en_tn/jer/01/09.md

# Then Yahweh reached out with his hand, touched my mouth

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]])

# I have placed my word in your mouth

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]])

# I am appointing you ... to uproot and break down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant

Jeremiah would do these things to various nations by saying that they would happen.

# to uproot and break down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant

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]])

# to build and plant

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]])