Possible meanings are 1) this is a metaphor representing Yahweh giving Jeremiah special authority to speak. AT: "Then it was as though Yahweh touched my mouth" or 2) Jeremiah was seeing a vision and Yahweh actually did this as a symbolic act of giving Jeremiah authority to speak. AT: "Then Yahweh touched my mouth with his hand" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-symaction]])
This phrase represents giving Jeremiah his message. AT: "I have given you my message for you to speak to the people" or "I have enabled you to tell the people my message" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
He would uproot, break down, destroy and overthrow some nations, and he would build and plant other nations.
# to uproot
God speaks of Jeremiah destroying the nations by what he says as if the nations were plants and he were to pull them up out of the ground. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
# to destroy and overthrow
Jeremiah uses these words, which mean almost the same thing, to show that this will certainly happen. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]])
God speaks of Jeremiah causing nations to become strong as if they were a building and he would build them, and as if they were plants and he would plant them. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
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