Jeremiah 1:1–12

¹The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkijah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: ²to whom the word of Jehovah 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.

⁴And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, ⁵Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I hallowed thee, I appointed thee a prophet unto the nations. ⁶And I said, Alas, Lord Jehovah! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child. ⁷But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child; for thou shalt go to whomsoever I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. ⁸Be not afraid of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith Jehovah. ⁹And Jehovah put forth his hand and touched my mouth; and Jehovah 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 pluck up, and to break down, and to destroy, and to overthrow, to build and to plant.

¹¹And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond-tree. ¹²And Jehovah said unto me, Thou hast well seen; for I am watchful over my word to perform it.