Jeremiah 1:6

Myles Coverdale Bible

The sayde I: Oh LORDE God, I am vnmete, for I am yet but yonge.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But I protested, “Oh no, Lord God! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.”

Hebrew Names Version
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I don't know how to speak; for I am a child.

King James Version
Then said I, Ah, Lord God ! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

English Standard Version
Then I said, "Ah, Lord God ! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only 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."

New Century Version
Then I said, "But Lord God , I don't know how to speak. I am only a boy."

Amplified Bible
Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, For I am [only] a young man."

World English Bible
Then said I, Ah, Lord Yahweh! behold, I don't know how to speak; for I am a child.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then said I, Oh, Lord God, behold, I can not speake, for I am a childe.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then I said, "Alas, Lord Yahweh!Behold, I do not know how to speakBecause I am a youth."

Berean Standard Bible
"Ah, Lord GOD," I said, "I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!"

Contemporary English Version
I replied, "I'm not a good speaker, Lord , and I'm too young."

Complete Jewish Bible
I said, "Oh, Adonai Elohim , I don't even know how to speak! I'm just a child!"

Darby Translation
And I said, Alas, Lord Jehovah! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child.

Easy-to-Read Version
Then I said, "But, Lord God , I don't know how to speak. I am only a boy."

George Lamsa Translation
Then I said, I beseech thee, O LORD God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am but a child.

Good News Translation
I answered, "Sovereign Lord , I don't know how to speak; I am too young."

Lexham English Bible
Then I said, "Ah, Lord Yahweh! Look, I do not know how to speak, for I am a youth."

Literal Translation
Then I said, Ah, Lord Jehovah! Behold, I do not know how to speak for I am a boy.

American Standard Version
Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am a child.

Bible in Basic English
Then said I, O Lord God! see, I have no power of words, for I am a child.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then said I: 'Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child.'

King James Version (1611)
Then said I, Ah Lord God, behold, I cannot speake, for I am a childe.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayde I: O Lorde God, I can not speake, for I am yet but young.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I said, O Lord, thou that art supreme Lord, behold, I know not how to speak, for I am a child.

English Revised Version
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y seide, A! A! A! Lord God, lo! Y kan not speke, for Y am a child.

Update Bible Version
Then I said, Ah, Lord Yahweh! look, I don't 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.

New English Translation
I answered, "Oh, Lord God , I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young."

New King James Version
Then said I: "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth."

New Living Translation
"O Sovereign Lord ," I said, "I can't speak for you! I'm too young!"

New Life Bible
Then I said, "O, Lord God! I do not know how to speak. I am only a boy."

New Revised Standard
Then I said, "Ah, Lord God ! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said I - Ah! My Lord Yahweh! Lo! I know not how to speak, - For a child, am I!

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I said: Ah, ah, ah, Lord God: behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child.

Revised Standard Version
Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth."

Young's Literal Translation
And I say, `Ah, Lord Jehovah! lo, I have not known -- to speak, for I [am] a youth.'

THE MESSAGE
But I said, "Hold it, Master God ! Look at me. I don't know anything. I'm only a boy!"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then I said, "Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth."

Contextual Overview

⁴ The worde of the LORDE spake thus vnto me: ⁵ Before I fasshioned the in thy mothers wobe, I dyd knowe the: And or euer thou wast borne, I sanctified the, & ordened the, to be a prophet vnto the people. ⁶ The sayde I: Oh LORDE God, I am vnmete, for I am yet but yonge. ⁷ And the LORDE answered me thus: Saye not so, I am to yonge: For thou shalt go to all that I shall sende the vnto, and what so euer I comaunde the, that shalt thou speake. ⁸ Be not afrayed of their faces, for I wilbe with the, to delyuer the, saieth the LORDE. ⁹ And with that, the LORDE stretched out his honde, and touched my mouth, and sayde morouer vnto me: Beholde I put my wordes in thy mouth, ¹⁰ and this daye do I set the ouer the people and kingdomes: that thou mayest rote out, breake of, destroye, and make waist: and that thou mayest buylde vp, and plate.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Lord: Jeremiah 4:10, Jeremiah 14:13, Jeremiah 32:17

I cannot: Exodus 4:1, Exodus 4:10-16, Exodus 6:12, Exodus 6:30, Isaiah 6:5

for I am: 1 Kings 3:7-9

Reciprocal: Exodus 3:11 - General Exodus 4:11 - General Exodus 4:13 - send Numbers 11:26 - went not out Judges 6:15 - wherewith 1 Samuel 3:15 - feared 1 Samuel 18:18 - Who am I 1 Kings 3:9 - who is able 1 Chronicles 29:1 - young Proverbs 25:6 - in the presence Jeremiah 20:7 - deceived Ezekiel 4:14 - Ah Zechariah 2:4 - young Mark 13:11 - take 1 Corinthians 2:1 - with 2 Corinthians 3:5 - but 2 Corinthians 10:10 - and his 2 Corinthians 12:9 - My grace James 1:5 - any

Cross-References

Genesis 1:5
and called the light, Daye: and the darcknes, Night Then of the euenynge and mornynge was made the first daye.

Genesis 1:6
And God sayde: let there be a firmament betwene the waters, and let it deuyde ye waters a sunder.

Genesis 1:7
Then God made ye firmamet, and parted the waters vnder the firmamet, from the waters aboue the firmament: And so it came to passe.

Genesis 1:8
And God called ye firmament, Heauen. Then of the euenynge & mornynge was made the seconde daye.

Genesis 1:11
And God sayde: let ye earth bringe forth grene grasse and herbe, that beareth sede: & frutefull trees, that maye beare frute, euery one after his kynde, hauynge their owne sede in them selues vpon the earth. And so it came to passe.

Genesis 1:12
And the earth brought forth grene grasse and herbe, yt beareth sede euery one after his kynde, & trees bearinge frute, & hauynge their owne sede in them selues, euery one after his kynde. And God sawe that it was good.

Genesis 1:13
Then of the euenynge & mornynge was made the thirde daye.

Genesis 1:14
And God sayde: let there be lightes in ye firmament of heauen, to deuyde the daye fro the night, that they maye be vnto tokes, seasons, dayes, and yeares.

Genesis 1:20
And God sayde: let the waters brynge forth creatures that moue and haue life, & foules for to flye aboue the earth vnder the firmamet of heauen.

Genesis 1:22
and blessed them, sayenge: Growe, and multiplie, and fyll the waters of the sees, and let the foules multiplie vpon the earth.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said I, Ah, Lord God!.... The word אהה, "Ah", or "Ahah", is used in distress and grief, as Kimchi observes; and is expressive of mourning and complaint, as Jarchi notes; and shows that the prophet was troubled and uneasy at his call, and would gladly have been excused on the following account:

behold, I cannot speak; or, "I know not how to speak" r; properly and pertinently, politely and eloquently, especially before great personages, kings and princes, and the citizens of Jerusalem, being brought up in a rustic manner in the country. A like excuse Moses made, Exodus 4:10. The Targum is, "I know not to prophesy: for I am a child"; meaning either in knowledge and understanding, or in years; not a mere child, but a "junior", as the Septuagint version renders the word; or a "young man", as the Arabic version; so Samuel and Zechariah were young men, when they first ministered in their office, 1 Samuel 3:1. Abarbinel supposes that Jeremiah was now twelve or fifteen years of age; but it should seem rather that he was more, perhaps twenty years of age; since he seems to have prophesied to the men of Anathoth before he was sent to Jerusalem, Jeremiah 11:21.

r לא ידעתי דבר "uescio loqui", V. L. Munster, Vatablus, Junius Tremellius "non novi loqui", Pagninus, Montanus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

There is no resistance on Jeremiah’s part, but he shrinks back alarmed.

I cannot speak - i. e., “I cannot prophesy,” I have not those powers of oratory necessary for success. The prophets of Israel were the national preachers in religious matters, and their orators in political.

I am a child - This implies nothing very definite about Jeremiah’s age. Still the long duration of his prophetic mission makes it probable that he was very young when called to the office, as also were Isaiah, Hosea, Zechariah, and others.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 1:6. I cannot speak — Being very young, and wholly inexperienced, I am utterly incapable of conceiving aright, or of clothing these Divine subjects in suitable language. Those who are really called of God to the sacred ministry are such as have been brought to a deep acquaintance with themselves, feel their own ignorance, and know their own weakness. They know also the awful responsibility that attaches to the work; and nothing but the authority of God can induce such to undertake it. They whom God never called run, because of worldly honour and emolument: the others hear the call with fear and trembling, and can go only in the strength of Jehovah.

"How ready is the man to go,

Whom God hath never sent!

How timorous, diffident, and slow,

God's chosen instrument!"