New King James Version
Jeremiah 1:6
6Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am 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 Living Translation (NLT)“O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
Context of Jeremiah 1:6
4Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 5“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.” Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” 7But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says 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, “Ah, Lord God! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, Saying, ‘You shall have peace,’ Whereas the sword reaches to the heart.”
- Jeremiah 14:13Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’ ”
- Jeremiah 32:17‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.
- Ezekiel 4:10And your food which you eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day; from time to time you shall eat it.
- Ezekiel 6:12He who is far off shall die by the pestilence, he who is near shall fall by the sword, and he who remains and is besieged shall die by the famine. Thus will I spend My fury upon them.
- Isaiah 6:5So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”
- 1 Kings 3:7Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries