KJV ORIGINAL
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart as holy and appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is telling Jeremiah that He knew him, chose him, and planned his purpose as a prophet even before he was born.
📚 Historical Context
This is God's call to Jeremiah around 627 BC, when he was likely a young man in his teens or twenties. Jeremiah lived during one of the most turbulent periods in Israel's history, witnessing the fall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile. God was calling him to deliver difficult messages of judgment and hope to not just Israel, but to surrounding nations as well.
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