Jeremiah · Westminster Leningrad Codex
Jeremiah 1 Westminster Leningrad Codex
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 דִּבְרֵ֥י יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֑הוּ מִן־הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּעֲנָת֔וֹת בְּאֶ֖רֶץ בִּנְיָמִֽן׃
1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.
2 אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֤ה דְבַר־יְהוָה֙ אֵלָ֔יו בִּימֵ֛י יֹאשִׁיָּ֥הוּ בֶן־אָמ֖וֹן מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה בִּשְׁלֹשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה שָׁנָ֖ה לְמָלְכֽוֹ׃
2 Yahweh’s word came to him in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3 וַיְהִ֗י בִּימֵ֨י יְהוֹיָקִ֤ים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֙הוּ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה עַד־תֹּם֙ עַשְׁתֵּ֣י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לְצִדְקִיָּ֥הוּ בֶן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה עַד־גְּל֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַחֲמִישִֽׁי׃ ס
3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
4 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
4 Now Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
5 בְּטֶ֨רֶם אצורך בַבֶּ֙טֶן֙ יְדַעְתִּ֔יךָ וּבְטֶ֛רֶם תֵּצֵ֥א מֵרֶ֖חֶם הִקְדַּשְׁתִּ֑יךָ נָבִ֥יא לַגּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ׃
5 “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 וָאֹמַ֗ר אֲהָהּ֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֔ה הִנֵּ֥ה לֹא־יָדַ֖עְתִּי דַּבֵּ֑ר כִּי־נַ֖עַר אָנֹֽכִי׃ פ
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.”
7 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י אַל־תֹּאמַ֖ר נַ֣עַר אָנֹ֑כִי כִּ֠י עַֽל־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֶֽשְׁלָחֲךָ֙ תֵּלֵ֔ךְ וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲצַוְּךָ֖ תְּדַבֵּֽר׃
7 But Yahweh said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am a child;’ for you must go to whomever I send you, and you must say whatever I command you.
8 אַל־תִּירָ֖א מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־אִתְּךָ֥ אֲנִ֛י לְהַצִּלֶ֖ךָ נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃
8 Don’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,” says Yahweh.
9 וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יְהוָה֙ אֶת־יָד֔וֹ וַיַּגַּ֖ע עַל־פִּ֑י וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י הִנֵּ֛ה נָתַ֥תִּי דְבָרַ֖י בְּפִֽיךָ׃
9 Then Yahweh stretched out his hand and touched my mouth. Then Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.
10 רְאֵ֞ה הִפְקַדְתִּ֣יךָ ׀ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֗ה עַל־הַגּוֹיִם֙ וְעַל־הַמַּמְלָכ֔וֹת לִנְת֥וֹשׁ וְלִנְת֖וֹץ וּלְהַאֲבִ֣יד וְלַהֲר֑וֹס לִבְנ֖וֹת וְלִנְטֽוֹעַ׃ פ
10 Behold, I have today set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
11 וַיְהִ֤י דְבַר־יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֣י לֵאמֹ֔ר מָה־אַתָּ֥ה רֹאֶ֖ה יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ וָאֹמַ֕ר מַקֵּ֥ל שָׁקֵ֖ד אֲנִ֥י רֹאֶֽה׃
11 Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
12 וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יְהוָ֛ה אֵלַ֖י הֵיטַ֣בְתָּ לִרְא֑וֹת כִּֽי־שֹׁקֵ֥ד אֲנִ֛י עַל־דְּבָרִ֖י לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ פ
12 Then Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.”
13 וַיְהִ֨י דְבַר־יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלַי֙ שֵׁנִ֣ית לֵאמֹ֔ר מָ֥ה אַתָּ֖ה רֹאֶ֑ה וָאֹמַ֗ר סִ֤יר נָפ֙וּחַ֙ אֲנִ֣י רֹאֶ֔ה וּפָנָ֖יו מִפְּנֵ֥י צָפֽוֹנָה׃
13 Yahweh’s word came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?” I said, “I see a boiling cauldron; and it is tipping away from the north.”
14 וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י מִצָּפוֹן֙ תִּפָּתַ֣ח הָרָעָ֔ה עַ֥ל כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֖י הָאָֽרֶץ׃
14 Then Yahweh said to me, “Out of the north, evil will break out on all the inhabitants of the land.
15 כִּ֣י ׀ הִנְנִ֣י קֹרֵ֗א לְכָֽל־מִשְׁפְּח֛וֹת מַמְלְכ֥וֹת צָפ֖וֹנָה נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וּבָ֡אוּ וְֽנָתְנוּ֩ אִ֨ישׁ כִּסְא֜וֹ פֶּ֣תַח ׀ שַׁעֲרֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם וְעַ֤ל כָּל־חוֹמֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ סָבִ֔יב וְעַ֖ל כָּל־עָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃
15 For behold, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says Yahweh. “They will come, and they will each set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls all around, and against all the cities of Judah.
16 וְדִבַּרְתִּ֤י מִשְׁפָּטַי֙ אוֹתָ֔ם עַ֖ל כָּל־רָעָתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲזָב֗וּנִי וַֽיְקַטְּרוּ֙ לֵאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ לְמַעֲשֵׂ֥י יְדֵיהֶֽם׃
16 I will utter my judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands.
17 וְאַתָּה֙ תֶּאְזֹ֣ר מָתְנֶ֔יךָ וְקַמְתָּ֙ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י אֲצַוֶּ֑ךָּ אַל־תֵּחַת֙ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם פֶּֽן־אֲחִתְּךָ֖ לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
17 “You therefore put your belt on your waist, arise, and say to them all that I command you. Don’t be dismayed at them, lest I dismay you before them.
18 וַאֲנִ֞י הִנֵּ֧ה נְתַתִּ֣יךָ הַיּ֗וֹם לְעִ֨יר מִבְצָ֜ר וּלְעַמּ֥וּד בַּרְזֶ֛ל וּלְחֹמ֥וֹת נְחֹ֖שֶׁת עַל־כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ לְמַלְכֵ֤י יְהוּדָה֙ לְשָׂרֶ֔יהָ לְכֹהֲנֶ֖יהָ וּלְעַ֥ם הָאָֽרֶץ׃
18 For behold, I have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land.
19 וְנִלְחֲמ֥וּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ וְלֹא־י֣וּכְלוּ לָ֑ךְ כִּֽי־אִתְּךָ֥ אֲנִ֛י נְאֻם־יְהוָ֖ה לְהַצִּילֶֽךָ׃ פ
19 They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says Yahweh, “to rescue you.”
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Hilkiah
One of the priests at Anathoth, named as the father of the prophet Jeremiah.
Cited in the guide: Jeremiah 1:1
Cross references (19)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Chronicles 6:60; 2 Chronicles 36:21; Ezekiel 1:3; Jeremiah 11:21; Jeremiah 32:7–9
- 2 1 Kings 13:20; Jonah 1:1; Jeremiah 1:11; Hosea 1:1; Micah 1:1
- 3 Jeremiah 39:2; 2 Kings 23:34; 2 Chronicles 36:5–8; Zechariah 7:5; Jeremiah 21:1–14
- 4 Ezekiel 3:16; Ezekiel 1:3; Jeremiah 1:2
- 5 Psalm 139:16; Isaiah 49:1; Galatians 1:15–16; Psalm 71:5–6; Romans 8:29
- 6 Exodus 4:10–16; Exodus 6:12; 1 Kings 3:7–9; Jeremiah 32:17; Jeremiah 14:13
- 7 Ezekiel 3:27; Mark 16:15–16; Numbers 22:20; Ezekiel 3:17–21; 2 Chronicles 18:13
- 8 Joshua 1:5; Joshua 1:9; Luke 12:4–5; Isaiah 51:7; Deuteronomy 31:6
- 9 Luke 21:15; Exodus 4:11–12; Luke 12:12; Isaiah 51:16; Isaiah 50:4
- 10 Jeremiah 31:28; 2 Corinthians 10:4–5; Isaiah 44:26–28; Jeremiah 31:4–5; Jeremiah 24:6
- 11 Amos 7:8; Amos 8:2; Zechariah 5:2; Jeremiah 24:3; Zechariah 4:2
- 12 Ezekiel 12:28; Ezekiel 12:25; Ezekiel 12:22–23; Luke 10:28; Amos 8:2
- 13 Ezekiel 11:7; Ezekiel 11:3; Zechariah 4:2; 2 Corinthians 13:1–2; Ezekiel 24:3–14
- 14 Jeremiah 6:1; Jeremiah 10:22; Jeremiah 4:6; Isaiah 41:25; Jeremiah 6:22
- 15 Jeremiah 9:11; Jeremiah 25:9; Jeremiah 4:16; Jeremiah 43:10; Jeremiah 10:25
- 16 Jeremiah 7:9; Jeremiah 19:4; Deuteronomy 28:20; Acts 7:41; Isaiah 2:8
- 17 1 Kings 18:46; Jeremiah 1:7–8; Luke 12:35; 1 Peter 1:13; Ezekiel 3:14–18
- 18 Isaiah 50:7; Ezekiel 3:8–9; Jeremiah 15:20; Jeremiah 6:27; Micah 3:8–9
- 19 Joshua 1:9; Jeremiah 1:8; Jeremiah 20:11; Psalm 129:2; Jeremiah 29:25–32
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Now, that the Word of God forms us in the womb, He says to Jeremiah, "Before I formed thee in the womb, I knew thee; and before thou wentest forth from the belly, I sanctified thee, and appointed thee a prophet among the nations." And Paul, too, says in like manner, "But when it pleased God, who separated me from …
… hath pleased Him, and to every seed his own body." We ought not even to call a woman the creatress of her own offspring; for He rather is its creator who said to His servant, "Before I formed thee in the womb, I knew thee." And although the various mental emotions of a pregnant woman do produce in the fruit …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Jeremiah was sanctified, but did not prophesy, in the womb: John alone while carried in the womb leaped for joy, and though he saw not with the eyes of flesh, knew his Master by the Spirit: for since the grace of Baptism was great, it required greatness in its founder also.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
But in the saying addressed to Jeremiah, "See, 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," there is no doubt the whole of the language is figurative, and to be referred to the end I have spoken of.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
The Lord saith unto Jeremiah: Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee: and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)