Christian Standard Bible
Jeremiah 1:5
5I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.
Jeremiah 1:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
Context of Jeremiah 1:5
3It also came throughout the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile. 4The word of the Lord came to me: I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations. 6But I protested, “Oh no, Lord God! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.” 7Then the Lord said to me: Do not say, “I am only a youth,” for you will go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I tell you.
Read all of Jeremiah 1Jeremiah 1:5 word by word
בְּטֶ֨רֶם אֶצָּרְךָ֤ בַבֶּ֙טֶן֙ יְדַעְתִּ֔יךָ וּבְטֶ֛רֶם תֵּצֵ֥א מֵרֶ֖חֶם הִקְדַּשְׁתִּ֑יךָ נָבִ֥יא לַגּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Beforeטֶ֫רֶםţerem · beforeH2962
- I formedיָצַרyâtsar · to form: formedH3335
- thee in the bellyבֶּ֫טֶןbeţen · belly: wombH990
- I knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- thee; and before thou camest forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: produceH3318
- out of the wombרֶ֫חֶםrechem · wombH7358
- I sanctifiedקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: dedicateH6942
- I ordainedנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- thee a prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- unto the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
Cross-references for Jeremiah 1:5
- Psalms 71:5For you are my hope, Lord God, my confidence from my youth.
- Isaiah 49:1Coasts and islands, listen to me; distant peoples, pay attention. The Lord called me before I was born. He named me while I was in my mother’s womb.
- Luke 1:76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
- Galatians 1:15But when God, who from my mother’s womb set me apart and called me by his grace, was pleased
- Exodus 33:12Moses said to the Lord, “Look, you have told me, ‘Lead this people up,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor with me.’
- Romans 8:29For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
- 2 Timothy 2:19Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, bearing this inscription: The Lord knows those who are his, and let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.
- Luke 1:15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.
- Romans 1:1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God —
- Ephesians 1:22And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church,
- Ephesians 4:11And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
Commentaries on Jeremiah 1:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Before I formed thee - I had destined thee to the prophetic office before thou wert born: I had formed my plan, and appointed thee to be my envoy to his people. St. Paul speaks of his own call to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles in similar terms, Galatians 1:15, Galatians 1:16.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Rather, “Before I formed thee in the belly.” I approved of thee (as one fit for the prophetic office),” and before thou camest forth from the womb” I made thee holy (dedicated thee to holy uses); I have appointed thee (now by this public call to be) “a prophet unto the nations.” Unto the nations - The privileges contained in this verse are so great as in their full sense to be true only of Christ Himself, while to Jeremiah they belong as being in so many…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5In his first message from the Lord, Jeremiah learned three key truths about God: God knows everything, including each person. He can choose people for specific tasks even before they exist. He gives his authority to those he calls. God chose Jeremiah for a special task and made him a prophet. Jeremiah's work reached many nations. Although he left the kingdom of Judah only three times, people worldwide have heard or read his writings (see Jeremiah 13:4–7…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-104-10. 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.Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 1:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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