Jeremiah 1:4-10

The Call of Jeremiah

4 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

5 i "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born j I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet k to the nations."

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

7 But the Lord said to me,
"Do not say, 'I am only a youth';
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and n whatever I command you, you shall speak.
 8 o Do not be afraid of them,
p for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the Lord."

9 q Then the Lord put out his hand and r touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me,
"Behold, I have put s my words in your mouth.
 10 See, I have set you this day k over nations and over kingdoms,
t to pluck up and to break down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant."

  1. Cross References
    Isaiah 44:2
    Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
  2. Cross References
    John 10:36
    Do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?
  3. Cross References
    Isaiah 49:6
    He says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.
    Jeremiah 25:15 - 29
    Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: "Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.
    Jeremiah 46:1 - 51:1
    The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.
  4. Cross References
    Exodus 4:10
    But Moses said to the Lord, "Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.
  5. Cross References
    1 Kings 3:7
    And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.
  6. Cross References
    Jeremiah 1:17
    But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them.
    Ezekiel 2:7
    And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.
  7. Cross References
    Ezekiel 2:6
    And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.
    Ezekiel 3:9
    Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.
  8. Cross References
    Jeremiah 15:20
    And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord.
    Exodus 3:12
    He said, "But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.
  9. Cross References
    Ezekiel 2:9
    And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it.
  10. Cross References
    Isaiah 6:7
    And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.
  11. Cross References
    Jeremiah 5:14
    Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of hosts: "Because you have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and the fire shall consume them.
  12. Cross References
    Jeremiah 1:5
    "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
  13. Cross References
    Jeremiah 18:7
    If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it.
    Jeremiah 31:28
    And it shall come to pass that as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring harm, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, declares the Lord.
    Jeremiah 45:4
    Thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord : Behold, what I have built I am breaking down, and what I have planted I am plucking up - that is, the whole land.
    2 Corinthians 10:4 - 5
    For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.