Jeremiah 20:11

11 Forsooth the Lord as a strong warrior is with me, therefore they that pursue me shall fall, and they shall be feeble; and they shall be shamed greatly (and they shall be greatly shamed), for they understood not (about) everlasting shame, that shall never be done away.

Jeremiah 20:11 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 20:11

But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one
The Targum is,

``the Word of the Lord is for my help.''

"Mighty" to support, uphold, defend, and deliver him; and "terrible" to his enemies. The prophet looks back to the promise the Lord had made him, of his gracious and powerful presence, ( Jeremiah 1:18 Jeremiah 1:19 ) ; which he now takes comfort from; and it would have been well if he had kept this always in view, and had continued in the same actings of faith and temper of mind: but this lasted not long, as some following verses show; therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and shall not prevail;
though they should very hotly and furiously pursue him, yet they should stumble and fall by the way, and not be able to overtake him, and execute their designs upon him; the Lord, who was with him, and on his side, would throw some things in their way, at which they should stumble, and which should hinder them from proceeding; they shall be greatly ashamed, for they shall not prosper;
when they see their schemes are disappointed, and they do not succeed, they shall be filled with shame and confusion: or, "because they do not deal prudently" ^F7, as the word is rendered, ( Isaiah 52:13 ) ; they do not act a wise, but a foolish part, and therefore shame will be the consequence of it; [their] everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten;
neither by themselves nor others; the memory of it will always continue, to their everlasting grief and reproach. A very learned man connects these words with the former, thus, "they shall be greatly ashamed, for they shall not prosper, with an everlasting shame never to be forgotten" ^F8, very rightly; so another learned interpreter ^F9.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 (wlykvh al yk) "quia non prudenter egerunt", Montanus, Piscator; "prudenter agunt", Calvin.
F8 "Erubescent valde, quia non prosperabuntur, ignominia aeterna non obliviscenda", De Dieu.
F9 "Pudefient, quod non profecerint, ignominia perpetuitatis (quae) non tradetur oblivioni", Schmidt.

Jeremiah 20:11 In-Context

9 And I said, I shall not have mind on him, and I shall no more speak in his name. And the word of the Lord was made, as fire swelling in mine heart, and closed in my bones; and I failed, not suffering to bear. (And so I said, I shall not remember him, and I shall no longer speak in the Lord's name. But the word of the Lord was made to me like a fire swelling in my heart, and enclosed in my bones; and I failed, and could not bear it, and so I had to speak it out.)

10 For I heard despisings of many men, and dread in compass, (and they said,) Pursue ye, and pursue we him, of all men that were peaceable to me, and keeping my side; if in any manner he be deceived, and we have the mastery against him, and get vengeance of him. (For I heard the despising of many people, and fear was all around, and they said, Pursue ye, yea, let us pursue him, even from all those who were peaceable to me, and on my side; yea, they said, perhaps he can be deceived, and we shall have the mastery over him, and take vengeance upon him.)

11 Forsooth the Lord as a strong warrior is with me, therefore they that pursue me shall fall, and they shall be feeble; and they shall be shamed greatly (and they shall be greatly shamed), for they understood not (about) everlasting shame, that shall never be done away.

12 And thou, Lord of hosts, the prover of a just man, which seest the reins and [the] heart, I beseech, see I thy vengeance of them; for I have showed my cause to thee. (And thou, Lord of hosts, the prover of the just, who seest the reins and the heart, I beseech thee, let me see thy vengeance upon them; for I have shown my cause to thee./And thou, Lord of hosts, the tester of the righteous, who seest the depths of the heart, I beseech thee, let me see thy vengeance upon them; for I have stated my case to thee.)

13 Sing ye to the Lord, praise ye the Lord, for he delivered the soul of a poor man from the hand of evil men. (Sing ye to the Lord, praise ye the Lord, for he rescued the souls of the poor from the hands, or the power, of evil people.)