Jeremiah 1:5

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, etc.] Not merely by his omniscience, so he knows all men before their conception and birth; but with such a knowledge as had special love and affection joined with it; in which sense the Lord knows them that are his, as he does not others, and predestinates them unto eternal life; and which is not only before their formation in the womb, but before the foundation of the world, even from all eternity. The forming of the human foetus is God’s act, and a curious piece of workmanship it is; (see <19D915>Psalm 139:15,16). And before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; not by infusing holiness into him, but by separating him in his…”

“knew--approved of thee as My chosen instrument (Exo 33:12, Exo 33:17; compare Isa 49:1, Isa 49:5; Rom 8:29). sanctified--rather, "separated." The primary meaning is, "to set apart" from a common to a special use; hence arose the secondary sense, "to sanctify," ceremonially and morally. It is not here meant that Jehovah cleansed Jeremiah from original sin or regenerated him by His Spirit; but separated him to his peculiar prophetical office, including in its range, not merely the Hebrews, but also the nations hostile to them (Jer. 25:12-38; 27:1-21; 46:1-51:64), [HENDERSON]. Not the effect, but the predestination in Jehovah's secret counsel, is meant by the sanctification here (compare Luk…”

“Rather, “Before I formed thee in the belly.” I approved of thee (as one fit for the prophetic office),” and before thou camest forth from the womb” I made thee holy (dedicated thee to holy uses); I have appointed thee (now by this public call to be) “a prophet unto the nations.” Unto the nations - The privileges contained in this verse are so great as in their full sense to be true only of Christ Himself, while to Jeremiah they belong as being in so many particulars a type of Christ. return to 'Top of Page'”

“I sanctified - I ordained thee for this public service. He speaks thus to Jeremiah, not to the other prophets, because he stood in need of greater encouragement than they, both in respect of the tenderness of his years, and the difficulties which he was to encounter with. The nations - To other nations besides the Jews. Jeremiah 1:7”

“Before I: Psa 71:5, Psa 71:6; Isa 49:1, Isa 49:5; Luk 1:76; Gal 1:15, Gal 1:16 I knew: Exo 33:12, Exo 33:17; Rom 8:29; Ti2 2:19-21 and before: Luk 1:15, Luk 1:41; Rom 1:1 and I ordained: Heb. and I gave, Eph 1:22, Eph 4:11, Eph 4:12 Jeremiah 1:6”