Jeremiah 1:6 (DBY)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Jeremiah 1:4 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I hallowed thee, I appointed thee a prophet unto the nations.

Jeremiah 1:6 And I said, Alas, Lord Jehovah! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child.

Jeremiah 1:7 But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child; for thou shalt go to whomsoever I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

Jeremiah 1:8 Be not afraid of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith Jehovah.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "said", "alas", "lord", "jehovah", "behold", "speak", and "child". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "said" and "alas", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "Before I formed thee in the belly..." into verse 7's "But Jehovah said unto me Say not...", so "said" and "alas" belong inside that flow. In Jeremiah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "said" and "alas" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.