Jeremiah 1

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

2The word of the LORD came to him in the days of Josiah, son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3It came also in the days of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

4The word of the LORD came to me: 5"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you;
and before you came out from the womb, I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations."

6Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD!
Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am a youth."

7But the LORD said to me,
"Do not say, 'I am a youth,'
for wherever I send you, you shall go,
and all that I command you, you shall speak. 8Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,"
declares the LORD.

9Then the LORD stretched out his hand and touched my mouth;
and the LORD said to me,
"Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 10See, I have appointed you this day over nations and over kingdoms,
to uproot and to breakdown,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant."

11The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "What do you see, Jeremiah?"
And I said, "I see a branch of an almond tree." 12Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well,
for I am watching over my word to perform it."

13And the word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying,
"What do you see?"
And I said, "I see a boiling pot,
and it is facing away from the north."

14Then the LORD said to me,
"From the north, calamity shall be let loose
upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15For, behold, I am calling all the families of the kingdoms of the north,"
declares the LORD,
"and they shall come,
and each shall set his throne
at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem,
against all its walls all around,
and against all the cities of Judah. 16I will declare my judgments against them,
for all their evil in forsaking me,
making offerings to other gods,
and worshiping the works of their own hands.

17But you, gird your loins;
arise, and speak to them all that I command you.
Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. 18And behold, I make you this day
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. 19They will fight against you,
but they shall not prevail against you,
for I am with you," declares the LORD, "to deliver you."