Jeremiah 20:2-12

2 he had him flogged and put him in the stocks at the Upper Binyamin Gate of the house of ADONAI.

3 The following morning, when Pash'chur led Yirmeyahu out of the stocks, Yirmeyahu said to him, "ADONAI no longer calls you Pash'chur but Magor-Missaviv [terror on every side].

4 For this is what ADONAI says: 'I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They will fall by the sword of their enemies, while you watch. I will hand over all of Y'hudah to the king of Bavel, and he will carry them off captive to Bavel and put them to the sword.

5 Moreover, I will hand over everything stored in this city, all its valuables, all its wealth, indeed all the treasures of the kings of Y'hudah, to their enemies, who will plunder them, take them and carry them to Bavel.

6 And you, Pash'chur, along with your entire household, will go into captivity; you will go to Bavel, where you will die and be buried - you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied lies.'"

7 You fooled me, ADONAI; I have been your dupe. You overpowered me, and you have prevailed. All day long I'm a laughingstock; everyone makes fun of me.

8 Whenever I speak, I have to cry out; I shout, "Violence!" and "Destruction!" Thus the word of ADONAI becomes for me the cause of reproach and derision all day!

9 But if I say, "I won't think about him, I won't speak in his name any more," then it seems as though a fire is burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I wear myself out trying to hold it in, but I just can't do it.

10 I have heard many whispering their plot: "'Terror in every direction'? Denounce him! Let's denounce him!" Even all my close friends are watching for me to make a false step - "Maybe he can be tricked, then we'll get the better of him, then we'll take our revenge on him."

11 But ADONAI is with me like a dreaded warrior; so my persecutors will stumble, defeated, greatly ashamed because of their failure; their lasting disgrace will not be forgotten.

12 ADONAI-Tzva'ot, you who test the righteous and see people's hearts and thoughts, let me see you take vengeance on them, for I have committed my cause to you.

Jeremiah 20:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 20

This chapter gives an account of the usage that Jeremiah met with from many for his prophecies, and the effect it had upon him. He was smitten and put in the stocks by Pashur the priest, who released him the next day, Jer 20:1-3; upon which he prophesies again of the delivery of the city of Jerusalem, with all its riches, and of the whole land, to the Chaldeans; and particularly that Pashur should be a terror to himself and all his friends; and that both he and they should be carried captive into Babylon, and die, and be buried there, Jer 20:4-6; and then he complains of his being mocked at by the people for the word of the Lord; which he therefore determined to make no more mention of, but was obliged to it; and of the defamations of him, and snares that were laid for him, Jer 20:7-10; under which he is supported with the consideration of the Lord's being with him, and that his enemies should not prevail, but be confounded; and appeals to him, and calls for vengeance from him on them; and, in the view of deliverance, not only praises the Lord himself, but calls upon others to join with him in it, Jer 20:11-13; and yet, after all, the chapter is concluded with his cursing the day of his birth, and the man that brought his father the news of it, Jer 20:14-18.