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 jI consecrated you;

I appointed you a prophet kto the nations.”

6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, lI do not know how to speak, mfor 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 nwhatever I command you, you shall speak.

8  oDo not be afraid of them,

pfor I am with you to deliver you,

declares the Lord.”

9 qThen the Lord put out his hand and rtouched my mouth. And the Lord said to me,

“Behold, I have put smy words in your mouth.

10  See, I have set you this day kover nations and over kingdoms,

tto pluck up and to break down,

to destroy and to overthrow,

to build and to plant.”

11 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, u“Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond1 branch.” 12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”

13 The word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see va boiling pot, facing away wfrom the north.” 14 Then the Lord said to me, w“Out of the north disaster2 shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For behold, xI am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the Lord, yand they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah. 16 And zI will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil ain forsaking me. bThey have made offerings to other gods and cworshiped the works of their own hands.