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New Testament
Jeremiah
Jeremiah prophesied during the last days of the kingdom of Judah, from about 629 to 585 BC. His prophecy consists mostly of dark warnings of the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity in Babylon that would result from that disaster (ch 1–25). The book provides only a few glimmers of the gospel hope that would be fulfilled through Christ (ch 30–33). The prophecies are mixed with accounts of events from Jeremiah's life (ch 21–29; 34–45; 52) and warnings of judgment to heathen nations (ch 46–51).
A key year in Jeremiah's prophetic career was 605 BC, which was the fourth year of Jehoiakim. This was the year when Nebuchadnezzar first came to Jerusalem and the year when Daniel and his friends were taken into exile. The other key year for Jeremiah's prophecies was 586 BC, the year of the fall of Jerusalem.
A special difficulty in reading Jeremiah is that the words of the Lord, the prophet, and the people are often mixed together with no markers separating them. The translation tries to provide those markers with headings identifying the speakers, but at times the context does not clearly identify a specific speaker.
11The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, who was one of the priests from Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.
2The word of the Lord came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, 3and continued through the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, up to the time of the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
The Call of Jeremiah
4The word of the Lord came to me.
and before you were born, I set you apart.
I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.
6But I said, “Ah, Lord God! I really do not know how to speak! I am only a child!”
7The Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone to whom I send you and say whatever I command you. 8Do not be afraid of them, because I am with you, and I will rescue you, declares the Lord.”
9Then the Lord stretched out his hand and touched my mouth. The Lord said to me:
There! I have now placed my words in your mouth.
10Look, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms
to uproot and to tear down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.
Jeremiah's First Visions
I answered, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
12The Lord said to me, “That is correct. You have observed accurately. And this vision means that I am watching over my word to fulfill it.”
13The word of the Lord came to me a second time: “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a boiling pot tipped away from the north.”
14Then the Lord said to me:
Disaster will boil over from the north on everyone who lives in the land.
15Listen, I am summoning all the clans from the northern kingdoms, declares the Lord. They will come, and each one will set up his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem. They will come against all the surrounding walls and against all the cities of Judah. 16I will pronounce my judgments against Judah because of their wickedness. They have abandoned me. They have made burnt offerings to other gods, and they have bowed down to the work of their own hands.
17Now you, get ready.[] Rise up and tell them everything I am commanding you. Do not be frightened by them, or I will frighten you in their presence.
18Look, today I have made you like a fortified city, like an iron pillar, and like bronze walls, to take a stand against the whole land. Stand against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.
19They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, because I am with you to rescue you, declares the Lord.