1The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, from the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.2which was the word of the LORD to him in the days of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his kingdom.3It was in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.4And the word of the LORD came to me, saying:5Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, and before you came out from the womb I sanctified you; a prophet to the nations I gave you.6And I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth."7The LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and all that I command you you shall speak."8Do not fear their faces, for I am with you to rescue you, says the LORD.9Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, "Behold, I have put my words in your mouth."10See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms to uproot and to tear down and to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.11The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I said, "I see an almond rod."12The LORD said to me, "You have done well to see it, for I am watchful over my words to perform them."13The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, "What have you seen?" And I said, "I have seen a pot boiling, with its face from the north."14And the LORD said to me, "From the north evil will break open upon all the inhabitants of the earth."15For behold, I am calling all the families of the kingdoms of the north—the utterance of the LORD—and they will come and they will set each man his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls all around, and against all the cities of Judah.16And I will speak their judgments over all their evil, which they forsook me and they offered incense to other gods and they prostrated themselves to the works of their hands.17So you, gird your loins, arise, and speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, lest I dismay you before their faces.18And I, behold, I have given you today as a fortified city and as an iron pillar and as bronze walls over all the land, to the kings of Judah, to its officials, to its priests, and to the people of the land.19And they will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to rescue you.