Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “Alas, Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” New Living Translation “O Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!” English Standard Version Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” Berean Standard Bible “Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!” King James Bible Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. New King James Version Then said I: “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” New American Standard Bible Then I said, “Oh, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth.” NASB 1995 Then I said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth.” NASB 1977 Then I said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth.” Legacy Standard Bible Then I said, “Alas, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I do not know how to speak Because I am a youth.” Amplified Bible Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, For I am [only] a young man.” Christian Standard Bible But I protested, “Oh no, Lord GOD! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.” Holman Christian Standard Bible But I protested, “Oh no, Lord GOD! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.” American Standard Version Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am a child. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And I said: "I beg you LORD JEHOVAH God, behold, I do not know how to speak, because I am a boy!" Brenton Septuagint Translation And I said, O Lord, thou that art supreme Lord, behold, I know not how to speak, for I am a child. Contemporary English Version I replied, "I'm not a good speaker, LORD, and I'm too young." Douay-Rheims Bible And I said: Ah, ah, ah, Lord God: behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child. English Revised Version Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. GOD'S WORD® Translation I, Jeremiah, said, "Almighty LORD, I do not know how to speak. I am only a boy!" Good News Translation I answered, "Sovereign LORD, I don't know how to speak; I am too young." International Standard Version I replied, "Ah, LORD God! Look, I don't know how to speak, because I'm only a young man." JPS Tanakh 1917 Then said I: 'Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child.' Literal Standard Version And I say, “Aah! Lord YHWH! Behold, I have not known—to speak, for I [am] a youth.” Majority Standard Bible “Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!” New American Bible “Ah, Lord GOD!” I said, “I do not know how to speak. I am too young!” NET Bible I answered, "Oh, Lord GOD, I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young." New Revised Standard Version Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” New Heart English Bible Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD. Look, I do not know how to speak; for I am a child." Webster's Bible Translation Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. World English Bible Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.” Young's Literal Translation And I say, 'Ah, Lord Jehovah! lo, I have not known -- to speak, for I am a youth.' Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Call of Jeremiah…5“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” 6“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!” 7But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak.… Cross References Exodus 4:10 "Please, Lord," Moses replied, "I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue." Exodus 6:12 But in the LORD's presence Moses replied, "If the Israelites will not listen to me, then why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I am unskilled in speech?" Exodus 6:30 But in the LORD's presence Moses replied, "Since I am unskilled in speech, why would Pharaoh listen to me?" 1 Kings 3:7 And now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in my father David's place. But I am only a little child, not knowing how to go out or come in. Jeremiah 32:17 "Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You! Ezekiel 4:14 "Ah, Lord GOD," I said, "I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have not eaten anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth." Zechariah 2:4 and said to him, "Run and tell that young man: 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the multitude of men and livestock within it. Treasury of Scripture Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. Ah, Lord Jeremiah 4:10 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul. Jeremiah 14:13 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: I cannot Ezekiel 4:10-16 And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it… Ezekiel 6:12 He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them. Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. for I am 1 Kings 3:7-9 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in… Jump to Previous Ah Alas Child Power Sovereign Speak Words YouthJump to Next Ah Alas Child Power Sovereign Speak Words YouthJeremiah 1 1. The time4. And the calling of Jeremiah 11. His prophetical visions of an almond rod and a seething pot 15. His heavy message against Judah 17. God encourages him with his promise of assistance (6) Ah, Lord God!--Better, Alas, O Lord Jehovah! as answering to the Hebrew Adonai Jehovah. I cannot speak.--In the same sense as the "I am not eloquent" of Moses (Exodus 4:10), literally, "a man of words," i.e., have no gifts of utterance. I am a child.--Later Jewish writers fix the age of fourteen as that up to which the term rendered "child" might be used. With Jeremiah it was probably more indefinite, and in the intense consciousness of his own weakness he would naturally use a word below the actual standard of his age; and there is accordingly nothing against assuming any age within the third hebdomad of life. In Genesis 34:19 it is used of a young man old enough for marriage. The words are memorable as striking a note common to the lives of many prophets; common, also, we may add, to most men as they feel themselves called to any great work. So Moses draws back: "I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue" (Exodus 4:10). So Isaiah cries, "Woe is me! for . . . I am a man of unclean lips" (Isaiah 6:5); and Peter, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (Luke 5:8). Something of the same shrinking is implied in St. Paul's command to Timothy (1Timothy 4:12). In tracing the whole course of Jeremiah's work, we must never forget the divine constraint by which he entered on them. A necessity was laid upon him, as afterwards on St. Paul (1Corinthians 9:16). . . . Verse 6. - Ah, Lord God! rather, Alas, O Lord Jehovah! It is a cry of alarm and pain, and recurs in Jeremiah 4:10; Jeremiah 14:13; Jeremiah 32:17. I am a child. I am too young to support such an office. The word rendered "child" is used elsewhere of youths nearly grown up (comp. Genesis 34:19; Genesis 41:12; 1 Kings 3:7).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew “Ah,אֲהָהּ֙ (’ă·hāh) Interjection Strong's 162: Alas! Lord אֲדֹנָ֣י (’ă·ḏō·nāy) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 136: The Lord GOD,” יְהֹוִ֔ה (Yah·weh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3069: YHWH I said, וָאֹמַ֗ר (wā·’ō·mar) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “I surely הִנֵּ֥ה (hin·nêh) Interjection Strong's 2009: Lo! behold! do not לֹא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no know יָדַ֖עְתִּי (yā·ḏa‘·tî) Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 3045: To know how to speak, דַּבֵּ֑ר (dab·bêr) Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue for כִּי־ (kî-) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction I [am] אָנֹֽכִי׃ (’ā·nō·ḵî) Pronoun - first person common singular Strong's 595: I only a child!” נַ֖עַר (na·‘ar) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer Links Jeremiah 1:6 NIVJeremiah 1:6 NLT Jeremiah 1:6 ESV Jeremiah 1:6 NASB Jeremiah 1:6 KJV Jeremiah 1:6 BibleApps.com Jeremiah 1:6 Biblia Paralela Jeremiah 1:6 Chinese Bible Jeremiah 1:6 French Bible Jeremiah 1:6 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Jeremiah 1:6 Then said I Ah Lord Yahweh! (Jer.) |