Jeremiah 1:6-10

Context

Jeremiah 1 depicts the call of Jeremiah to be a prophet. Jeremiah 1:2 dates the event to the thirteenth year of Josiah, king of Judah, which scholars generally place around 627 BC. In verses 4–5, God says that He knew Jeremiah before He formed him in the womb and ordained him "a prophet unto the nations." In verse 6, Jeremiah demurs, protesting that he cannot speak because he is a child. Verses 7–8 answer this objection and contain the promise "I am with thee to deliver thee." In verse 9, God performs a symbolic act, touching Jeremiah's mouth with His hand, and verse 10 sets out the mission entrusted to him. The visions of the rod of an almond tree and the seething pot (verses 11–16) follow.

The Hebrew word na'ar, translated "child," is used not only of young children but also of unmarried young men. It is therefore impossible to know exactly how old Jeremiah was at the time.

Interpretation

• As a call narrative: Here "call" denotes God's summons to service. Many commentators see the sequence of call, objection, promise of presence, and confirming sign as resembling the calls of Moses (Exodus 3–4) and Gideon (Judges 6). This reading emphasizes that a prophet's qualification comes not from personal ability but from the One who sends him.
• As a statement of the authority of the Word: "I have put my words in thy mouth" echoes the promise of a "prophet like Moses" in Deuteronomy 18:18. The phrase is therefore read as grounds for holding that the prophet's message is not his own but God's, and it is also cited in discussions of the authority of Scripture.
• As judgment and restoration: Of the six verbs in verse 10, four (to root out, to pull down, to destroy, to throw down) describe tearing down, and two (to build, to plant) describe building up. This pairing recurs in Jeremiah 18, 24:6, and 31:28, among other places. Accordingly, the verse is seen as summarizing the theme of the entire book, which looks beyond judgment to restoration.

Questions of Application

The passage is not the subject of major controversy. There is, however, the question of whether the unique prophetic calling given to Jeremiah can be applied directly to believers or ministers today. The Reformed tradition generally holds that the prophetic office of receiving new revelation ceased with the completion of Scripture, and therefore applies the passage as a general principle that God equips those He calls for their task. Pentecostal and charismatic Christians, who hold that the gift of prophecy continues today, sometimes connect the passage more directly with present-day prophetic ministry. This difference relates to the debate over cessationism and continuationism. Some also point out that reading "I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms" as a promise of personal authority or influence takes the words out of context, since the expression originally refers to the mission of proclaiming God's word to the nations.

In the Korean Church

The passage is frequently read in sermons on calling, at ordination services, and at services commissioning missionaries. "Say not, I am a child" is often quoted at youth and young adult gatherings to encourage the younger generation to dedicate themselves to God's service.

Related Passages

• Exodus 4:10-12
• Isaiah 6:6-8
• Deuteronomy 18:18
• Jeremiah 18:1-10
• Galatians 1:15-16