Jeremiah 20
After Jeremiah delivers the words of the LORD, he is arrested by the chief priest Pashhur and subjected to whipping and stocks (chains). Pashhur mocks and oppresses the prophet, but Jeremiah boldly declares that Pashhur is called “Pashhur” (meaning “terror from every side”) and cries out God’s judgment. A disaster that will come upon Pashhur and his family, as well as the destruction of Jerusalem, is foretold.
1verseNow Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in the LORD’s house, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things.
2verseThen Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet and put him in the stocks that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, which was in the LORD’s house.
3verseOn the next day, Pashhur released Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then Jeremiah said to him, “The LORD has not called your name Pashhur, but Magormissabib.
4verseFor the LORD says, ‘Behold, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They will fall by the sword of their enemies, and your eyes will see it. I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them captive to Babylon, and will kill them with the sword.
5verseMoreover I will give all the riches of this city, and all its gains, and all its precious things, yes, I will give all the treasures of the kings of Judah into the hand of their enemies. They will make them captives, take them, and carry them to Babylon.
6verseYou, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house will go into captivity. You will come to Babylon, and there you will die, and there you will be buried, you, and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied falsely.’”
7verseLORD, you have persuaded me, and I was persuaded. You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day. Everyone mocks me.
8verseFor as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, “Violence and destruction!” because the LORD’s word has been made a reproach to me, and a derision, all day.
9verseIf I say that I will not make mention of him, or speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones. I am weary with holding it in. I can’t.
10verseFor I have heard the defaming of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce, and we will denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, those who watch for my fall. “Perhaps he will be persuaded, and we will prevail against him, and we will take our revenge on him.”
11verseBut the LORD is with me as an awesome mighty one. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they won’t prevail. They will be utterly disappointed because they have not dealt wisely, even with an everlasting dishonor which will never be forgotten.
12verseBut the LORD of Armies, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for I have revealed my cause to you.
13verseSing to the LORD! Praise the LORD, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hand of evildoers.
14verseCursed is the day in which I was born. Don’t let the day in which my mother bore me be blessed.
15verseCursed is the man who brought news to my father, saying, “A boy is born to you,” making him very glad.
16verseLet that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and didn’t repent. Let him hear a cry in the morning, and shouting at noontime,
17versebecause he didn’t kill me from the womb. So my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great.
18verseWhy did I come out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?
Jeremiah’s Inner Struggle and Confession (20:7-18)
In this passage, Jeremiah’s deep spiritual anguish and conflict are laid bare honestly. Although he endures ridicule and insults for proclaiming God’s word, he confesses his own situation—that he cannot hide the message and ends up crying out again. In despair and pain, he even laments that he wished he had never been born. At the same time, he struggles to hold on to hope again, trusting that God will protect him.
The Flow and Structure of the Entire Chapter
| Order | Content |
|---|---|
| Verses 1-6 | The suffering brought by prophecy and conflict with the chief priest |
| Verses 7-13 | Jeremiah’s inner confession and God’s faithful help |
| Verses 14-18 | Deep despair and lament about life |
Jeremiah 20 is composed of the prophet’s heart amid suffering, the tension between human weakness and God’s calling, and a confession of faith revealed through suffering.
Points for Reflection
- When proclaiming God’s word, how can we overcome misunderstandings and suffering—and the human heart that shakes within it?
- Even amid pain and doubt, Jeremiah holds fast to God’s faithfulness. In times of difficulty, we can think about what it is that raises me up again.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- When I follow the values I believe to be true, how am I withstanding outside criticism or inner conflict?
- Just as Jeremiah spoke his feelings honestly to God, I look back to see whether I am presenting my heart sincerely before God as well.
