1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: 2 To 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. 3 It 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.
4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5 Before 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 Gentiles.
6 Then I said, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I do not know how to speak: for I am a child.
7 But the LORD said unto me, Do not say, I am a child; for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8 Do not be afraid of their faces; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
9 Then 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. 10 See, I have placed thee in this day over Gentiles and over kingdoms, to root out, and to destroy, and to throw out, and to cast down, to build, and to plant.
11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. 12 Then the LORD said unto me, Thou hast seen well, for I will hasten my word to perform it.
13 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and its face is toward the north. 14 Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For, behold, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and each one shall set his seat at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem and near all its walls round about and near all the cities of Judah. 16 And 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. 17 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and thou shalt arise and speak unto them all that I shall command thee; do not fear them lest I confound thee before them. 18 For, behold, I have made thee this day as a defenced city and as an iron pillar and as a wall of brass upon all the earth against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land. 19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.