Skip to content
Scripture Mapping

Jeremiah 1

World English Bible

WEB

1The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. 2Yahweh’s word came to him 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, 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. 4Now Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 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.” 6Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.” 7But 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. 8Don’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,” says Yahweh. 9Then Yahweh stretched out his hand and touched my mouth. Then Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 10Behold, 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.” 11Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” 12Then Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.” 13Yahweh’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.” 14Then Yahweh said to me, “Out of the north, evil will break out on all the inhabitants of the land. 15For 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. 16I 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“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. 18For 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. 19They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says Yahweh, “to rescue you.”

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Jeremiah Chapter 1 introduces us to the prophet #Jeremiah, who is called by God to deliver His messages to the people of #Judah. The chapter begins with a brief account of Jeremiah's lineage, identifying him as the son of #Hilkiah, a priest from #Anathoth. This establishes his background and the significance of his prophetic ministry during a tumultuous time in Israel's history, around the late 7th century BC. God’s call to Jeremiah is profound, as He reveals that Jeremiah was chosen even before his birth, emphasizing the divine purpose and plan for his life. This notion of being set apart is echoed in other scriptures, such as #Psalm 139:13-16, which speaks to God's intimate knowledge of us even in the womb.

As God commissions Jeremiah, He assures him of His presence and support, despite Jeremiah's initial reluctance and feelings of inadequacy. Jeremiah expresses his youth and lack of eloquence, but God reassures him, stating, "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak" (Jeremiah 1:7). This moment highlights the theme of divine empowerment, where God equips those He calls, regardless of their perceived limitations. The chapter concludes with God showing Jeremiah a vision of an almond tree and a boiling pot, symbolizing the impending judgment on Judah and the urgency of Jeremiah's prophetic mission. Through these vivid images, God emphasizes that He is watching over His word to perform it, reinforcing the importance of obedience and faithfulness in the face of challenges.

Study

14 dimensions

Referenced by

  1. Exodus 4:10v6In Exodus 4:10, Moses expresses his inadequacy in speech, similar to Jeremiah's hesitation in Jeremiah 1:6, where he claims he cannot speak because he is a youth. Both instances highlight God's empowerment of those He calls.
  2. 2 Chronicles 18:13v7Micaiah's commitment to speak only what God tells him parallels Jeremiah's call to speak God's words, emphasizing the prophet's duty to divine truth over human approval.
  3. 2 Chronicles 34:3v2Josiah's reforms began in the twelfth year of his reign, which coincides with the prophetic ministry of Jeremiah, indicating a time of spiritual renewal and prophetic activity.
  4. Isaiah 46:11v12Isaiah 46:11 highlights God's ability to bring His plans to fruition, similar to Jeremiah 1:12, where God assures Jeremiah that He is watching over His word to perform it.
  5. Isaiah 49:1v5Isaiah 49:1 speaks of the Lord calling the servant from the womb, similar to Jeremiah 1:5 where God declares He knew Jeremiah before he was formed in the womb, highlighting God's sovereign choice and calling.
  6. Isaiah 51:16v9Isaiah 51:16 speaks of God putting His words in the prophet's mouth, similar to Jeremiah 1:9-10 where God touches Jeremiah's mouth and appoints him over nations, highlighting the authority and divine commissioning of prophets.
  7. Jeremiah 40:2-3v10In Jeremiah 40:2-3, the captain of the guard acknowledges that the destruction of Jerusalem was a fulfillment of God's word, which aligns with Jeremiah's initial commission in Jeremiah 1:10 to uproot and tear down nations.
  8. Ezekiel 2:3v7Ezekiel 2:3 and Jeremiah 1:7 both involve God sending prophets to rebellious nations, highlighting the theme of divine mission to call people to repentance despite their obstinacy.
  9. Ezekiel 24:3v13Ezekiel 24:3 uses the imagery of a boiling pot, which is also found in Jeremiah 1:13-14. Both passages use this metaphor to symbolize impending judgment and destruction, emphasizing the severity of God's judgment on Jerusalem.
  10. Galatians 1:15-16v5Galatians 1:15-16 speaks of God setting Paul apart from birth, similar to Jeremiah 1:5 where God tells Jeremiah that He knew him before he was born and set him apart.

Topics in this chapter

Related chapters

Your study

Take it with you

This chapter’s study as a Markdown file. The analysis was written for a notebook originally, so the hashtags arrive as hashtags and the passages as links.

Download the analysisDownload it with your notes and highlights