Jeremiah Chapter 1
Ayo, these are the chronicles from Jeremiah, Hilkiah's son, who was one of the priests hanging in Anathoth, in the territory of Benjamin.
The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that {were} in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
The word of the Lord was hella impactful during Josiah's reign, which was, like, 13 years in, king of Judah.
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.
It was also active during Jehoiakim's time, lasting all the way to Zedekiah's final year, when Jerusalem got captured in the fifth month.
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.
So the word of the Lord slid into my DMs, saying,
Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
“Before I even shaped you in the womb, I recognized you; before you popped out, I set you apart as a prophet for the nations, no cap.”
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, {and} I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. {ordained: Heb. gave}
I was like, “Yo, Lord God! I can’t even spit bars, I’m just a kid!”
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I {am} a child.
But the Lord was like, “Nah, don’t say that! You’re gonna go wherever I send you, and you’ll speak whatever I tell you.”
But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I {am} a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
“Don’t trip about their faces; I’ve got your back to rescue you,” says the Lord.
Be not afraid of their faces: for I {am} with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth, saying, “Peep this, I’ve placed my words in your mouth.”
Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
“Check it, I’ve appointed you over nations and kingdoms to tear down, smash, build, and plant. This is fire.”
See, I have this day set thee 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.
Then the word of the Lord came back, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I replied, “I see a rod from an almond tree.”
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.
The Lord was like, “You’re spot on; I’m gonna make my word happen quick.”
Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.
The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, “What do you see?” I said, “I see a boiling pot, leaning north.”
And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof {is} toward the north. {toward...: Heb. from the face of the north}
Then the Lord said, “From the north, some serious trouble's coming for everyone in the land.”
Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. {shall...: Heb. shall be opened}
“I’m summoning all the crews from the northern kingdoms,” says the Lord; they’ll pull up and establish thrones at Jerusalem’s gates and all around Judah.
For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah.
“I’ll drop my judgments on them for all their wickedness, 'cause they abandoned me, burned incense to other gods, and worshipped their own creations.”
And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.
“So get ready, stand up, and say everything I command you; don’t be scared by their faces, or I’ll throw you off.”
Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. {confound: or, break to pieces}
“Check it, I’ve made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land, the kings, princes, priests, and people of Judah.”
For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
“They’ll come for you, but they won’t prevail; I’m with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.”
And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I {am} with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.