Introduction

¹The prophecies of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah.[#1:1 Or “words,” “message,” “story,” “account,” “deeds,” or “activities.”; #1:1 Jeremiah means “ exalts,” “ establishes [promotes],” or “ loosens [the womb].” The book of Jeremiah mentions the prophet’s name 122 times, and the New Testament mentions him 2 times (see Matt. 2:17; 16:14). Jeremiah was a tender-hearted prophet who stood for the righteousness of God. In a sense, this book is his autobiography.; #1:1 Hilkiah means “ is my portion.” Some scholars identify Hilkiah as the high priest who discovered the book of the law in the temple in the days of King Josiah (see 2 Kings 22:3–4, 8). Regardless, Hilkiah was a priest, which would qualify Jeremiah to be a priest. Therefore, Jeremiah was both a prophet and a priest.]

Jeremiah was one of the priests from the village of Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

²Yahweh began to reveal his message to him in the thirteenth year of King Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah.[#1:2 Or “the word of came to him.” The Hebraic way of thinking considers the word of to possess life itself and to be an entity that expresses God. For the believer, we know that this Word has now become a Man (see John 1:1–14).; #1:2 Josiah was king of Judah from 640 to 609 BC; the thirteenth year of his reign would then be 627–626 BC. Josiah came to the throne at the age of eight (see 2 Kings 22:1), and Jeremiah was likely ten at that time. In Josiah’s eighteenth year as king, he initiated a religious reform for which he is famous (see 2 Kings 22:3; 23:1–27). In Jer. 22:15–17, Jeremiah contrasts Josiah with his evil son Jehoiakim. Jeremiah and King Josiah were nearly the same age.]

³Yahweh continued to speak to him throughout the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah, another son of Josiah, king of Judah. That was when the people of Jerusalem went into captivity to Babylon .[#1:3 Jehoiakim reigned from 609 to 598 BC, and afterward, there was a brief reign of Jehoiachin for just three months before Zedekiah (see 2 Kings 24:8), who reigned from 598 to 586 BC. During Zedekiah’s rule, the siege of Jerusalem took place, and in the eleventh year of his reign (586 BC), all Judah fell to the Babylonian army. There is some debate among scholars regarding whether Jerusalem fell in July 587 or 586 BC; the translation team will provide dates using 586 BC as the year Jerusalem fell. The major result of the siege of Jerusalem was the destruction of the temple (the symbol of ’s presence in the midst of his people).]

The Call of Jeremiah

⁴Yahweh spoke these words to me:

⁵“Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew you intimately .[#1:5 God creates all human life and gives each human being his image. See Isa. 49:1, 5; Gal. 1:15–16. God loved us and knew us intimately before we were born (see Ps. 139). He predestined us to serve him, accomplishing a pre-designed set of good works chosen for us to do. See Mark 16:20; Rom. 8:30; Eph. 1:4; 2:10; 1 Peter 1:2.; #1:5 Scholars agree that the Hebrew word translated “I knew you intimately” covers a greater meaning than that of intellectual knowledge. It refers to the closest relationship possible. God knows each one with complete understanding of the total person as a thinking, willing, and feeling being.]

I had divine plans for you before I gave you life,

and I set you apart and chose you to be mine .

You are my prophetic gift to the nations.”

⁶I replied: “But Lord Yahweh , I don’t know how to speak in public . Besides, I’m too young.”[#1:6 Although Jeremiah’s age is impossible to tell with complete certainty, some scholars believe that he was between thirteen and seventeen at this time. Our age never disqualifies us from speaking for God.]

⁷But Yahweh interrupted me:

“Do not use your youth as an excuse ,

for you will go wherever I send you,

and you will speak whatever I tell you to say.

⁸Fear nothing when you confront the people,

for I am with you, and I will protect you.

I, Yahweh , have spoken.”

⁹Then Yahweh reached out with his hand and touched my mouth and said to me:[#1:9 One of the seraphim touched Isaiah’s mouth with a burning coal taken from the altar (see Isa. 6:6–7), but himself touched Jeremiah’s mouth. The significance of the two actions is quite different: with Isaiah, it is a sign of the purification of his lips from sin; here it is God’s impartation of both revelation and authority to Jeremiah to speak the message God gave him to speak. See Deut. 18:18.]

“Now I have put my words in your mouth.

¹⁰See! Today I have imparted to you great authority[#1:10 Or “I have made you an overseer.”]

over nations and governments,

to uproot and demolish, to destroy and dismantle.

And you will plant and build something new .”

Two Visions

¹¹Yahweh spoke to me again: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”[#1:11 This is not normal sight, but is from the root word used for the older term for “prophet” (see 1 Sam. 9:9). The prophet is a “see-er.” It is important that those who speak for God answer the question, “What do you see?,” for what you see determines what you preach. Do you only see what is negative? Jeremiah rightly saw the vision of an awakening, a reviving from a cold winter. His second vision was judgment. When we first see that God is the Awakener who watches over every word he has spoken, then we are able to see properly and interpret the coming judgment correctly.]

I replied: “I see an almond branch.”

¹²“You have seen the vision correctly,” Yahweh said. “Now know this: I constantly watch over my word to fulfill it.”[#1:12 Jeremiah was not dreaming; he saw an open vision. The Hebrew play on words between the word for “almond” (Hb. shaqed ) and the word for “watching [wakeful]” (Hb. shoqed ) is lost in translation. The almond was also known as “the awakening tree,” for its blooms signaled the change from winter to spring. The word shoqed means that God remains alert and sleepless and is always on the lookout to hasten the fulfillment of his word. The almond tree was known as the tree that doesn’t sleep in the winter since it often blooms in late January. God does not sleep and is always careful to bring his words to pass, though the timing may be mysterious. Even in a bleak winter season, God will bring forth his plans.]

¹³Yahweh spoke these words to me a second time: “Now what do you see?”

I replied, “I see a large boiling pot, tipped toward us from the north.”

¹⁴Then Yahweh said:

“This means disaster will boil over from the north,

and calamity will spill over everyone living in this land.

¹⁵Listen! I, Yahweh , declare that I am about to summon

all the armies of the northern kingdoms.

Their kings will come and set up their thrones

at the gates of Jerusalem.

They will attack its walls

and all the other cities of Judah.

¹⁶I will pass sentence against the people of Jerusalem and Judah[#1:16 Or “I will argue my case.”]

for all their wickedness in deserting me.

They have sacrificed to other gods

and worshiped the works of their hands.

¹⁷“Jeremiah, get yourself ready!

Arise with fresh courage and say to them

all that I command you to say.

Do not break down before them,

lest I break you before them.

¹⁸Listen! Today, I am making you as strong as a fortified city,[#1:18 Or “I give you [the identity of] a strong fortified city.” God cares about Jeremiah’s emotional state and assures him that a new identity of strength and fortitude would be his gift from God. See Isa. 50:7.]

unbreakable as an iron pillar,

and impenetrable as bronze walls.

You will withstand the persecution of the whole land

and the contempt of Judah’s kings, officers, priests, and all the people.

¹⁹They will fight against you, but they will not win,

for I promise I am always with you to rescue you.

I, Yahweh , have spoken.”