1The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah , of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin : 2To 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 . 3It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah , unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah , unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month . 4Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying , 5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations . 6Then said I, Ah , Lord GOD ! behold, I cannot speak : for I am a child . 7But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child : for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak . 8Be not afraid of their faces : for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD . 9Then the LORD put forth his hand , and touched my mouth . And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth . 10See , 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 .
Jeremiah's Hesitation and God's Assurance
11Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying , Jeremiah , what seest thou? And I said , I see a rod of an almond tree . 12Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen : for I will hasten my word to perform it. 13And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time , saying , What seest thou? And I said , I see a seething pot ; and the face thereof is toward the north . 14Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land . 15For, 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 entering of the gates of Jerusalem , and against all the walls thereof round about , and against all the cities of Judah . 16And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness , who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods , and worshipped the works of their own hands . 17Thou therefore gird up thy loins , and arise , and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces , lest I confound thee before them. 18For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city , and an iron pillar , and brasen walls against the whole land , against the kings of Judah , against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land . 19And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD , to deliver thee.