Jeremiah 1:4-10

The Prophet's Call. The account of this should be compared with similar accounts of the calls of other prophets (see Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 1:1 to Ezekiel 3:3; Amos 7:12 ff.) and the characteristic differences should be noted. Probably all such experiences, whilst ultimately due to moral and religious conviction, involved abnormal psychical elements; e.g. Jeremiah believed that he heard an external voice, and felt an outward touch. On the general nature of the prophetic consciousness, see H. W. Robinson, Religious Ideas of the OT, pp. 113ff, and the article on Old Testament Prophecy in the present work. Jeremiah is told that Yahweh predestined him for a particular life-work before he existed; he was a thought of God (Duhm) before the Divine hands shaped his limbs, according to this pattern, in the mystery of the embryo (Psalms 139:13; Psalms 139:15 f.; Job 10 f.; cf. Isaiah 49:1), and he was consecrated to the Divine purpose before he appeared in the world. This purpose is the utterance of Yahweh's message to the nations of the world. Jeremiah shrinks from such a task on the ground of his youthfulness (i.e. he cannot claim from others the respect due to age and experience; cf. Job 32:6). Yahweh, however, bids him think of the Divine authority and strength supporting him; let him but obey, and God is with him. Then the Divine touch appropriates his mouth as the instrument of Yahweh's address to men; Jeremiah is to be an overseer of nations, and, according to his prophetic word (because it is really Yahweh's), they will rise and fall.

Jeremiah 1:5. sanctified means set apart as God's property; there is no moral reference here. unto the nations: Judah was a politically insignificant people, but its fortunes were to be decided in the great drama of general history, over which Yahweh was supreme. A prophet for Judah's needs was necessarily in such days a prophet unto the nations.

Jeremiah 1:6. Child: the Hebrew word should here be rendered young man as in Genesis 14:24.

Jeremiah 1:9. The act is not merely symbolic; according to Hebrew ideas of physiology and psychology it would actually affect the organ of speech. This Divine appropriation of Jeremiah's mouth is, however, different from the cleansing of Isaiah's lips by the burning coal (Isaiah 6:7 *), though the narrative of the latter may have had a psychological influence on the experience of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 1:10. set thee: lit. made thee overseer.