Jeremiah 1:7
◄  Jeremiah 1:7  ►
New International Version (©2011)
But 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.

New Living Translation (©2007)
The LORD replied, "Don't say, 'I'm too young,' for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.

English Standard Version (©2001)
But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Then 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.

International Standard Version (©2012)
Then the LORD told me, "Don't say, 'I'm only a young man,' for you will go everywhere I send you, and you will speak everything I command you.

NET Bible (©2006)
The LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young.' But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
But the LORD said to me, "Don't say that you are only a boy. You will go wherever I send you. You will say whatever I command you to say.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for you shall go to all that I shall send you, and whatsoever I command you you shall speak.

American King James Version
But the LORD said to me, Say not, I am a child: for you shall go to all that I shall send you, and whatever I command you you shall speak.

American Standard Version
But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child; for to whomsoever I shall send thee thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to me: Say not: I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee: and whatsoever I shall command thee, thou shalt speak.

Darby Bible Translation
But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child; for thou shalt go to whomsoever I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

English Revised Version
But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for to whomsoever I shall send thee thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak.

Webster's Bible Translation
But the LORD said to me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatever I command thee thou shalt speak.

World English Bible
But Yahweh said to me, "Don't say, 'I am a child;' for to whoever I shall send you, you shall go, and whatever I shall command you, you shall speak.

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto me, 'Do not say, I am a youth, for to all to whom I send thee thou goest, and all that I command thee thou speakest.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But the Lord said unto me, say not, I am a child,.... This excuse will not be admitted:

continued...

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

This excuse God holds of no account. As prophet to the nations, Jeremiah was not to make known his own thoughts or human wisdom, but the will and counsel of God which were to be revealed to him. This is signified by the clauses: for to all to whom I send thee, etc. The על belonging to תלך stands for אל, and does not indicate a hostile advance against any one. כל after על is not neuter, but refers to persons, or rather peoples; since to the relative אשׁר in this connection, עליהם is quite a natural completion; cf. Isaiah 8:12, and Ew. 331, c. Only to those men or peoples is he to go to whom God sends him; and to them he is to declare only what God commands him. And so he needs be in no anxiety on this head, that, as a youth, he has no experience in the matter of speaking.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Jeremiah suggested two difficulties, the first inexperience, the second timidity. God now removes the first of these. Inexperience is no obstacle where the duty is simple obedience His timidity is removed by the promise given him in the next verse.

Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Whatsoever I command thee - It is my words and message, not thine own, that thou shalt deliver. I shall teach thee; therefore thy youth and inexperience can be no hinderance.

Geneva Study Bible

But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

Wesley's Notes

1:7 Thou shalt speak - Fear not, I will make thee eloquent and courageous.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

7. to all that-to all "to whom" [Rosenmuller]. Rather, "to all against whom"; in a hostile sense (compare Jer 1:8, 17, 18, 19) [Maurer]. Such was the perversity of the rulers and people of Judea at that time, that whoever would desire to be a faithful prophet needed to arm himself with an intrepid mind; Jeremiah was naturally timid and sensitive; yet the Spirit moulded him to the necessary degree of courage without taking away his peculiar individuality.

Jeremiah 1:7 Parallel Commentaries
Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


The Call of Jeremiah
…6Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7But the LORD said to me, Say not, I am a child: for you shall go to all that I shall send you, and whatever I command you you shall speak. 8Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you, said the LORD. …

Numbers 22:20 That night God came to Balaam and said, "Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you."
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.
Jeremiah 1:17 "Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.
Jeremiah 7:27 "When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to them, they will not answer.
Ezekiel 2:3 He said: "Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day.
Ezekiel 2:4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.'
Ezekiel 2:7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.
Amos 7:15 But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'