1The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,
2to whom the word of Yahweh came in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3It also came 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 Yahweh came to me, saying:
5“Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, and before you came out of the womb I set you apart; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6But I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Look, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.”
7But Yahweh said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to everyone to whom I send you, you shall go, and everything that I command you, you shall speak.
8Do not be afraid before them, for I am with you to rescue you, declares Yahweh.”
9Then Yahweh stretched out his hand and touched my mouth, and Yahweh said to me, “See, I have put my words in your mouth.
10See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.”
11The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
12Then Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to carry it out.”
13The word of Yahweh came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, and its face is tilted away from the north.”
14Then Yahweh said to me, “From the north disaster will be opened up against all the inhabitants of the land.
15For behold, I am calling to all the clans of the kingdoms of the north, declares Yahweh, and they will come and each will set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls round about, and against all the cities of Judah.
16And I will pronounce my judgments against them for all their evil in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and bowing down to the works of their own hands.
17But you—gird up your loins and arise and speak to them everything that I command you. Do not be shattered before them, or I will shatter you before them.
18And I, behold, I have made you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, against its officials, against its priests, and against the people of the land.
19They will fight against you but they will not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares Yahweh, to rescue you.”
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