Jeremiah 1:18

18 For I gave thee today into a strong city, and into an iron pillar, and into a brazen wall, on all the land, to the kings of Judah, and to the princes thereof, and to the priests thereof, and to all the people of the land. (For I have made thee this day like a strong city, and like an iron pillar, and like a bronze wall, to stand against all the land, yea, against the kings of Judah, and its princes, or its leaders, and its priests, and all the people of the land.)

Jeremiah 1:18 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 1:18

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.

Jeremiah 1:18 In-Context

16 And I shall speak my dooms with them on all the malice of them, that forsook me, and made sacrifice to alien gods, and worshipped the work of their hands. (And I shall tell out my judgement of them, for all the malice of those who have deserted me, and made sacrifice to strange, or foreign, gods, and who worshipped the work of their own hands.)

17 Therefore gird [up] thou thy loins, and rise thou (up), and speak to them all things which I command to thee; dread thou not of the face of them, for I shall not make thee for to dread the cheer of them. (And so gird thou up thy loins, and rise thou up, and say to them all the things which I command thee; fear thou not to go before them, or else I shall truly make thee afraid when thou art before them.)

18 For I gave thee today into a strong city, and into an iron pillar, and into a brazen wall, on all the land, to the kings of Judah, and to the princes thereof, and to the priests thereof, and to all the people of the land. (For I have made thee this day like a strong city, and like an iron pillar, and like a bronze wall, to stand against all the land, yea, against the kings of Judah, and its princes, or its leaders, and its priests, and all the people of the land.)

19 And they shall fight against thee, and they shall not have the mastery; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, that I deliver thee. (And they shall fight against thee, but they shall not have the mastery; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, and I shall keep thee safe.)