I. Introduction (chap. 1)

The Book of Jeremiah opens by introducing its readers to the prophet. His background and call into the prophetic ministry set the stage for the rest of his book.

A. The prophet’s background (1:1–3)

1:1. Jeremiah gives information on his family background (v. 1) during the time he ministered (vv. 2–3). He was one of the priests, descended from the priestly line of Aaron. His father, Hilkiah, was probably not the high priest Hilkiah who discovered the copy of the Law during the time of Josiah (2 Kings 22:2–14). The name “Hilkiah” was evidently a common name given to several men in the Old Testament who were priests or Levites (1 Chron. 6:45–46; 26:10–11; 2 Chron. 34:9–22; Neh. 12:7; Jer. 1:1).

Jeremiah’s hometown was Anathoth which was in the territory of Benjamin. The village of Anathoth was about three miles northeast of Jerusalem. The territory of Benjamin bordered the territory of Judah, and the dividing line extended roughly east to west and passed beside Jerusalem (cf. Josh. 18:15–16). Anathoth was a city allocated by Joshua to the priests (Josh. 21:15–19). Solomon exiled Abiathar the priest to Anathoth for supporting Adonijah as David’s successor (1 Kings 1:7; 2:26–27).

1:2–3. Jeremiah was born a priest, but began functioning as a prophet when he received the word of the LORD. A prophet was one through whom God spoke directly to His people. God’s call of Jeremiah came in the 13th year of the reign of Josiah. Josiah became king of Judah in 640 B.C., so his 13th year was 627 B.C. Josiah was the last righteous king of Judah. After his untimely death in 609 B.C., every king who ascended Judah’s throne was unworthy of the task. Jeremiah continued as God’s spokesman down to the fifth month of the 11th year of Zedekiah. That date was July–August 586 B.C. Thus Jeremiah’s ministry lasted at least 41 years. However, this verse probably refers to Jeremiah’s ministry to the nation of Judah until the people of Jerusalem went into exile because 39:11–44:30 records events of Jeremiah’s ministry that occurred after August 586.

B. The prophet’s call (1:4–10)

1:4–5. God’s call of Jeremiah as a prophet, though brief, contained a message designed to motivate him for his task. God revealed that His selection of Jeremiah as a prophet had occurred before he had even been formed … in the womb. The word knew (yāḏa‘) means far more than intellectual knowledge. It was used of the intimate relations experienced by a husband and wife (“lay,” Gen. 4:1) and conveyed the sense of a close personal relationship (“chosen,” Amos 3:2) and protection (“watches over,” Ps. 1:6). Before Jeremiah was conceived God had singled him out to be His spokesman to Israel.

Jeremiah had been set … apart for this ministry. The verb translated “set apart” (qāḏaš) means setting something or someone apart for a specific use. Individuals or objects “set apart” (or sanctified or made holy) for use by God included the Sabbath Day (Ex. 16:23; 20:8), the tabernacle and its furnishings (Ex. 29:44; 40:9), and the priests (Ex. 29:1; 30:30). God had marked Jeremiah from conception and reserved him for a special task. He was appointed to be a prophet to the nations. Though Jeremiah proclaimed God’s Word to Judah (chaps. 2–45), his ministry as God’s spokesman extended beyond Judah to Gentile nations (chaps. 46–51).

1:6. Jeremiah responded to God’s appointment with a measure of self-doubt. He first objected that he did not know how to speak. Jeremiah was not claiming that he was physically unable to talk. He was claiming a lack of eloquence and speaking ability required for such a public ministry.

He also objected that he was only a child (na‘ar). This word was used of infants (Ex. 2:6; 1 Sam. 4:21) and of young men (Gen. 14:24). Jeremiah’s age is not given, but possibly he was in his late teens or early 20s at this time. By using the term “child” Jeremiah was emphasizing his lack of experience. He felt ill-prepared to be God’s ambassador to the nations.

1:7–10. God gave three answers to Jeremiah’s objections. First, He stressed the authority under which Jeremiah was to act. Jeremiah should not use inexperience as an excuse for evading his task. He would have no choice in the selection of his audience or his message. Rather, he was to go to everyone to whom God sent him and say whatever God commanded. Jeremiah did not have to be an eloquent elder stateman-he was simply to be a faithful messenger.

Second, God stressed that He would protect the future prophet. Evidently Jeremiah was afraid for his personal safety. Certainly his fears were based on his awareness of the times because the people did try to get rid of him (cf. 11:18–23; 12:6; 20:1–2; 26:11; 37:15–16; 38:4–6). Yet God told Jeremiah not to be afraid of them, because He would be on his side. The people would try to kill Jeremiah, but God promised to rescue him.

Third, God showed Jeremiah the source of his message. Jeremiah’s call must have come in the form of a vision (cf. Ezek. 1:1) because he noted that the LORD reached out His hand to touch Jeremiah’s mouth. This visible manifestation of God was His object lesson to tell Jeremiah that the Lord Himself would put His words in Jeremiah’s mouth. Jeremiah need not worry what to say; God would provide the very words he would speak.

God then summarized the content of Jeremiah’s message (Jer. 1:10). It would be a message of both judgment and blessing to nations and kingdoms. God used two metaphors to describe Jeremiah’s mission (cf. 31:28 for a later use of the same two metaphors). Comparing Jeremiah to a farmer, God said he would uproot (announce judgment) and … plant (announce blessing). Comparing Jeremiah to an architect, God said he would tear down … destroy, and overthrow (pronounce judgment) and build (pronounce blessing).

C. The prophet’s confirming visions (1:11–16)

God confirmed His call to Jeremiah by giving him two visions. The first (vv. 11–12) focused on the nature of the message Jeremiah would deliver and the second (vv. 13–16) pointed out the content of that message.

1. THE BLOSSOMING ALMOND BRANCH (1:11–12)

1:11. God’s first confirming vision caused Jeremiah to see the branch of an almond tree. The Hebrew word for “almond tree” is šāqēḏ, from the word “to watch or to wake” (šāqaḏ). The almond tree was named the “awake tree” because in Palestine it is the first tree in the year to bud and bear fruit. Its blooms precede its leaves, as the tree bursts into blossom in late January.

1:12. The branch represented God who was watching to see that His word is fulfilled. God used a play on words to associate the almond branch with His activity. The word for “watching” is šōqēḏ, related to the Hebrew noun for “almond tree.” Jeremiah’s vision of the “awake tree” reminded him that God was awake and watching over His word to make sure it came to pass.

2. THE BOILING POT (1:13–16)

1:13. God’s second confirming vision caused Jeremiah to see a boiling pot. The pot was a large kettle that was evidently sitting on a fire because it was “boiling”, (lit., “blown upon,” nāp̱ûaḥ, indicating a wind or draft blowing on the fire to help bring the cauldron’s contents to a boil). The pot was tilting away from the north indicating that its contents were about to be spilled out toward the south.

1:14–16. The tilting pot represented disaster that will be poured out on those who live in Judah. The direction from which the pot was facing represented the peoples of the northern kingdoms whom God was summoning to punish the nation of Judah. Some scholars feel that God was referring to a Scythian invasion, but it seems better to understand His message as a reference to the coming invasion by Babylon and her allies (cf. 25:8–9). Though Babylon was located to the east geographically, the invading armies followed the trade routes along the Euphrates River in their march to Judah. Thus those armies did approach from the north (cf. 4:6; 6:1, 22; 10:22; 13:20; 15:12; 16:15; 23:8; 25:9, 26; 31:8; 46:24; 47:2; 50:3, 9, 41). They would set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, indicating that the city would fall to them. Jeremiah recorded the fulfillment of this prophecy in 39:2–3 after the Babylonians captured Jerusalem.

Judah’s fall to Babylon would be God’s judgment for her idolatry. In forsaking God and worshiping what their hands had made the people of Judah had violated their covenant with God (cf. Deut. 28). The sin of Judah brought about her downfall.

The prophet’s challenge (1:17–19)

1:17–19. After explaining the task, God charged Jeremiah to take up the challenge. Get yourself ready! is literally, “gird up your loins” (cf. Ex. 12:11; 2 Kings 4:29; 9:1; Luke 12:35; Eph. 6:14; 1 Peter 1:13). God gave him the needed strength to stand against the people of Judah. Through God’s enablement Jeremiah would be as strong as a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. God’s strength to withstand attack would be needed because all the people would oppose Jeremiah’s message. They would fight against Jeremiah, but God assured him that they would not overcome him.