Jeremiah 1:18

The NET Bible®

I, the Lord , hereby promise to make you as strong as a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. You will be able to stand up against all who live in the land, including the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and all the people of the land.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Today, I am the one who has made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the population.

Hebrew Names Version
For, behold, I have made you this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Yehudah, against the princes of it, against the Kohanim of it, and against the people of the land.

King James Version
For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

English Standard Version
And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.

New American Standard Bible
"Now behold, I have made you today like a fortified city and like a pillar of iron and walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its leaders, to its priests, and to the people of the land.

New Century Version
Today I am going to make you a strong city, an iron pillar, a bronze wall. You will be able to stand against everyone in the land: Judah's kings, officers, priests, and the people of the land.

Amplified Bible
"Now behold, I have made you today like a fortified city and like an iron pillar and like bronze walls against the whole land—against the [successive] kings of Judah, against its leaders, against its priests, and against the people of the land [giving you divine strength which no hostile power can overcome].

World English Bible
For, behold, I have made you this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes of it, against the priests of it, and against the people of the land.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For I, beholde, I this day haue made thee a defenced citie, and an yron pillar and walles of brasse against the whole lande, against the Kings of Iudah, and against the princes thereof, against the Priestes thereof and against the people of the lande.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now behold, I have given you today as a fortified city and as a pillar of iron and as walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its princes, to its priests, and to the people of the land.

Berean Standard Bible
Now behold, this day I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land-against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.

Contemporary English Version
My power will make you strong like a fortress or a column of iron or a wall of bronze. You will oppose all of Judah, including its kings and leaders, its priests and people.

Complete Jewish Bible
For today, you see, I have made you into a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bronze against the whole land — against the kings of Y'hudah, against its princes, against its cohanim and the people of the land.

Darby Translation
And I, behold, I appoint thee this day as a strong city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land; against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land.

Easy-to-Read Version
As for me, today I will make you like a strong city, an iron column, a bronze wall. You will be able to stand against everyone in the land, against the kings of the land of Judah, the leaders of Judah, the priests of Judah, and against the people of the land of Judah.

George Lamsa Translation
For, behold, I have made you this day like a fortified city and like an iron pillar and like a brass fence against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against their princes, against their priests, against their prophets, and against all the people of the land.

Good News Translation
Listen, Jeremiah! Everyone in this land—the kings of Judah, the officials, the priests, and the people—will be against you. But today I am giving you the strength to resist them; you will be like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. They will not defeat you, for I will be with you to protect you. I, the Lord , have spoken."

Lexham English Bible
Now look, I have made you today as a fortified city and as an iron pillar and a bronze wall against all the land, against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land.

Literal Translation
For, behold, today I have made you a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against her princes, against her priests, and to the people of the land.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For beholde, this daye do I make the a stroge fensed towne, an yron pyler, and a wall of stele agaynst ye whole londe, agaynst the kinges and mightie men of Iuda, agaynst the prestes and people of the londe.

American Standard Version
For, behold, I have made thee this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

Bible in Basic English
For see, this day have I made you a walled town, and an iron pillar, and walls of brass, against all the land, against the kings of Judah, against its captains, against its priests, and against the people of the land.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
For, behold, I have made thee this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

King James Version (1611)
For behold, I haue made thee this day a defenced citie, and an yron pillar, and brasen walles against the whole land, against the kings of Iudah, against the princes thereof, against the Priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For beholde, this day do I make thee a strong fensed towne, an iron pyller, and a brasen wall, agaynst the whole lande, agaynst the kinges and mightie men of Iuda, agaynst the priestes and people of the lande.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Behold, I have made thee this day as a strong city, and as a brazen wall, strong against all the kings of Juda, and the princes thereof, and the people of the land.

English Revised Version
For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For Y yaf thee to dai in to a strong citee, and in to an yrun piler, and in to a brasun wal, on al the lond, to the kyngis of Juda, and to the princis therof, and to the preestis therof, and to al the puple of the lond.

Update Bible Version
For, look, I have made you this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

Webster's Bible Translation
For behold, I have made thee this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against her princes, against her priests, and against the people of the land.

New King James Version
For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land-- Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land.

New Living Translation
For see, today I have made you strong like a fortified city that cannot be captured, like an iron pillar or a bronze wall. You will stand against the whole land— the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah.

New Life Bible
Today I have made you as a strong city ready for war, as a pillar of iron and as walls of brass against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, the rulers, its religious leaders, and the people of the land.

New Revised Standard
And I for my part have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall, against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I, therefore - lo! I have set thee to-day as a fortified city, and as a pillar of iron and as walls of bronze, over all the land, - against the kings of Judah, against her princes, against her priests and against the people of the land.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For behold I have made thee this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass, over all the land, to the kings of Juda, to the princes thereof, and to the priests, and to the people of the land.

Revised Standard Version
And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land.

Young's Literal Translation
And I, lo, I have given thee this day for a fenced city, and for an iron pillar, and for brazen walls over all the land, to the kings of Judah, to its heads, to its priests, and to the people of the land;

THE MESSAGE
"Stand at attention while I prepare you for your work. I'm making you as impregnable as a castle, Immovable as a steel post, solid as a concrete block wall. You're a one-man defense system against this culture, Against Judah's kings and princes, against the priests and local leaders. They'll fight you, but they won't even scratch you. I'll back you up every inch of the way." God 's Decree.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Now behold, I have made you today as a fortified city and as a pillar of iron and as walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its princes, to its priests and to the people of the land.

Contextual Overview

¹¹ Later the Lord asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I answered, "I see a branch of an almond tree." ¹² Then the Lord said, "You have observed correctly. This means I am watching to make sure my threats are carried out." ¹³ The Lord again asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a pot of boiling water; it is tipped toward us from the north." ¹⁴ Then the Lord said, "This means destruction will break out from the north on all who live in the land. ¹⁵ For I will soon summon all the peoples of the kingdoms of the north," says the Lord . "They will come and their kings will set up their thrones near the entrances of the gates of Jerusalem. They will attack all the walls surrounding it, and all the towns in Judah. ¹⁶ In this way I will pass sentence on the people of Jerusalem and Judah because of all their wickedness. For they rejected me and offered sacrifices to other gods, worshiping what they made with their own hands." ¹⁷ "But you, Jeremiah, get yourself ready! Go and tell these people everything I instruct you to say. Do not be terrified of them, or I will give you good reason to be terrified of them. ¹⁸ I, the Lord , hereby promise to make you as strong as a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. You will be able to stand up against all who live in the land, including the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and all the people of the land. ¹⁹ They will attack you but they will not be able to overcome you, for I will be with you to rescue you," says the Lord .

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I have: Jeremiah 6:27, Jeremiah 15:20, Isaiah 50:7, Ezekiel 3:8, Ezekiel 3:9, Micah 3:8, Micah 3:9, John 1:42

against: Jeremiah 21:4-14, Jeremiah 22:1-30, Jeremiah 26:12-15, Jeremiah 34:3, Jeremiah 34:20-22, Jeremiah 36:27-32, Jeremiah 37:7, Jeremiah 38:2, Jeremiah 38:18, Jeremiah 42:22

Reciprocal: Exodus 36:36 - General 2 Kings 3:14 - I would not look Psalms 31:21 - strong city Ecclesiastes 9:1 - that the Isaiah 49:2 - made me Jeremiah 1:7 - for thou shalt Jeremiah 15:10 - a man Jeremiah 15:12 - Shall iron Jeremiah 15:18 - as a Jeremiah 20:7 - deceived Jeremiah 26:24 - that Hosea 6:5 - have I Zechariah 10:4 - of him came forth Matthew 10:26 - Fear Luke 1:28 - the Lord Acts 6:10 - able Acts 18:10 - I am 1 Timothy 3:15 - the pillar Revelation 3:12 - pillar

Cross-References

Psalms 19:6
It emerges from the distant horizon, and goes from one end of the sky to the other; nothing can escape its heat.

Jeremiah 31:35
The Lord has made a promise to Israel. He promises it as the one who fixed the sun to give light by day and the moon and stars to give light by night. He promises it as the one who stirs up the sea so that its waves roll. He promises it as the one who is known as the Lord who rules over all.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city,.... Or, "as" one; so read the Targum, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions; which is inexpungible, and cannot be taken:

and an iron pillar; which cannot be removed out of its place:

and brasen walls; which cannot be broken down. All these metaphors show the safety and security of the prophet, being surrounded by the power of God; his constancy, immovableness, and invincibleness in the work of the Lord, having such a spirit of power, fortitude, and of a sound mind, that nothing was able to move and shake him, or to deter him from the execution of his office; and that he should stand inflexible

against the whole land; of Judea, and all the inhabitants of it:

against the kings of Judah; in successive reigns, as Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, or Jechonias, and Zedekiah:

against the princes thereof; who desired he might be put to death,

Jeremiah 38:4:

against the priests thereof; who all of them dealt falsely, and were given to covetousness, Jeremiah 8:10:

and against the people of the land; who were grievously addicted to idolatry, and all manner of wickedness.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Metaphorically the walls and fortifications of the city represent the prophet’s power of patiently enduring the attacks of his enemies; while the iron pillar, supporting the whole weight of the roof Judges 16:29; 1 Kings 7:21), signifies that no trials or sufferings would crush his steadfast will.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 1:18. I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and, brazen walls — Though thou shalt be exposed to persecutions and various indignities, they shall not prevail against thee. To their attacks thou shalt be as an impregnable city; as unshaken as an iron pillar; and as imperishable as a wall of brass. None, therefore, can have less cause to apprehend danger than thou hast. The issue proved the truth of this promise: he outlived all their insults; and saw Jerusalem destroyed, and his enemies, and the enemies of his Lord, carried into captivity. Instead of חמות chomoth, walls, many MSS. and editions read חמת chomath, a wall, which corresponds with the singular nouns preceding.