Jeremiah 1:5

Jeremiah 1:5

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.

a. NASB 1995: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”  [New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.]

b. NKJV: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”   [Scripture quotations marked "NKJV" are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.]

c. Classic Amplified Bible: Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, and before you left the womb I sanctified you; I established you as a prophet unto the nations. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ltd.]

e. ESV: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”  [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

f. Unless otherwise stated, all Greek and Hebrew definitions are from Blue Letter Bible

1. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee…”

 

a. Before [Strong: 2962 טֶרֶם ṭerem, teh'-rem; from an unused root apparently meaning to interrupt or suspend; properly, non-occurrence; used adverbially, not yet or before:—before, ere, not yet.]

b. [I] formed [thee] [Strong: 3335 יָצַר yâtsar, yaw-tsar'; probably identical with H3334 (through the squeezing into shape); (compare H3331); to mould into a form; especially as a potter; figuratively, to determine (i.e. form a resolution):—× earthen, fashion, form, frame, make(-r), potter, purpose.] [Gesenius: to form, to fashion.]

c. [in the] belly [Strong: 990 בֶּטֶן beṭen, beh'-ten; from an unused root probably meaning to be hollow; the belly, especially the womb; also the bosom or body of anything:—belly, body, as they be born, within, womb.]

d. knew [thee] [Strong: 3045 יָדַע yâdaʻ, yaw-dah'; a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.):—acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, × could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, be learned, lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, × prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), × will be, wist, wit, wot.]

1). Some mistakenly believe that only the most important in God’s plans are known before they are formed in the womb. I believe that every human being born on this planet was known before they were formed. Notice the wording in the following verses.

a). Romans 8:28, 29 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

2). These verses have to be understood in the light of the truth that it is not God’s will that any perish, but that all come to repentance.

a). 1 Timothy 2:3, 4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

Who will have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth.

(1) If it is God’s will for all to be saved then it is obvious that God foreknew or knew them before He formed them in the womb. He designed all to be conformed to the image of Jesus. 

b). 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

3). From these Scriptures it is evident that God foreknew all of us. Glory to God! As our loving God was forming us in the womb He was designing us in such a way that it would most compliment the plan for our lives.

a). Psalm 139:13-18 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 139:15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 139:17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God! How great is the sum of them! 139:18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand:

2. “…and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

a. [and] before [Strong: 2962 טֶרֶם ṭerem, teh'-rem; from an unused root apparently meaning to interrupt or suspend; properly, non-occurrence; used adverbially, not yet or before:—before, ere, not yet.]

b. [thou] camest forth [Strong: 3318 יָצָא yâtsâʼ, yaw-tsaw'; a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.:—× after, appear, × assuredly, bear out, × begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, × scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, × still, × surely, take forth (out), at any time, × to (and fro), utter.]

c. [out of the] womb [Strong: 7358 רֶחֶם rechem, rekh'-em; from H7355; (compare H7356) the womb:—matrix, womb.]

d. [I] sanctified [thee] [Strong: 6942 קָדַשׁ qâdash, kaw-dash'; a primitive root; to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally):—appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy(-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify(-ied one, self), × wholly.]

e. [and] ordained [thee] [Strong: 5414 נָתַן nâthan, naw-than'; a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):—add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.]

f. [a] prophet [Strong: 5030 נָבִיא nâbîyʼ, naw-bee'; from H5012; a prophet or (generally) inspired man:—prophecy, that prophesy, prophet.]

g. [unto the] nations [Strong: 1471 גּוֹי gôwy, go'-ee; rarely (shortened) גֹּי gôy; apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:—Gentile, heathen, nation, people.]

1). The only way to find out God’s plan for our life, to find out what He ordained us for or sanctified us for, is to first settle in our hearts to pursue the primary purpose for our creation, i.e., to be conformed to the image of Jesus. As we do that, God’s plan for our life will be birthed in our hearts.

a). Proverbs 3:5, 6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 

3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

2). The image we are to be transformed into is the image of Christ Jesus, as Romans 8:29 says, we were predestined or foreknown to be conformed to the image of Christ. The beginning and continuing of that process after repentance is renewing the mind.

a). Romans 12:1, 2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.