Jeremiah 20ASV
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Jeremiah20

American Standard Version · Public Domain

1Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in the house of Jehovah, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things.

2Then Pashhur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, which was in the house of Jehovah.

3And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashhur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, Jehovah hath not called thy name Pashhur, but Magor-missabib.

4For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends; and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it; and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive to Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

5Moreover I will give all the riches of this city, and all the gains thereof, and all the precious things thereof, yea, all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies; and they shall make them a prey, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.

6And thou, Pashhur, and all that dwell in thy house shall go into captivity; and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and there shalt thou be buried, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied falsely.

7O Jehovah, thou hast persuaded me, and I was persuaded; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am become a laughing-stock all the day, every one mocketh me.

8For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, Violence and destruction! because the word of Jehovah is made a reproach unto me, and a derision, all the day.

9And if I say, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I cannot contain.

10For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, say all my familiar friends, they that watch for my fall; peradventure he will be persuaded, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

11But Jehovah is with me as a mighty one and a terrible: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail; they shall be utterly put to shame, because they have not dealt wisely, even with an everlasting dishonor which shall never be forgotten.

12But, O Jehovah of hosts, that triest the righteous, that seest the heart and the mind, let me see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I revealed my cause.

13Sing unto Jehovah, praise ye Jehovah; for he hath delivered the soul of the needy from the hand of evil-doers.

14Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

15Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man-child is born unto thee; making him very glad.

16And let that man be as the cities which Jehovah overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear a cry in the morning, and shouting at noontime;

17because he slew me not from the womb; and so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great.

18Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jeremiah 20.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The doom of Pashur, who ill-treated the prophet. (1-6). Jeremiah complains of hard usage. (7-13). He regrets his ever having been born. (14-18).

vv1-6

Pashur smote Jeremiah, and put him in the stocks. Jeremiah was silent till God put a word into his mouth. To confirm this, Pashur has a name given him, "Fear on every side." It speaks a man not only in distress, but in despair; not only in danger, but in fear on every side. The wicked are in great fear where no fear is, for God can make the most daring sinner a terror to himself. And those who will not hear of their faults from God's prophets, shall be made to hear them from their consciences. Miserable is the man thus made a terror to himself. His friends shall fail him. God lets him live miserably, that he may be a monument of Divine justice.

vv7-13

The prophet complains of the insult and injury he experienced. But 7 may be read, Thou hast persuaded me, and I was persuaded. Thou wast stronger than I; and didst overpower me by the influence of thy Spirit upon me. So long as we see ourselves in the way of God, and of duty, it is weakness and folly, when we meet with difficulties and discouragements, to wish we had never set out in it. The prophet found the grace of God mighty in him to keep him to his business, notwithstanding the temptation he was in to throw it up. Whatever injuries are done to us, we must leave them to that God to whom vengeance belongs, and who has said, I will repay. So full was he of the comfort of God's presence, the Divine protection he was under, and the Divine promise he had to depend upon, that he stirred up himself and others to give God the glory. Let the people of God open their cause before Him, and he will enable them to see deliverance.

vv14-18

When grace has the victory, it is good to be ashamed of our folly, to admire the goodness of God, and be warned to guard our spirits another time. See how strong the temptation was, over which the prophet got the victory by Divine assistance! He is angry that his first breath was not his last. While we remember that these wishes are not recorded for us to utter the like, we may learn good lessons from them. See how much those who think they stand, ought to take heed lest they fall, and to pray daily, Lead us not into temptation. How frail, changeable, and sinful is man! How foolish and unnatural are the thoughts and wishes of our hearts, when we yield to discontent! Let us consider Him who endured the contradiction of sinners against himself, lest we should be at any time weary and faint in our minds under our lesser trials.

Cross References

Jeremiah 20
v10Psalms 31:13allusion

Jeremiah uses the exact phrase 'fear on every side' (Magor-missabib) found in David's Psalm.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v9Psalms 39:3thematic

Matches the motif of a burning fire shut up in the heart when attempting silence.

Supported by JFB

v14Job 3:3-16thematic

Jeremiah's intense curse of his birth day strongly echoes Job's passionate lament and self-loathing.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

Parallels the divine necessity and inward compulsion to preach despite personal difficulty.

Supported by JFB

v10Psalms 41:9typology

The betrayal of 'familiars' ('men of my peace') typifies Christ's betrayal by His close associates.

Supported by JFB

v12Jeremiah 11:20thematic

Repeats Jeremiah's appeal to God who trieth the heart and reins, committing his cause.

Supported by John Calvin

v21 Kings 22:24thematic

A striking historical parallel where a prominent official physically smites a true prophet of God.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v3Jeremiah 6:25thematic

Jeremiah frequently repeats this signature phrase 'terror on every side' throughout his warnings.

Supported by JFB

v7Jeremiah 1:19thematic

Jeremiah wrestles with the terms of God's original call and promise of deliverance.

Supported by JFB

v16Genesis 19:24thematic

Refers to the complete, unrepenting overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah as a standard of judgment.

Supported by Matthew Poole

Identifies Pashur's priestly lineage as belonging to the sixteenth course, the house of Immer.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v2Jeremiah 29:26thematic

Mentions the specific temple prison/stocks designed to punish and humiliate prophetic messengers.

Supported by JFB

v52 Kings 20:17fulfillment

Isaiah's prophecy to Hezekiah is fulfilled in the spoiling of the temple treasures to Babylon.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v10Jeremiah 18:18thematic

The people conspire to accuse Jeremiah by weaponizing his words and reporting him.

Supported by JFB

Provides a direct parallel where a false prophet receives a specific death sentence for lies.

Supported by Matthew Henry