New Living Translation
Jeremiah 1:6
6“O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m 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.
- 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 Lord gave me this message: 5“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” 7The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
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, “O Sovereign Lord, the people have been deceived by what you said, for you promised peace for Jerusalem. But the sword is held at their throats!”
- Jeremiah 14:13Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord, their prophets are telling them, ‘All is well—no war or famine will come. The Lord will surely send you peace.’”
- Jeremiah 32:17“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!
- Ezekiel 4:10Ration this out to yourself, eight ounces of food for each day, and eat it at set times.
- Ezekiel 6:12Disease will strike down those who are far away in exile. War will destroy those who are nearby. And anyone who survives will be killed by famine. So at last I will spend my fury on them.
- Isaiah 6:5Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
- 1 Kings 3:7“Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around.
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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