The Call of Jeremiah

1  דִּבְרֵ֥י (The words) יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ (of Jeremiah) בֶּן־ (son) חִלְקִיָּ֑הוּ (of Hilkiah), מִן־ (of) הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ (the priests) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who were) בַּעֲנָת֔וֹת (in Anathoth) בְּאֶ֖רֶץ (in the land) בִּנְיָמִֽן׃ (of Benjamin), 2  אֲשֶׁ֨ר (whom) הָיָ֤ה (came) דְבַר־ (the word) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH) אֵלָ֔יו (to) בִּימֵ֛י (in the days) יֹאשִׁיָּ֥הוּ (of Josiah) בֶן־ (son) אָמ֖וֹן (of Amon) מֶ֣לֶךְ (king) יְהוּדָ֑ה (of Judah), בִּשְׁלֹשׁ־ (in the three) עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה (and tenth) שָׁנָ֖ה (year) לְמָלְכֽוֹ׃ (of his reigning). 3  וַיְהִ֗י (And it came to pass) בִּימֵ֨י (in the days) יְהוֹיָקִ֤ים (of Jehoiakim) בֶּן־ (son) יֹאשִׁיָּ֙הוּ֙ (of Josiah) מֶ֣לֶךְ (king) יְהוּדָ֔ה (of Judah), עַד־ (until) תֹּם֙ (the completion) עַשְׁתֵּ֣י (of the one) עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה (and tenth) שָׁנָ֔ה (year) לְצִדְקִיָּ֥הוּ (of Zedekiah) בֶן־ (son) יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ (of Josiah) מֶ֣לֶךְ (king) יְהוּדָ֑ה (of Judah), עַד־ (until) גְּל֥וֹת (the exile) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם (of Jerusalem) בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ (month) הַחֲמִישִֽׁי׃ס (in the fifth).

4  וַיְהִ֥י (Came) דְבַר־ (and the word) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) אֵלַ֥י (to me) לֵאמֹֽר׃ (saying),

5  בְּטֶ֨רֶם (Before) אֶצּוֹרְךָ (I formed you) בַבֶּ֙טֶן֙ (in the belly) יְדַעְתִּ֔יךָ (I knew you)

וּבְטֶ֛רֶם (and before) תֵּצֵ֥א (you came forth) מֵרֶ֖חֶם (from the womb) הִקְדַּשְׁתִּ֑יךָ (I consecrated you)

נָבִ֥יא (a prophet) לַגּוֹיִ֖ם (to the nations) נְתַתִּֽיךָ׃ (and I ordained you).

6  וָאֹמַ֗ר (And I said) אֲהָהּ֙ (Ah), אֲדֹנָ֣י (Lord) יְהֹוִ֔ה (YHWH)! הִנֵּ֥ה (Behold), לֹא־ (not) יָדַ֖עְתִּי (I have known) דַּבֵּ֑ר (to speak), כִּי־ (for) נַ֖עַר (a youth) אָנֹֽכִי׃פ (I am).

7  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (Said) יְהוָה֙ (and YHWH) אֵלַ֔י (to me)

אַל־ (Do not), תֹּאמַ֖ר (say)

נַ֣עַר (A youth); אָנֹ֑כִי (I am)

כִּ֠י (for) עַֽל־ (to)

כָּל־ (all) אֲשֶׁ֤ר (to whom) אֶֽשְׁלָחֲךָ֙ (I shall send you) תֵּלֵ֔ךְ (you shall go)

וְאֵ֛ת (and) כָּל־ (all) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) אֲצַוְּךָ֖ (I command you)

תְּדַבֵּֽר׃ (you shall speak).

8  אַל־ (Do not) תִּירָ֖א (be afraid) מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם (of their faces);

כִּֽי־ (for) אִתְּךָ֥ (with you) אֲנִ֛י (I am) לְהַצִּלֶ֖ךָ (to deliver you)

נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָֽה׃ (of YHWH).

9  וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח (And stretched out) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֶת־ (-) יָד֔וֹ (His hand), וַיַּגַּ֖ע (and touched) עַל־ (on) פִּ֑י (my mouth). וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֵלַ֔י (to me)

הִנֵּ֛ה (Behold), נָתַ֥תִּי (I have put) דְבָרַ֖י (My words)

בְּפִֽיךָ׃ (in your mouth).

10  רְאֵ֞ה (See), הִפְקַדְתִּ֣יךָ׀ (I have set you) הַיּ֣וֹם (day) הַזֶּ֗ה (this)

עַל־ (over) הַגּוֹיִם֙ (the nations) וְעַל־ (and over) הַמַּמְלָכ֔וֹת (the kingdoms),

לִנְת֥וֹשׁ (to uproot), וְלִנְת֖וֹץ (and to tear down),

וּלְהַאֲבִ֣יד (and to destroy), וְלַהֲר֑וֹס (and to throw down),

לִבְנ֖וֹת (to build), וְלִנְטֽוֹעַ׃פ (and to plant).

11  וַיְהִ֤י (Came) דְבַר־ (and the word) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH) אֵלַ֣י (to me) לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying), מָה־ (What) אַתָּ֥ה (do you)? רֹאֶ֖ה (See) יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ (Jeremiah),

וָאֹמַ֕ר (and I said), מַקֵּ֥ל (A branch) שָׁקֵ֖ד (of an almond tree) אֲנִ֥י (I) רֹאֶֽה׃ (see).

12  וַיֹּ֧אמֶר (Said) יְהוָ֛ה (and YHWH) אֵלַ֖י (to me) הֵיטַ֣בְתָּ (Well) לִרְא֑וֹת (You have seen); כִּֽי־ (For) שֹׁקֵ֥ד (am watching) אֲנִ֛י (I) עַל־ (over) דְּבָרִ֖י (My word) לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃פ (to do it).

13  וַיְהִ֨י (And came) דְבַר־ (the word) יְהוָ֤ה׀ (of YHWH) אֵלַי֙ (to me) שֵׁנִ֣ית (a second time), לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying), מָ֥ה (What) אַתָּ֖ה (do you)? רֹאֶ֑ה (See)

וָאֹמַ֗ר (and I said), סִ֤יר (A pot); נָפ֙וּחַ֙ (boiling) אֲנִ֣י (I) רֹאֶ֔ה (see) וּפָנָ֖יו (and its face) מִפְּנֵ֥י (is away from the face) צָפֽוֹנָה׃ (of the north).

14  וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (Said) יְהוָ֖ה (and YHWH) אֵלָ֑י (to me) מִצָּפוֹן֙ (From the north) תִּפָּתַ֣ח (shall break forth) הָרָעָ֔ה (evil) עַ֥ל (over) כָּל־ (all) יֹשְׁבֵ֖י (those dwelling) הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (in the land). 15  כִּ֣י׀ (For), הִנְנִ֣י (behold, I) קֹרֵ֗א (am calling) לְכָֽל־ (all) מִשְׁפְּח֛וֹת (the families) מַמְלְכ֥וֹת (of the kingdoms) צָפ֖וֹנָה (of the north), נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH);

וּבָ֡אוּ (And they shall come), וְֽנָתְנוּ֩ (and set) אִ֨ישׁ (each man) כִּסְא֜וֹ (his throne)

פֶּ֣תַח׀ (at the entrance) שַׁעֲרֵ֣י (of the gates) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם (of Jerusalem),

וְעַ֤ל (and against) כָּל־ (all) חוֹמֹתֶ֙יהָ֙ (its walls) סָבִ֔יב (round about),

וְעַ֖ל (and against) כָּל־ (all) עָרֵ֥י (the cities) יְהוּדָֽה׃ (of Judah).

16  וְדִבַּרְתִּ֤י (And I will speak) מִשְׁפָּטַי֙ (My judgments) אוֹתָ֔ם (against them)

עַ֖ל (over) כָּל־ (all) רָעָתָ֑ם (their wickedness),

אֲשֶׁ֣ר (because) עֲזָב֗וּנִי (they have forsaken Me)

וַֽיְקַטְּרוּ֙ (and have burned incense) לֵאלֹהִ֣ים (gods), אֲחֵרִ֔ים (to other)

וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֖וּ (and bowed down) לְמַעֲשֵׂ֥י (to the works) יְדֵיהֶֽם׃ (of their own hands).

17  וְאַתָּה֙ (And you) תֶּאְזֹ֣ר (must gird) מָתְנֶ֔יךָ (your loins), וְקַמְתָּ֙ (and stand up), וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ (and speak) אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם (to them) אֵ֛ת (-) כָּל־ (all) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) אָנֹכִ֖י (I) אֲצַוֶּ֑ךָּ (command you) אַל־ (do not) תֵּחַת֙ (be dismayed) מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם (before their faces), פֶּֽן־ (lest) אֲחִתְּךָ֖ (I dismay you) לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (before their faces). 18  וַאֲנִ֞י (For), הִנֵּ֧ה (and behold), נְתַתִּ֣יךָ (I have made you) הַיּ֗וֹם (this day) לְעִ֨יר (city), מִבְצָ֜ר (as a fortified) וּלְעַמּ֥וּד (and as a pillar), בַּרְזֶ֛ל (of iron) וּלְחֹמ֥וֹת (and as walls) נְחֹ֖שֶׁת (of bronze) עַל־ (against) כָּל־ (all) הָאָ֑רֶץ (the land), לְמַלְכֵ֤י (against the kings) יְהוּדָה֙ (of Judah), לְשָׂרֶ֔יהָ (against its princes) לְכֹהֲנֶ֖יהָ (against its priests) וּלְעַ֥ם (and against the people) הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (of the land). 19  וְנִלְחֲמ֥וּ (And they will fight) אֵלֶ֖יךָ (against you) וְלֹא־ (and they shall not) י֣וּכְלוּ (prevail) לָ֑ךְ (against you) כִּֽי־ (for) אִתְּךָ֥ (with you) אֲנִ֛י (I am) נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH), לְהַצִּילֶֽךָ׃פ (to deliver you).