OET-RV JER Chapter 1

4 Now Yahweh’s message came to me:

5 “Before I formed you in your mother, I already knew you,

≈ and before you came out of the womb, I had a plan for you.

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

6 But I said, “Oh no, Yahweh, my master. Listen, I don’t know how to speak, because I’m just a young lad.”

7 but Yahweh told me, “Don’t say that you’re only a child, because you must go to everyone I send you to and you must tell them everything that I command you to say. 8 Don’t be afraid of them, because I’ll be with you to rescue you.”

That’s Yahweh’s message.

9 Then Yahweh stretched out his hand and touched my mouth and said, “Listen, I’ve put my messages into your mouth. 10 I’m appointing you today over the nations and kingdoms—to uproot and to break down, to destroy and to pull down, to build and to plant.”

11 Another time, Yahweh’s message came to me, saying, “Yirmeyah (Jeremiah), what do you see?”

“I see a branch from an almond tree,” I replied.

12 Then Yahweh told me, “You’ve done well to see that, because I keep watch[fn] on my message to make sure it happens.”

13 Then Yahweh asked me a second time what I was seeing, and I replied, “I see a pot full of boiling water and it’s tipping towards the north.”

14 “Yes, disaster will come from the north and be released onto all the inhabitants of this region,” Yahweh continued. 15 “Listen, I’m about to summon all the clans of the northern kingdoms, and they’ll come and attack the walls around Yerushalem and all of Yehudah’s other cities, then each king will place his throne at the entrance to Yerushalem’s gates.” That is Yahweh’s declaration. 16 “That’s how I’ll judge my people for their wickedness as they’ve abandoned me and sacrificed to other gods and bowed down to idols that they made with their own hands. 17 So Yirmeyah, get yourself ready and go and tell them everything that I’ll tell you. Don’t be scared in front of them or else I’ll scare you right there in front of them! 18 And listen, today I’ve you as strong as a fortified city and an iron pillar and bronze walls, as far as the kings of Yehudah are concerned, along with their officials and priests, and the general population. 19 They’ll oppose you but they won’t be able to defeat you because I’ll be with you to rescue you,” says Yahweh.