1These are the words Jeremiah received from the Lord. Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah. Jeremiah was one of the priests at Anathoth. That’s a town in the territory of Benjamin. 2A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah. It came in the 13th year that Josiah was king over Judah. Josiah was the son of Amon. 3After Josiah, his son Jehoiakim was king over Judah. The Lord’s message also came to Jeremiah during the whole time Jehoiakim ruled. The Lord continued to speak to Jeremiah while Zedekiah was king over Judah. He did this until the fifth month of the 11th year of Zedekiah’s rule. That’s when the people of Jerusalem were forced to leave their country. Zedekiah was the son of Josiah. Here is what Jeremiah said.
The Lord Appoints Jeremiah to Speak for Him
4A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said,
5“Before I formed you in your mother’s body I chose you.
Before you were born I set you apart to serve me.
I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
6“You are my Lord and King,” I said. “I don’t know how to speak. I’m too young.”
7But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I’m too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to. You must say everything I command you to say. 8Do not be afraid of the people I send you to. I am with you. I will save you,” announces the Lord.
9Then the Lord reached out his hand. He touched my mouth and spoke to me. He said, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10Today I am appointing you to speak to nations and kingdoms. I give you authority to pull them up by the roots and tear them down. I give you authority to destroy them and crush them. I give you authority to build them up and plant them.”
11A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord asked me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
“The branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
12The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly. I am watching to see that my word comes true.”
13Another message from the Lord came to me. The Lord asked me, “What do you see?”
“A pot that has boiling water in it,” I answered. “It’s leaning toward us from the north.”
14The Lord said to me, “Something very bad will be poured out on everyone who lives in this land. It will come from the north. 15I am about to send for all the armies in the northern kingdoms,” announces the Lord.
“Their kings will come to Jerusalem.
They will set up their thrones at the very gates of the city.
They will attack all the walls that surround the city.
They will go to war against all the towns of Judah.
16I will judge my people.
They have done many evil things.
They have deserted me.
They have burned incense to other gods.
They have worshiped the gods
their own hands have made.
17“So get ready! Stand up! Tell them everything I command you to. Do not let them terrify you. If you do, I will terrify you in front of them. 18Today I have made you like a city that has a high wall around it. I have made you like an iron pillar and a bronze wall. Now you can stand up against the whole land. You can stand against the kings and officials of Judah. You can stand against its priests and its people. 19They will fight against you. But they will not win the battle over you. I am with you. I will save you,” announces the Lord.
1Estas son las palabras de Jeremías hijo de Jilquías. Jeremías provenía de una familia sacerdotal de Anatot, ciudad del territorio de Benjamín. 2La palabra del Señor vino a Jeremías en el año trece del reinado de Josías hijo de Amón, rey de Judá. 3También vino a él durante el reinado de Joacim hijo de Josías, rey de Judá, y hasta el fin del reinado de Sedequías hijo de Josías, rey de Judá; es decir, hasta el quinto mes del año undécimo de su reinado, cuando la población de Jerusalén fue deportada.
Llamamiento de Jeremías
4La palabra del Señor vino a mí:
5«Antes de formarte en el vientre,
ya te había elegido;
antes de que nacieras,
ya te había apartado;
te había nombrado profeta para las naciones».
6Yo le respondí:
«¡Ah, Señor mi Dios! ¡Soy muy joven, y no sé hablar!»
7Pero el Señor me dijo:
«No digas: “Soy muy joven”, porque vas a ir adondequiera que yo te envíe, y vas a decir todo lo que yo te ordene. 8No temas a nadie, que yo estoy contigo para librarte». Lo afirma el Señor.
9Luego extendió el Señor la mano y, tocándome la boca, me dijo:
«He puesto en tu boca mis palabras. 10Mira, hoy te doy autoridad sobre naciones y reinos,
»para arrancar y derribar,
para destruir y demoler,
para construir y plantar».
11La palabra del Señor vino a mí, y me dijo:
«¿Qué es lo que ves, Jeremías?»
«Veo una rama de almendro», respondí.
12«Has visto bien —dijo el Señor—, porque yo estoy alerta1:11-12 En hebreo, las palabras que corresponden a almendro y yo estoy alerta tienen un sonido parecido. para que se cumpla mi palabra».
13La palabra del Señor vino a mí por segunda vez, y me dijo:
«¿Qué es lo que ves?»
«Veo una olla que hierve y se vierte desde el norte», respondí.
14Entonces el Señor me dijo:
«Desde el norte se derramará la calamidad sobre todos los habitantes del país. 15Porque voy a convocar a todas las tribus de los reinos del norte —afirma el Señor—.
»Vendrán, y cada uno pondrá su trono
a la entrada misma de Jerusalén;
vendrán contra todos los muros que la rodean,
y contra todas las ciudades de Judá.
16Yo dictaré sentencia contra mi pueblo,
por toda su maldad,
porque me han abandonado;
han quemado incienso a otros dioses,
y han adorado las obras de sus manos.
17»Pero tú, ¡prepárate! Ve y diles todo lo que yo te ordene. No temas ante ellos, pues de lo contrario yo haré que sí los temas. 18Hoy te he puesto como ciudad fortificada, como columna de hierro y muro de bronce, contra todo el país, contra los reyes de Judá, contra sus autoridades y sus sacerdotes, y contra la gente del país. 19Pelearán contra ti, pero no podrán vencerte, porque yo estoy contigo para librarte», afirma el Señor.
