Jeremiah 1:1-10 - Yahweh Appoints Jeremiah As A Prophet To The Nations
1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the carrying away captive of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
4 Now the word of LORD came to me, saying,
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou came forth out of the womb I sanctified thee. I have appointed thee a prophet to the nations.
6 Then I said, Ah, lord LORD! Behold, I know not how to speak, for I am a child.
7 But LORD said to me, Say not, I am a child. For to whomever I shall send thee thou shall go, and whatever I shall command thee thou shall speak. 8 Be not afraid because of them, for I am with thee to deliver thee, says LORD.
9 Then LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And LORD said to me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. 10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.