Christian Standard Bible
Jeremiah 1:6
6But I protested, “Oh no, Lord God! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.”
Jeremiah 1:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
- New International Version (NIV)“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.”
Context of Jeremiah 1:6
4The word of the Lord came to me: 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. But 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. 8Do not be afraid of anyone, for I will be with you to rescue you. This is the Lord’s declaration.
Read all of Jeremiah 1Jeremiah 1:6 word by word
וָאֹמַ֗ר אֲהָהּ֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֔ה הִנֵּ֥ה לֹא־יָדַ֖עְתִּי דַּבֵּ֑ר כִּי־נַ֖עַר אָנֹֽכִי׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Jeremiah 1:6
- Jeremiah 4:10I said, “Oh no, Lord God, you have certainly deceived this people and Jerusalem, by announcing, ‘You will have peace,’ while a sword is at our throats.”
- Jeremiah 14:13And I replied, “Oh no, Lord God! The prophets are telling them, ‘You won’t see sword or suffer famine. I will certainly give you lasting peace in this place.’”
- Jeremiah 32:17Oh, Lord God! You yourself made the heavens and earth by your great power and with your outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for you!
- Ezekiel 4:10The food you eat each day will weigh eight ounces; you will eat it at set times.
- Ezekiel 6:12The one who is far off will die by plague; the one who is near will fall by the sword; and the one who remains and is spared will die of famine. In this way I will exhaust my wrath on them.
- Isaiah 6:5Then I said: Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Armies.
- 1 Kings 3:7“Lord my God, you have now made your servant king in my father David’s place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 1:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6I cannot speak - Being very young, and wholly inexperienced, I am utterly incapable of conceiving aright, or of clothing these Divine subjects in suitable language. Those who are really called of God to the sacred ministry are such as have been brought to a deep acquaintance with themselves, feel their own ignorance, and know their own weakness. They know also the awful responsibility that attaches to the work; and nothing but the authority of God can…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6There is no resistance on Jeremiah‘s part, but he shrinks back alarmed. I cannot speak - i. e., “I cannot prophesy,” I have not those powers of oratory necessary for success. The prophets of Israel were the national preachers in religious matters, and their orators in political. I am a child - This implies nothing very definite about Jeremiah‘s age. Still the long duration of his prophetic mission makes it probable that he was very young when called to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Jeremiah was young (probably a teenager).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 1:6
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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