Jeremiah20
New Living Translation
1Now Pashhur son of Immer, the priest in charge of the Temple of the Lord, heard what Jeremiah was prophesying.
2So he arrested Jeremiah the prophet and had him whipped and put in stocks at the Benjamin Gate of the Lord’s Temple.
3The next day, when Pashhur finally released him, Jeremiah said, “Pashhur, the Lord has changed your name. From now on you are to be called ‘The Man Who Lives in Terror.’
4For this is what the Lord says: ‘I will send terror upon you and all your friends, and you will watch as they are slaughtered by the swords of the enemy. I will hand the people of Judah over to the king of Babylon. He will take them captive to Babylon or run them through with the sword.
5And I will let your enemies plunder Jerusalem. All the famed treasures of the city—the precious jewels and gold and silver of your kings—will be carried off to Babylon.
6As for you, Pashhur, you and all your household will go as captives to Babylon. There you will die and be buried, you and all your friends to whom you prophesied that everything would be all right.’”
7O Lord, you misled me, and I allowed myself to be misled. You are stronger than I am, and you overpowered me. Now I am mocked every day; everyone laughs at me.
8When I speak, the words burst out. “Violence and destruction!” I shout. So these messages from the Lord have made me a household joke.
9But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!
10I have heard the many rumors about me. They call me “The Man Who Lives in Terror.” They threaten, “If you say anything, we will report it.” Even my old friends are watching me, waiting for a fatal slip. “He will trap himself,” they say, “and then we will get our revenge on him.”
11But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior. Before him my persecutors will stumble. They cannot defeat me. They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated. Their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you test those who are righteous, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let me see your vengeance against them, for I have committed my cause to you.
13Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord! For though I was poor and needy, he rescued me from my oppressors.
14Yet I curse the day I was born! May no one celebrate the day of my birth.
15I curse the messenger who told my father, “Good news—you have a son!”
16Let him be destroyed like the cities of old that the Lord overthrew without mercy. Terrify him all day long with battle shouts,
17because he did not kill me at birth. Oh, that I had died in my mother’s womb, that her body had been my grave!
18Why was I ever born? My entire life has been filled with trouble, sorrow, and shame.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Jeremiah 20.
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.
Key Words
פַּשְׁחוּר: Pashchur, the name of four Israelites
כֹּהֵן: literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אִמֵּר: Immer, the name of five Israelites
פָּקִיד: a superintendent (civil, military or religious)
נָגִיד: a commander (as occupying the front), civil, military or religious; generally (abstractly, plural), honorable themes
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
יִרְמְיָה: Jirmejah, the name of eight or nine Israelites
נָבָא: to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)
Cross References
Jeremiah 20Jeremiah uses the exact phrase 'fear on every side' (Magor-missabib) found in David's Psalm.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Matches the motif of a burning fire shut up in the heart when attempting silence.
Supported by JFB
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
The betrayal of 'familiars' ('men of my peace') typifies Christ's betrayal by His close associates.
Supported by JFB
Repeats Jeremiah's appeal to God who trieth the heart and reins, committing his cause.
Supported by John Calvin
A striking historical parallel where a prominent official physically smites a true prophet of God.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jeremiah frequently repeats this signature phrase 'terror on every side' throughout his warnings.
Supported by JFB
Jeremiah wrestles with the terms of God's original call and promise of deliverance.
Supported by JFB
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
Mentions the specific temple prison/stocks designed to punish and humiliate prophetic messengers.
Supported by JFB
Isaiah's prophecy to Hezekiah is fulfilled in the spoiling of the temple treasures to Babylon.
Supported by Matthew Poole
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