. The Lord continued to speak to Jeremiah until the people of Jerusalem were taken away into captivity in the fifth month of the year.
The Lord Gives Jeremiah a Message for His People
4 The Lord spoke his word to me,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb,
I knew you.
Before you were born,
I set you apart for my holy purpose.
I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
6 I, Jeremiah, said, “Almighty Lord, I do not know how to speak. I am only a boy!”
7 But the Lord said to me, “Don’t say that you are only a boy. You will go wherever I send you. You will say whatever I command you to say. 8 Don’t be afraid of people. I am with you, and I will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
9 Then the Lord stretched out his hand and touched my mouth. The Lord said to me,
“Now I have put my words in your mouth.
10 Today I have put you in charge of nations and kingdoms.
You will uproot and tear down.
You will destroy and overthrow.
You will build and plant.”
11 Again the Lord spoke his word to me and asked, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
I answered, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
12 Then the Lord said to me, “Right. I am watching to make sure that my words come true.” [a]
13 Again the Lord spoke his word to me and asked, “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a boiling pot, and its top is tilted away from the north.”
14 Then the Lord said to me,
“Disaster will be poured out from the north
on all those who live in the land.
15 I am going to call every family and kingdom from the north,”
declares the Lord.
“They will come, and they will set up their thrones
at the entrance of Jerusalem’s gates.
They will attack all the walls around the city
and all the cities of Judah.
16 I will pass sentence on my people because of all their wickedness.
They abandoned me,
burned incense to other gods,
and worshiped what their hands have made.
17 Brace yourself, Jeremiah!
Stand up, and say to them whatever I tell you to say.
Don’t be terrified in their presence,
or I will make you ⌞even more⌟ terrified in their presence.
18 Today I have made you like a fortified city,
an iron pillar, and a bronze wall.
You will be able to stand up to the whole land.
You will be able to stand up to Judah’s kings,
its officials, its priests, and ⌞all⌟ the common people.
19 They will fight you, but they will not defeat you.
I am with you, and I will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
Footnotes
- 1:11–12 There is a play on words here between Hebrew shaked (almond tree ) and shoked (watching ).
Jeremías 1
La Palabra (España)
Marco histórico
1 Palabras de Jeremías, hijo de Jelcías, uno de los sacerdotes de Anatot, en territorio de Benjamín. 2 Le llegó la palabra del Señor en tiempos de Josías, hijo de Amón, rey de Judá, el año décimo tercero de su reinado. 3 También le llegó en tiempos de Joaquín, hijo de Josías, rey de Judá, hasta el final del año undécimo de Sedecías, hijo de Josías, rey de Judá; hasta la deportación de Jerusalén en el mes quinto.
I.— ORÁCULOS CONTRA JUDÁ Y SUS MONARCAS (1—25)
Vocación y primeras visiones y oráculos
4 Me llegó la palabra del Señor en estos términos:
5 — Antes de formarte yo en el vientre, ya te conocía; antes de que salieras de las entrañas maternas, te consagré profeta y te destiné a las naciones.
6 Respondí:
— Ay, Señor mi Dios. ¡Pero si no sé ni hablar; soy muy joven!
7 Me contestó el Señor:
— No digas que eres joven. Irás a todos los sitios adonde yo te envíe y dirás todo lo que te ordene. 8 No les tengas miedo, pues estoy contigo para defenderte —oráculo del Señor—.
9 El Señor alargó su brazo, me tocó en la boca y me dijo:
— He puesto mis palabras en tu boca. 10 Mira, hoy mismo te doy poder sobre naciones y reinos, para arrancar y arrasar, para destruir y demoler, para construir y plantar.
11 El Señor me dirigió la palabra en estos términos:
— ¿Qué ves, Jeremías?
Respondí:
— Veo una rama de almendro.
12 Añadió el Señor:
— Has visto bien. Pues yo también vigilo para que se cumpla mi palabra.
13 Por segunda vez me dirigió el Señor su palabra en estos términos:
— ¿Qué ves?
Respondí:
— Veo un caldero hirviendo, con sus bordes inclinados del lado del norte.
14 El Señor me dijo:
— El desastre se precipitará desde el norte sobre todos los habitantes del país, 15 pues pienso citar a todos los clanes y reinos del norte —oráculo del Señor—.
Vendrán y pondrán su sitial
a la entrada de las puertas de Jerusalén,
en torno a todas sus murallas
y en todas las ciudades de Judá.
16 Expondré mis cargos contra ellos,
por el mal que hicieron olvidándome,
quemando incienso a otros dioses,
adorando a las obras de sus manos.
17 Y tú, disponte a pelear,
puesto en pie les dirás
todo lo que yo te ordene.
Y no les tengas miedo,
o seré yo el que te intimide.
18 Mira, te he convertido
desde hoy en plaza fuerte,
serás columna de hierro,
igual que muro de bronce,
enfrentado a todo el país:
a los reyes y príncipes de Judá,
sacerdotes y pueblo de la tierra.
19 Te atacarán, pero no te vencerán,
pues estoy contigo para ayudarte
—oráculo del Señor—.
Jeremiah 1
New International Version
1 The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth(A) in the territory of Benjamin. 2 The word of the Lord came(B) to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah(C) son of Amon king of Judah, 3 and through the reign of Jehoiakim(D) son of Josiah king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah(E) son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.(F)
The Call of Jeremiah
4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb(G) I knew[a](H) you,
before you were born(I) I set you apart;(J)
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.(K)”
6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak;(L) I am too young.”(M)
7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid(N) of them, for I am with you(O) and will rescue(P) you,” declares the Lord.(Q)
9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched(R) my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.(S) 10 See, today I appoint you over nations(T) and kingdoms to uproot(U) and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”(V)
11 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”(W)
“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching[b](X) to see that my word is fulfilled.”
13 The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?”(Y)
“I see a pot that is boiling,” I answered. “It is tilting toward us from the north.”
14 The Lord said to me, “From the north(Z) disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. 15 I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the Lord.
“Their kings will come and set up their thrones
in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem;
they will come against all her surrounding walls
and against all the towns of Judah.(AA)
16 I will pronounce my judgments(AB) on my people
because of their wickedness(AC) in forsaking me,(AD)
in burning incense to other gods(AE)
and in worshiping(AF) what their hands have made.(AG)
17 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say(AH) to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified(AI) by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18 Today I have made you(AJ) a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you but will not overcome(AK) you, for I am with you(AL) and will rescue(AM) you,” declares the Lord.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 1:5 Or chose
- Jeremiah 1:12 The Hebrew for watching sounds like the Hebrew for almond tree.
Jeremiah 1
New King James Version
Jeremiah Called to Be a Priest
1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were (A)in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of (B)Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, (C)in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of (D)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, (E)until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, (F)until the carrying away of Jerusalem captive (G)in the fifth month.
The Prophet Is Called
4 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
5 “Before I (H)formed you in the womb (I)I knew you;
Before you were born I (J)sanctified[a] you;
I [b]ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then said I:
(K)“Ah, Lord God!
Behold, I cannot 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 to whom I send you,
And (L)whatever I command you, you shall speak.
8 (M)Do not be afraid of their faces,
For (N)I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.
9 Then the Lord put forth His hand and (O)touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me:
“Behold, I have (P)put My words in your mouth.
10 (Q)See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms,
To (R)root out and to pull down,
To destroy and to throw down,
To build and to plant.”
11 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
And I said, “I see a [c]branch of an almond tree.”
12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am [d]ready to perform My word.”
13 And the word of the Lord came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?”
And I said, “I see (S)a boiling pot, and it is facing away from the north.”
14 Then the Lord said to me:
“Out of the (T)north calamity shall break forth
On all the inhabitants of the land.
15 For behold, I am (U)calling
All the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says the Lord;
“They shall come and (V)each one set his throne
At the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem,
Against all its walls all around,
And against all the cities of Judah.
16 I will utter My judgments
Against them concerning all their wickedness,
Because (W)they have forsaken Me,
Burned (X)incense to other gods,
And worshiped the works of their own (Y)hands.
17 “Therefore (Z)prepare yourself and arise,
And speak to them all that I command you.
(AA)Do not be dismayed before their faces,
Lest I dismay you before them.
18 For behold, I have made you this day
(AB)A fortified city and an iron pillar,
And bronze walls against the whole land—
Against the kings of Judah,
Against its princes,
Against its priests,
And against the people of the land.
19 They will fight against you,
But they shall not prevail against you.
For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 1:5 set you apart
- Jeremiah 1:5 appointed
- Jeremiah 1:11 Lit. rod
- Jeremiah 1:12 Lit. watching
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

