1. The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
2. To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
4. Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
5. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you, and I ordained you a prophet unto the nations.
6. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
7. But the LORD said unto me,
8. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you,
9. Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me,
10. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
11. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
12. Then said the LORD unto me,
13. And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,
14. Then the LORD said unto me,
15. For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north,
16. And I will utter my judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands.
17. You therefore prepare yourself, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command you: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound you before them.
18. For, behold, I have made you this day a fenced city, and 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. And they shall fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you; for I am with you,