Jeremiah 1:4 kjv

Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Jeremiah 1:4 nkjv

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

Jeremiah 1:4 niv

The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Jeremiah 1:4 esv

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Jeremiah 1:4 nlt

The LORD gave me this message:

Jeremiah 1 verses

Jeremiah 1 4 Meaning

Jeremiah 1:4 introduces the divine origin of the prophet Jeremiah's message. It unequivocally states that the message Jeremiah is about to deliver does not originate from human wisdom, opinion, or political foresight, but directly from Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. This verse marks the beginning of Jeremiah's prophetic calling and establishes the absolute authority and divine source of the pronouncements that follow in the book. It signifies a moment of direct, personal revelation from God to His chosen servant, preparing him for a demanding ministry of judgment and eventual hope.

Jeremiah 1 4 Context

Jeremiah chapter 1 introduces the prophet Jeremiah and sets the stage for his ministry during a tumultuous period in Judah's history (627-586 BC), primarily spanning the reigns of Kings Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah. Judah was drifting away from God, indulging in idolatry, injustice, and corruption, mirroring the apostasy of the Northern Kingdom before its fall. The chapter begins by identifying Jeremiah by his lineage and time period, then proceeds to narrate his divine call and commission. Verse 4 specifically inaugurates this call, marking the initial moment of direct, personal divine communication to him, signifying God's sovereign initiative in sending His prophet with a message of warning and judgment against His people, while also preserving a promise of restoration. This contrasts sharply with the widespread false prophecies of "peace" prevalent at the time, directly challenging their legitimacy.

Jeremiah 1 4 Word analysis

• Then: Wehayah (וַיְהִי) - This is a common introductory word in Hebrew narratives, signaling the temporal sequence of events. Here, it indicates the commencement of a new, pivotal event in Jeremiah's life after his identification in the preceding verses. It suggests the arrival or happening of something significant, specifically God's direct engagement.
• the word: Davar (דָּבָר) - More than just a spoken utterance, davar in Hebrew encompasses a "thing," "matter," "event," or "affair." When applied to God, davar denotes an active, potent, and concrete reality. God's davar is not inert but living, capable of creating, destroying, or fulfilling purposes. It is distinct from human words or opinions, carrying divine authority and efficacy.
• of the LORD: Yahweh (יְהוָה) - This is God's covenant, personal name, signifying His self-existent, eternal, and covenant-keeping nature. It underscores that the message's source is not an arbitrary deity but the specific God of Israel who established a covenant with His people and is now holding them accountable. The use of Yahweh highlights the truth, faithfulness, and absolute authority inherent in the message.
• came: Hayah (הָיָה) coupled with the preposition "to" (el) - Hayah el means "happened to" or "became to." It strongly emphasizes God's sovereign initiative and active intrusion into Jeremiah's life. It's not Jeremiah seeking the word, but the word actively coming to him. This stresses the unsolicited nature of divine revelation and commission, a common theme in prophetic calls.
• to me: Elai (אֵלַי) - This pronoun explicitly points to Jeremiah as the direct recipient of this divine encounter. It highlights the personal nature of God's calling and that Jeremiah is the chosen vessel for this particular message.
• saying: Lemmor (לֵאמֹר) - This particle signifies that what follows is a direct quotation or the content of the "word." It sets the stage for the specific divine communication that God is about to impart to Jeremiah, preparing the reader for the prophetic discourse that immediately ensues (vv. 5ff).

Words-group analysis

• "the word of the LORD came to me": This phrase encapsulates the central theme of prophetic authority in the Old Testament. It signifies a divinely initiated, sovereign act of revelation, distinguishing a true prophet's message from that of false prophets who spoke "from their own hearts" (Jer 23:26) or from human devising. It underscores that Jeremiah's upcoming pronouncements derive their power and truth not from himself, but directly from the living God, Yahweh. This establishes an incontrovertible foundation for the entirety of Jeremiah's prophecies, which often challenged popular opinion and political policy. The dynamic nature of God's "word" (davar) coupled with its active "coming" (hayah el) conveys an unbidden, powerful encounter that changes the course of Jeremiah's life and ministry.

Jeremiah 1 4 Bonus section

The specific phrasing "the word of the LORD came to me" recurs frequently throughout prophetic books (e.g., Ezek 1:3, Hos 1:1, Jon 1:1, Zech 1:1), serving as a powerful formula to establish the divine origin and legitimacy of the prophet's message. This recurring motif creates a canonical unity among the true prophets, indicating that despite diverse contexts and individual personalities, their ultimate source of truth was the one true God, Yahweh. For Jeremiah, this initial, direct encounter set a precedent for a lifelong and often burdensome commitment, as he found God's word like a "burning fire" in his bones (Jer 20:9), compelling him to speak even when it brought him immense suffering.

Jeremiah 1 4 Commentary

Jeremiah 1:4 serves as the foundational declaration of divine authorship for the entire prophetic book of Jeremiah. It establishes from the outset that Jeremiah's ministry is rooted in direct, authoritative revelation from Yahweh. The emphasis is on God's initiative: the word came to Jeremiah, highlighting the uninvited, compelling nature of his prophetic calling. This was not a human pursuit of spiritual insight but a divine impingement. The term "word of the LORD" (davar Yahweh) is critically significant, denoting not merely spoken sound but an effective, living, and powerful divine reality. It immediately authenticates Jeremiah's challenging message, contrasting sharply with the proliferation of false prophets who spoke "a vision of their own mind, and not from the mouth of the LORD" (Jer 23:16). This verse firmly grounds Jeremiah's authority, validating the authenticity and inevitability of the judgments and eventual promises he would deliver to Judah during a period of intense moral decay and national crisis. It positions Jeremiah as a faithful messenger, tasked with speaking God's challenging truth regardless of personal cost or popular rejection.