Jeremiah 1:18
in Jeremiah 1Now behold, this day I have made you like 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Jeremiah 1
Commentary
10 notes on this verseFor, 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.
This site's exposition
Get yourself ready
on Jeremiah 1:17-19
The call closes with a promise of fortification, “like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land”. The opposition runs through every rank. The fight is certain: “They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you”.
This site's exposition
I have made you like a fortified city
A fortified city cannot be taken, an iron pillar cannot be moved, and bronze walls cannot be broken. Jerusalem itself, with all its walls, would fall to Babylon. The prophet it rejected outlived its fall.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(Verse 18, 19) For I have set you today (or Behold I have made you on this day) as a fortified city, and as an iron column, and as a bronze wall over all the earth: to the kings of Judah, to its princes, and to its priests, and to the people of the land. And they will fight against you, but they will not prevail, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you. The divine word describes why the Prophet should not be afraid.
A saint is different from a sinner, not because he or she is not tempted in the same way but because he or she is not defeated even by a great assault, while the other is overcome even by a slight temptation. The strength of any good person would not, as we said, be worthy of praise, if the victory was gained without being tempted. Most certainly there is no room for victory where there is no struggle and conflict. "Blessed is the one who endures trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." According to the apostle Paul also, "power is made perfect" not in ease and delights but "in weakness." "And behold," says he, "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. They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He was of the priests, and, as a priest, was authorized and appointed to teach the people; but to that authority and appointment God added the extraordinary commission of a prophet. Ezekiel also was a priest. Thus God would support the honour of the priesthood at a time when, by their sins and God's judgments upon them, it was sadly eclipsed.
This young stripling of a prophet is made by the power of God as an impregnable city, fortified with iron pillars and surrounded with walls of brass; he sallies out upon the enemy in reproofs and threatenings, and keeps them in awe.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
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.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
defenced city, &c.--that is, I will give thee strength which no power of thine enemies shall overcome (Jer 6:27; Ac 6:10). walls--plural, to express the abundant strength to be given him. DE ROSSI'S'S manuscripts read singular, "wall." people of the land--the general masses, as distinguished from the princes and priests.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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 Jdg 16:29; 1Ki 7:21), signifies that no trials or sufferings would crush his steadfast will.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַאֲנִ֞י | vaani | and I | H589 → | 874 times |
| הִנֵּ֧ה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| נְתַתִּ֣יךָ | netatikha | I have made you | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| הַיּ֗וֹם | haiyom | this day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| לְעִ֨יר | leir | into a city of | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| מִבְצָ֜ר | mivtzar | fortification | H4013 → | 37 times |
| וּלְעַמּ֥וּד | uleamud | and into a pillar of | H5982 → | 111 times |
| בַּרְזֶ֛ל | barzel | iron | H1270 → | 76 times |
| וּלְחֹמ֥וֹת | ulechomot | and into walls of | H2346 → | 133 times |
| נְחֹ֖שֶׁת | nechoshet | bronze | H5178 → | 140 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָאָ֑רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| לְמַלְכֵ֤י | lemalkhei | to [the] kings of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יְהוּדָה֙ | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| לְשָׂרֶ֔יהָ | lesareiha | to officials its | H8269 → | 421 times |
| לְכֹהֲנֶ֖יהָ | lekhohaneiha | to priests its | H3548 → | 750 times |
| וּלְעַ֥ם | uleam | and to [the] people of | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
וַאֲנִ֞יand I
vaaniH589 →874 times
הִנֵּ֧הhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
נְתַתִּ֣יךָI have made you
netatikhaH5414 →2011 times
הַיּ֗וֹםthis day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
לְעִ֨ירinto a city of
leirH5892 →1090 times
מִבְצָ֜רfortification
mivtzarH4013 →37 times
וּלְעַמּ֥וּדand into a pillar of
uleamudH5982 →111 times
בַּרְזֶ֛לiron
barzelH1270 →76 times
וּלְחֹמ֥וֹתand into walls of
ulechomotH2346 →133 times
נְחֹ֖שֶׁתbronze
nechoshetH5178 →140 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָאָ֑רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
לְמַלְכֵ֤יto [the] kings of
lemalkheiH4428 →2525 times
יְהוּדָה֙Judah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
לְשָׂרֶ֔יהָto officials its
lesareihaH8269 →421 times
לְכֹהֲנֶ֖יהָto priests its
lekhohaneihaH3548 →750 times
וּלְעַ֥םand to [the] people of
uleamH5971 →1873 times
הָאָֽרֶץ׃the land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 50:7Because the Lord GOD helps Me, I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be put to shame.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
- Ezekiel 3:8–9
Behold, I will make your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.
- John 16:33
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
- Isaiah 42:1
“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.
- Romans 1:16
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.
- Hebrews 13:6
Through
Jeremiah 15:20Then I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to save and deliver…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 1:18–19
Now behold, this day I have made you like 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…
- Ezekiel 3:9
I will make your forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or dismayed at their presence, even though they are a rebellious house.”
- Psalms 46:7
The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
- Jeremiah 1:18–19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
About Jeremiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 3:18.13; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.