New International Version
Jeremiah 1:6
6“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)“O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
Context of Jeremiah 1:6
4The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5“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.” “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” 7But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
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 4:10Then I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! How completely you have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’ when the sword is at our throats!”
- Jeremiah 14:13But I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.’ ”
- Jeremiah 32:17“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
- Ezekiel 4:10Weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day and eat it at set times.
- Ezekiel 6:12One who is far away will die of the plague, and one who is near will fall by the sword, and anyone who survives and is spared will die of famine. So will I pour out my wrath on them.
- Isaiah 6:5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
- 1 Kings 3:7“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.
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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