Jeremiah 1

King James Version

Full text for Jeremiah Chapter 1

1¶ The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that [were] in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:

2To 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.

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.

4¶ Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

5Before 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 nations.

6Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I [am] a child.

7But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I [am] a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

8Be not afraid of their faces: for I [am] with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

9Then 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.

10See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw 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.

12Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

13And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof [is] toward the north.

14Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

15For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.

16And 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.

17Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

18For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

19And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I [am] with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jeremiah, a priest from Anathoth, receives a divine call from the LORD, who reveals He knew and sanctified him before birth to be a prophet to the nations. Despite Jeremiah's protestations of youth, God empowers him by putting His words in his mouth and gives him a mandate to both destroy and build. Through visions of an almond rod and a seething pot from the north, God announces swift judgment upon Judah for their wickedness. The LORD assures Jeremiah of His unwavering protection against all opposition as he delivers the divine message.

Medium Summary

The book of Jeremiah opens by introducing the prophet, Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, a priest from Anathoth, whose ministry spanned the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah, culminating in Jerusalem's captivity. The LORD calls Jeremiah, declaring that He knew and sanctified him before birth, ordaining him a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah initially protests, citing his youth and inability to speak, but God reassures him, promising His presence and empowering him by touching his mouth and putting His words there. God then sets Jeremiah over nations and kingdoms with a dual commission: to root out, pull down, destroy, and throw down, but also to build and to plant. Two visions follow: an almond rod, signifying God's swift performance of His word, and a seething pot facing north, symbolizing imminent judgment from northern kingdoms due to Judah's wickedness and idolatry. Finally, God charges Jeremiah to speak boldly, promising to make him an unyielding fortress against all opposition, assuring him of divine deliverance.

Long Summary

Jeremiah chapter one introduces the prophet Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, a priest residing in Anathoth, detailing his prophetic ministry from the thirteenth year of King Josiah's reign through the reigns of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, until the eventual carrying away of Jerusalem into captivity. The narrative then shifts to Jeremiah's divine call, where the LORD reveals that He knew, sanctified, and ordained Jeremiah as a prophet to the nations even before his birth. Jeremiah expresses his unworthiness, declaring himself a "child" and unable to speak effectively. However, the LORD dismisses his fears, commanding him to go wherever He sends and speak whatever He commands, promising His constant presence and protection. To empower Jeremiah, the LORD physically touches his mouth, declaring, "Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth." This divine empowerment is accompanied by a profound commission, setting Jeremiah over nations and kingdoms with authority to "root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down," but also to "build, and to plant." The chapter continues with two symbolic visions. First, Jeremiah sees a "rod of an almond tree," which the LORD interprets as a sign that He will "hasten my word to perform it," indicating the swift execution of His decrees. The second vision reveals a "seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north," which the LORD explains signifies that "out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land." This impending judgment is attributed to Judah's profound wickedness, their forsaking of God, burning incense to other gods, and worshipping idols. The LORD declares He will summon the "families of the kingdoms of the north" to besiege Jerusalem and the cities of Judah. In conclusion, God issues a final charge to Jeremiah, commanding him to prepare himself, arise, and speak all that he is commanded, urging him not to be dismayed by their faces. The LORD assures Jeremiah of His unwavering support, promising to make him "a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls" against all the kings, princes, priests, and people of the land, guaranteeing that though they will fight against him, they shall not prevail, for the LORD is with him to deliver him.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Call and Pre-ordinationGod reveals to Jeremiah that He knew and sanctified him before birth, ordaining him a prophet to the nations. This highlights God's sovereign choice and purpose for individuals.
  • Prophetic EmpowermentDespite Jeremiah's initial reluctance and sense of inadequacy, the LORD physically touches his mouth, placing His words within him. This act signifies divine authority and the source of the prophet's message.
  • Dual Prophetic MandateJeremiah is given authority over nations and kingdoms with a commission to both destroy and build, to root out and to plant. This illustrates the comprehensive nature of God's judgment and restoration.
  • Symbolic VisionsThe visions of the almond rod and the seething pot from the north serve as divine confirmations and illustrations of God's impending actions. The almond rod signifies the swiftness of God's word, while the seething pot warns of judgment from the north.
  • Judgment from the NorthThe vision of the seething pot facing north explicitly foretells that evil will break forth from northern kingdoms upon Judah. This judgment is a direct consequence of Judah's idolatry and forsaking of the LORD.
  • Divine Protection and AssuranceThe LORD promises Jeremiah unwavering protection against all opposition, likening him to a "defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls." This assurance empowers Jeremiah to speak boldly without fear.
  • Judah's WickednessThe chapter explicitly states that God's judgments are against Judah for their wickedness, specifically for forsaking Him, burning incense to other gods, and worshipping the works of their own hands. This establishes the reason for the impending divine wrath.