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Selected Verse: Jeremiah 1:4 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Jer 1:4	Strong Concordance	Then the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] came unto me, saying [0559],
	King James	Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Jeremiah's call to the prophetical office. unto me--other manuscripts read "to him"; but English Version probably represents the true Hebrew text; this inscription was doubtless made by Jeremiah himself.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Jeremiah's call to the prophetical office.

unto me--other manuscripts read "to him"; but English Version probably represents the true Hebrew text; this inscription was doubtless made by Jeremiah himself.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
This history of Jeremiah's call to his office formed a part of his first address to the people. He claimed to act by an external authority, and to speak not his own words but those of Yahweh; and this even when resisting the divine call (see Jer 15:13; Jer 20:7, Jer 20:14-18).

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The Call and Consecration of Jeremiah to be a Prophet of the Lord. - The investiture of Jeremiah with the prophetic office follows in four acts: the call on the part of the Lord, Jer 1:4-8; Jeremiah's consecration for his calling in Jer 1:9-10; and in two signs, by means of which the Lord assures him of certain success in his work and of powerful support in the exercise of his office (Jer 1:11-19). The call was given by a word of the Lord which came to him in this form: Jer 1:5. "Before I formed thee in the womb I have known thee, and before thou wentest forth from the belly have I consecrated thee, to be prophet to the nations have I set thee. Jer 1:6. Then said I, Ah, Lord Jahveh! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am too young. Jer 1:7. Then said Jahveh to me, Say not, I am too young; but to all to whom I send thee shalt thou go, and all that I command thee shalt thou speak. Jer 1:8. Fear not before them: for I am with thee, to save thee, saith Jahveh. This word came to Jeremiah by means of inspiration, and is neither the product of a reflective musing as to what his calling was to be, nor the outcome of an irresistible impulse, felt within him, to come forward as a prophet. It was a supernatural divine revelation vouchsafed to him, which raised his spiritual life to a state of ecstasy, so that he both recognised the voice of God and felt his lips touched by the hand of God (Jer 1:9). Further, he saw in spirit, one after another, two visions which God interpreted to him as confirmatory tokens of his divine commission (Jer 1:11-19). Jeremiah's appointment to be a prophet for the nations follows upon a decree of God's, fixed before he was conceived or born. God in His counsel has not only foreordained our life and being, but has predetermined before our birth what is to be our calling upon this earth; and He has accordingly so influenced our origin and our growth in the womb, as to prepare us for what we are to become, and for what we are to accomplish on behalf of His kingdom. This is true of all men, but very especially of those who have been chosen by God to be the extraordinary instruments of His grace, whom He has appointed to be instruments for the carrying out of the redemptive schemes of His kingdom; cf. Jer 44:2, Jer 44:24; Jer 49:5; Gal 1:15. Thus Samson was appointed to be a Nazarite from the womb, this having been revealed to his mother before he was conceived, Jdg 13:3. To other men of God such divine predestination was made known for the first time when they were called to that office to which God had chosen them. So was it with our prophet Jeremiah. In such a case a reminder by God of the divine counsel of grace, of old time ordained and provided with means for its accomplishment, should be accepted as an encouragement willingly to take upon one the allotted calling. For the man God has chosen before his birth to a special office in His kingdom He equips with the gifts and graces needed for the exercise of his functions. The three clauses of Jer 1:5 give the three moments whereof the choosing consists: God has chosen him, has consecrated him, and has installed him as prophet. The reference of the words "I have known thee," Calvin limited to the office, quasi diceret, priusquam te formarem in utero, destinavi te in hunc usum, nempe ut subires docendi munus in populo meo. Divine knowing is at the same time a singling out; and of this, choosing is the immediate consequence. But the choosing takes place by means of הקדישׁ, sanctifying, i.e., setting apart and consecrating for a special calling, and is completed by institution to the office. "To be prophet for the nations have I set thee" (נתן, ponere, not only appoint, but install). The sense has been briefly put by Calv. thus: (Jer.) fuisse hac lege creatum hominem, ut suo tempore manifestaretur propheta. לנוים, to the nations = for the nations; not for Judah alone, but for the heathen peoples too; cf. Jer 1:10, Jer 25:9, 46ff. The Chethibh אצורך should apparently be read אצוּרך, from צוּר, equivalent to יצר; the root-form צוּר, being warranted by Exo 32:4; Kg1 7:15, and being often found in Aramaic. It is, however, possible that the Chet. may be only scriptio plena of אצר, a radice יצר, since the scriptio pl. is found elsewhere, e.g., Hos 8:12; Jer 44:17; Eze 21:28, etc.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The Call and Consecration of Jeremiah to be a Prophet of the Lord. - The investiture of Jeremiah with the prophetic office follows in four acts: the call on the part of the Lord, Jer 1:4-8; Jeremiah's consecration for his calling in Jer 1:9-10; and in two signs, by means of which the Lord assures him of certain success in his work and of powerful support in the exercise of his office (Jer 1:11-19). The call was given by a word of the Lord which came to him in this form: Jer 1:5. "Before I formed thee in the womb I have known thee, and before thou wentest forth from the belly have I consecrated thee, to be prophet to the nations have I set thee. Jer 1:6. Then said I, Ah, Lord Jahveh! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am too young. Jer 1:7. Then said Jahveh to me, Say not, I am too young; but to all to whom I send thee shalt thou go, and all that I command thee shalt thou speak. Jer 1:8. Fear not before them: for I am with thee, to save thee, saith Jahveh. This word came to Jeremiah by means of inspiration, and is neither the product of a reflective musing as to what his calling was to be, nor the outcome of an irresistible impulse, felt within him, to come forward as a prophet. It was a supernatural divine revelation vouchsafed to him, which raised his spiritual life to a state of ecstasy, so that he both recognised the voice of God and felt his lips touched by the hand of God (Jer 1:9). Further, he saw in spirit, one after another, two visions which God interpreted to him as confirmatory tokens of his divine commission (Jer 1:11-19). Jeremiah's appointment to be a prophet for the nations follows upon a decree of God's, fixed before he was conceived or born. God in His counsel has not only foreordained our life and being, but has predetermined before our birth what is to be our calling upon this earth; and He has accordingly so influenced our origin and our growth in the womb, as to prepare us for what we are to become, and for what we are to accomplish on behalf of His kingdom. This is true of all men, but very especially of those who have been chosen by God to be the extraordinary instruments of His grace, whom He has appointed to be instruments for the carrying out of the redemptive schemes of His kingdom; cf. Jer 44:2, Jer 44:24; Jer 49:5; Gal 1:15. Thus Samson was appointed to be a Nazarite from the womb, this having been revealed to his mother before he was conceived, Jdg 13:3. To other men of God such divine predestination was made known for the first time when they were called to that office to which God had chosen them. So was it with our prophet Jeremiah. In such a case a reminder by God of the divine counsel of grace, of old time ordained and provided with means for its accomplishment, should be accepted as an encouragement willingly to take upon one the allotted calling. For the man God has chosen before his birth to a special office in His kingdom He equips with the gifts and graces needed for the exercise of his functions. The three clauses of Jer 1:5 give the three moments whereof the choosing consists: God has chosen him, has consecrated him, and has installed him as prophet. The reference of the words "I have known thee," Calvin limited to the office, quasi diceret, priusquam te formarem in utero, destinavi te in hunc usum, nempe ut subires docendi munus in populo meo. Divine knowing is at the same time a singling out; and of this, choosing is the immediate consequence. But the choosing takes place by means of הקדישׁ, sanctifying, i.e., setting apart and consecrating for a special calling, and is completed by institution to the office. "To be prophet for the nations have I set thee" (נתן, ponere, not only appoint, but install). The sense has been briefly put by Calv. thus: (Jer.) fuisse hac lege creatum hominem, ut suo tempore manifestaretur propheta. לנוים, to the nations = for the nations; not for Judah alone, but for the heathen peoples too; cf. Jer 1:10, Jer 25:9, 46ff. The Chethibh אצורך should apparently be read אצוּרך, from צוּר, equivalent to יצר; the root-form צוּר, being warranted by Exo 32:4; Kg1 7:15, and being often found in Aramaic. It is, however, possible that the Chet. may be only scriptio plena of אצר, a radice יצר, since the scriptio pl. is found elsewhere, e.g., Hos 8:12; Jer 44:17; Eze 21:28, etc.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Then - When he was first called to his office.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
The word of the Lord came unto me - Then I first felt the inspiring influence of the Divine Spirit, not only revealing to me the subjects which he would have me to declare to the people, but also the words which I should use in these declarations.

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¹⁴ Cursed [0779] be the day [03117] wherein I was born [03205]: let not the day [03117] wherein my mother [0517] bare [03205] me be blessed [01288].
¹⁵ Cursed [0779] be the man [0376] who brought tidings [01319] to my father [01], saying [0559], A man [02145] child [01121] is born [03205] unto thee; making him very [08055] glad [08055].
¹⁶ And let that man [0376] be as the cities [05892] which the LORD [03068] overthrew [02015], and repented [05162] not: and let him hear [08085] the cry [02201] in the morning [01242], and the shouting [08643] at noontide [06256] [06672];
¹⁷ Because he slew [04191] me not from the womb [07358]; or that my mother [0517] might have been my grave [06913], and her womb [07358] to be always [05769] great [02030] with me.
¹⁸ Wherefore came I forth [03318] out of the womb [07358] to see [07200] labour [05999] and sorrow [03015], that my days [03117] should be consumed [03615] with shame [01322]?

⁷ O LORD [03068], thou hast deceived [06601] me, and I was deceived [06601]: thou art stronger [02388] than I, and hast prevailed [03201]: I am in derision [07814] daily [03117], every one mocketh [03932] me.

¹³ Thy substance [02428] and thy treasures [0214] will I give [05414] to the spoil [0957] without price [04242], and that for all thy sins [02403], even in all thy borders [01366].

²⁸ And thou, son [01121] of man [0120], prophesy [05012] and say [0559], Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] concerning the Ammonites [01121] [05983], and concerning their reproach [02781]; even say [0559] thou, The sword [02719], the sword [02719] is drawn [06605]: for the slaughter [02874] it is furbished [04803], to consume [0398] because of the glittering [01300]:

¹⁷ But we will certainly [06213] do [06213] whatsoever thing [01697] goeth forth [03318] out of our own mouth [06310], to burn incense [06999] unto the queen [04446] of heaven [08064], and to pour out [05258] drink offerings [05262] unto her, as we have done [06213], we, and our fathers [01], our kings [04428], and our princes [08269], in the cities [05892] of Judah [03063], and in the streets [02351] of Jerusalem [03389]: for then had we plenty [07646] of victuals [03899], and were well [02896], and saw [07200] no evil [07451].

¹² I have written [03789] to him the great things [07230] [07239] of my law [08451], but they were counted [02803] as a strange thing [02114].

¹⁵ For he cast [06696] two [08147] pillars [05982] of brass [05178], of eighteen [08083] [06240] cubits [0520] high [06967] apiece [05982] [0259]: and a line [02339] of twelve [08147] [06240] cubits [0520] did compass [05437] either [08145] of them about [05437].

⁴ And he received [03947] them at their hand [03027], and fashioned [06696] it with a graving tool [02747], after he had made [06213] it a molten [04541] calf [05695]: and they said [0559], These be thy gods [0430], O Israel [03478], which brought [05927] thee up out of the land [0776] of Egypt [04714].

⁹ Behold, I will send [07971] and take [03947] all the families [04940] of the north [06828], saith [05002] the LORD [03068], and Nebuchadrezzar [05019] the king [04428] of Babylon [0894], my servant [05650], and will bring [0935] them against this land [0776], and against the inhabitants [03427] thereof, and against all these nations [01471] round about [05439], and will utterly destroy [02763] them, and make [07760] them an astonishment [08047], and an hissing [08322], and perpetual [05769] desolations [02723].

¹⁰ See [07200], I have this day [03117] set [06485] thee over the nations [01471] and over the kingdoms [04467], to root out [05428], and to pull down [05422], and to destroy [06], and to throw down [02040], to build [01129], and to plant [05193].

⁵ Before [02962] I formed [03335] thee in the belly [0990] I knew [03045] thee; and before thou camest forth [03318] out of the womb [07358] I sanctified [06942] thee, and I ordained [05414] thee a prophet [05030] unto the nations [01471].

³ And the angel [04397] of the LORD [03068] appeared [07200] unto the woman [0802], and said [0559] unto her, Behold now, thou art barren [06135], and bearest [03205] not: but thou shalt conceive [02029], and bear [03205] a son [01121].

¹⁵ But [1161] when [3753] it pleased [2106] God [2316], who [3588] separated [873] me [3165] from [1537] my [3450] mother's [3384] womb [2836], and [2532] called [2564] me by [1223] his [846] grace [5485],

⁵ Behold, I will bring [0935] a fear [06343] upon thee, saith [05002] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] of hosts [06635], from all those that be about [05439] thee; and ye shall be driven out [05080] every man [0376] right forth [06440]; and none shall gather up [06908] him that wandereth [05074].

²⁴ Moreover Jeremiah [03414] said [0559] unto all the people [05971], and to all the women [0802], Hear [08085] the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], all Judah [03063] that are in the land [0776] of Egypt [04714]:

² Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635], the God [0430] of Israel [03478]; Ye have seen [07200] all the evil [07451] that I have brought [0935] upon Jerusalem [03389], and upon all the cities [05892] of Judah [03063]; and, behold, this day [03117] they are a desolation [02723], and no man dwelleth [03427] therein,

¹¹ Moreover the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] came unto me, saying [0559], Jeremiah [03414], what seest [07200] thou? And I said [0559], I see [07200] a rod [04731] of an almond tree [08247].
¹² Then said [0559] the LORD [03068] unto me, Thou hast well [03190] seen [07200]: for I will hasten [08245] my word [01697] to perform [06213] it.
¹³ And the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] came unto me the second time [08145], saying [0559], What seest [07200] thou? And I said [0559], I see [07200] a seething [05301] pot [05518]; and the face [06440] thereof is toward [06440] the north [06828].
¹⁴ Then the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto me, Out of the north [06828] an evil [07451] shall break forth [06605] upon all the inhabitants [03427] of the land [0776].
¹⁵ For, lo, I will call [07121] all the families [04940] of the kingdoms [04467] of the north [06828], saith [05002] the LORD [03068]; and they shall come [0935], and they shall set [05414] every one [0376] his throne [03678] at the entering [06607] of the gates [08179] of Jerusalem [03389], and against all the walls [02346] thereof round about [05439], and against all the cities [05892] of Judah [03063].
¹⁶ And I will utter [01696] my judgments [04941] against them touching [05921] all their wickedness [07451], who have forsaken [05800] me, and have burned incense [06999] unto other [0312] gods [0430], and worshipped [07812] the works [04639] of their own hands [03027].
¹⁷ Thou therefore gird up [0247] thy loins [04975], and arise [06965], and speak [01696] unto them all that I command [06680] thee: be not dismayed [02865] at their faces [06440], lest I confound [02865] thee before [06440] them.
¹⁸ For, behold, I [0589] have made [05414] thee this day [03117] a defenced [04013] city [05892], and an iron [01270] pillar [05982], and brasen [05178] walls [02346] against the whole land [0776], against the kings [04428] of Judah [03063], against the princes [08269] thereof, against the priests [03548] thereof, and against the people [05971] of the land [0776].
¹⁹ And they shall fight [03898] against thee; but they shall not prevail [03201] against thee; for I am with thee, saith [05002] the LORD [03068], to deliver [05337] thee.

⁸ Be not afraid [03372] of their faces [06440]: for I am with thee to deliver [05337] thee, saith [05002] the LORD [03068].

⁷ But the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto me, Say [0559] not, I am a child [05288]: for thou shalt go [03212] to all that I shall send [07971] thee, and whatsoever I command [06680] thee thou shalt speak [01696].

⁶ Then said [0559] I, Ah [0162], Lord [0136] GOD [03069]! behold, I cannot [03045] speak [01696]: for I am a child [05288].

⁹ Then the LORD [03068] put forth [07971] his hand [03027], and touched [05060] my mouth [06310]. And the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto me, Behold, I have put [05414] my words [01697] in thy mouth [06310].
¹⁰ See [07200], I have this day [03117] set [06485] thee over the nations [01471] and over the kingdoms [04467], to root out [05428], and to pull down [05422], and to destroy [06], and to throw down [02040], to build [01129], and to plant [05193].

⁴ Then the word [01697] of the LORD [03068] came unto me, saying [0559],
⁵ Before [02962] I formed [03335] thee in the belly [0990] I knew [03045] thee; and before thou camest forth [03318] out of the womb [07358] I sanctified [06942] thee, and I ordained [05414] thee a prophet [05030] unto the nations [01471].
⁶ Then said [0559] I, Ah [0162], Lord [0136] GOD [03069]! behold, I cannot [03045] speak [01696]: for I am a child [05288].
⁷ But the LORD [03068] said [0559] unto me, Say [0559] not, I am a child [05288]: for thou shalt go [03212] to all that I shall send [07971] thee, and whatsoever I command [06680] thee thou shalt speak [01696].
⁸ Be not afraid [03372] of their faces [06440]: for I am with thee to deliver [05337] thee, saith [05002] the LORD [03068].