7. But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I'm only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to. You must say everything I command you to say.
8. Do not be afraid of the people I send you to. I am with you. I will save you," announces the Lord.
9. Then the Lord reached out his hand. He touched my mouth and spoke to me. He said, "I have put my words in your mouth.
10. Today I am appointing you to speak to nations and kingdoms. I want you to pull them up by the roots and tear them down. I want you to destroy them and crush them. But I also want you to build them up and plant them."
11. A message came to me from the Lord. He asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" "The branch of an almond tree," I replied.
12. The Lord said to me, "You have seen correctly. I am watching to see that my word comes true."
13. Another message came to me from the Lord. He asked me, "What do you see?" "A pot that has boiling water in it," I answered. "It's leaning toward us from the north."
14. The Lord said to me, "Something very bad will be poured out on everyone who lives in this land. It will come from the north.
15. I am about to send for all of the armies in the northern kingdoms," announces the Lord. "Their kings will come to Jerusalem. They will set up their thrones at the very gates of the city. They will attack all of the walls that surround the city. They will go to war against all of the towns of Judah.
16. I will judge my people. They have done many evil things. They have deserted me. They have burned incense to other gods. They have worshiped the gods their own hands have made.