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. Now 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.”
6. Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.”
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. Don’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,” says Yahweh.
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. 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. Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
12. Then Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.”
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. Then Yahweh said to me, “Out of the north, evil will break out on all the inhabitants of the land.