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words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. 2 The word of the Lord came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, 3 and throughout the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.
4 The word of the Lord came to me:
5 “I knew you before I formed you in the womb;
I set you apart before you were born.
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 “Alas, Lord God,” I replied, “I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.”
7 Then the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’,
for you will go to everyone to whom I send you,
and you must speak whatever I command you.
8 Do not be afraid of anyone,
for I am with you to deliver you,”
declares the Lord.
9 Then the Lord reached out His hand and touched my mouth, and He said to me,
“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
10 “See, today I have set you over nations and kingdoms,
to uproot and to tear down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.”
11 The word of the Lord came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
I replied, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching over My word to fulfil it.”
13 The word of the Lord came to me again, asking, “What do you see?”
And I replied, “I see a boiling pot, and it is tilted away from the north,”
14 Then the Lord said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For I am about to summon all the clans and kingdoms of the north,” declares the Lord.
“They will come, and each king will set up his throne
at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem.
They will come against all of its surrounding walls,
and against all of the other cities of Judah.
16 “I will pronounce My judgments against them, for all of their wickedness, because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.
17 “So gird up your loins. Stand up and speak to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified before them, or I will make you cower down in front of them. 18 Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, but they will never prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord.