Jeremiah20chapter 20

Jeremiah 20:1

“Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest,.... Not the immediate son of Immer, but one that descended from him after many generations; for Immer was a priest in David's time, to whom the sixteenth course of the priests fell by lot, 1Ch 24:14; who was also chief governor in the house of the Lord; the temple; not the high priest, since he was of the course of Immer; perhaps he was the head of the course to which he belonged, the chief of the priests of that course. The Targum calls him the "sagan" of the priests.”

Jeremiah 20:1

“Pashur, the father probably of the Gedaliah mentioned in Jer 38:1, was the head of the 16th course (shift) of priests (marginal reference); the other Pashur Jer 21:1 belonged to the fifth course, the sons of Melchiah. Both these houses returned in great strength from the exile. See Ezr 2:37-38. Chief governor - Or, “deputy governor.” The Nagid or governer of the temple was the high priest 1Ch 9:11, and Pashur was his Pakid, i. e., deputy (see Jer 1:10 note).”

Jeremiah 20:2

“Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet,.... Either with his fist, or with a rod, while he was prophesying, to stop his mouth, and hinder him from going on, and to show his resentment, and influence, the people not to believe him; or he ordered him to be smitten and scourged by some inferior officer.”

Jeremiah 20:2

“Put him in the stocks - Probably such a place near the gate as we term the lock-up, the coal-hole; or it may mean a sort of dungeon.”

Jeremiah 20:3

“Magor-missabib - See Jer 6:25 note. Jeremiah uses it no less than five times, having probably adopted it as his watchword from Psa 31:13.”

Jeremiah 20:3

“It seems to be a proverbial expression, bespeaking a man not only in distress but in despair, not only in danger on every side (that a man may be and yet by faith may be in no terror, as David, Ps. iii. 3 ), but in fear on every side, and that a man may be when there appears no danger. The wicked flee when no man pursues, are in great gear where no fear is.”

Jeremiah 20:4

“A terror to thyself, and to all thy friends - Jeremiah plays upon the meaning of Magormissabib saying that Pusbur would be a terror to all around. It is remarkable that he prophesies no evil of Pashur Jer 20:6. His was to be the milder fate of being carried into captivity with Jehoiachin, and dying peaceably at Babylon Jer 20:6, whereas his successor Zephaniah was put to death at Riblah Jer 52:24, Jer 52:27. His punishment probably consisted in this.”

Jeremiah 20:4

I will bring terror on thee and on all thy friends, that terror arising from thyself, namely, thy false prophecies. Thou and thy prophecies will be seen, to the dismay both of thee and thy dupes, to have caused their ruin and thine. MAURER'S translation is therefore not needed, "I will give up thee and all thy friends to terror."

Jeremiah 20:6

“And thou, Pashur-shall go into captivity - Thou shalt suffer for the false prophecies which thou hast delivered, and for thy insults to my prophet.”

Jeremiah 20:6

“Thus far is the doom of Pashur. Let persecutors read it, and tremble; tremble to repentance before they be made to tremble to their ruin. Did he aim to keep the people easy, to prevent the destruction that Jeremiah prophesied of, and by sinking his reputation to make his words fall to the ground?”

Jeremiah 20:7

“The prophet says that he was deceived by the Lord because, when he heard the Lord say in the beginning, "I gave you as a prophet to the nations," and, again, "Behold, I establish you today over nations and over kingdoms, that you may uproot and destroy and overthrow and dissolve and build and plant," he believed that none of this was spoken against the people of Judea, but only against the various nations surrounding them, thus leading him to accept his prophetic mission willingly.”

Jeremiah 20:7

“In the rest of the chapter we have an outbreak of deep emotion, of which the first part ends in a cry of hope Jer 20:13, followed nevertheless by curses upon the day of his birth. Was this the result of feelings wounded by the indignities of a public scourging and a night spent in the stocks? Or was it not the mental agony of knowing that his ministry had (as it seemed) failed?”

Jeremiah 20:7

“But Jeremiah misunderstood God's promise, which was not that he should have nothing to suffer, but that God would deliver him out of sufferings (Jer 1:19). deceived--Others translate as Margin, "Thou hast enticed" or "persuaded me," namely, to undertake the prophetic office, "and I was persuaded," that is, suffered myself to be persuaded to undertake what I find too hard for me.”

Jeremiah 20:7-8

“Thus our Lord Jesus, on the cross, was reviled both by priests and people; and the revilings of each had their peculiar aggravation. And what was it that thus exposed him to contempt and scorn? It was nothing but his faithful and zealous discharge of the duty of his office,”

Jeremiah 20:8

“For since I spake, I cried out,.... Or, "when I speak, I cry" (a); whensoever I speak in the name of the Lord, and deliver message from him to the people, I lift up my voice and cry aloud, that all may hear and understand; and as showing zeal, fervour, and diligence: or, "I cry" with grief and trouble at the usage I meet with, and the contempt that is cast upon the word; or because of what I am obliged to declare to them, as follows.”

Jeremiah 20:8

“Rather, "Whenever I speak, I cry out. Concerning violence and spoil, I (am compelled to) cry out," that is, complain [MAURER]. English Version in the last clause is more graphic, "I cried violence and spoil" (Jer 6:7)!”

Jeremiah 20:8

“Note, It is sad to think that, though divine revelation be one of the greatest blessings and honours that ever was bestowed upon the world, yet it has been turned very much to the reproach of the most zealous preachers and believers of it. Two things they derided him for:-- (1.) The manner of his preaching: Since he spoke, he cried out.”

Jeremiah 20:9

“I wilt not make mention of him - I will renounce the prophetic office, and return to my house. As a burning fire shut up in my bones - He felt stings of conscience for the hasty and disobedient resolution he had formed; he felt ashamed of his own weakness, that did not confide in the promise and strength of God; and God’s word was in him as a strongly raging fire, and he was obliged to deliver it, in order to get rid of the tortures which he felt from suppressing the solemn message which God had given.”

Jeremiah 20:10

"And it became in my heart as a burning fire, blazing in my bones, and I am utterly enfeebled and cannot bear it, because I heard the blame of many gathered round about." The blameless, the blessed Jeremiah (I speak with exception of this small sin and if he committed any other slight thing) was blamed by many. But the blame from the many was for him a commendation with God. For those who blamed him said, "Conspire, and let us all conspire against him, all the men his friends; watch his design, and he will be deceived."

Jeremiah 20:10

“GESENIUS not so well translates, according to Arabic idiom, "those guarding my side" (that is, my most intimate friends always at my side), in apposition to "familiars," and the subject of "say" (instead of "saying"). The Hebrew means properly "side," then "halting," as the halt bend on one side. enticed--to commit some sin.”

Jeremiah 20:10

“Here is an account of the temptation he was in under this affliction; his feet were almost gone, as the psalmist's, Ps. lxxiii. And this is that which is most to be dreaded in affliction, being driven by it to sin, Neh. vi.”

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.”

Jeremiah 20:11

“Ashamed - That they should be ashamed of what they had done, or be brought to shame for what they had done; for prosper they should not: or they acted like fools, and did not deal prudently for themselves (so this word is translated, Isaiah lii, 13,) yea, they should become a reproach, and their reproach should be a lasting perpetual reproach that should not be forgotten.”

Jeremiah 20:13

“Sing unto the Lord - He was so completely delivered from all fear, that although he remained in the same circumstances, yet he exults in the Divine protection, and does not fear the face of any adversary.”

Jeremiah 20:14-18

“The contrast between the spirit of this passage and the preceding thanksgiving is to be explained thus: to show how great was the deliverance (Jer 20:13), he subjoins a picture of what his wounded spirit had been previous to his deliverance;”

Jeremiah 20:14

“It seems to be a relation of the ferment he had been in while he was in the stocks, out of which by faith and hope he had recovered himself, rather than a new temptation which he afterwards fell into, and it should come in like that of David ( Ps. xxxi. 22 ), I said in my haste, I am cut off; this is also implied, Ps. lxxvii.”

Jeremiah 20:15

“Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father,.... The word signifies commonly good tidings, as the news of a child born, and especially a man child, is to its parent. The Septuagint use the same word the angel did, when he brought the tidings of the birth of Christ, Luk 2:10. This was still more foolish and sinful, to curse the man that carried the tidings of his birth to his father; who did a right thing, and what was acceptable, and perhaps might be a good man.”

Jeremiah 20:15

“A man child is born - Borun is to thee a knave child. - Old MS. Bible. This is the old English word for man or servant; and is so used by Wiclif, Rev 12:6.”

Jeremiah 20:16

“And let that man be as the cities which the Lord overthrew,.... In his fury, as the Targum and Septuagint add.”

Jeremiah 20:16

“The cities - Sodom and Gomorrah; by the cry in the morning and shouting at noon, he means the shouts and noises that enemies make when they break in upon a place.”

Jeremiah 20:18

“Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow,.... "Labour" in performing his work and office as a prophet; and "sorrow" in suffering reproach, contempt, and persecution for it; which to avoid, he wishes he had never been born: a sign of a very fretful and impatient spirit, and of a carnal frame.”

Jeremiah 20:18

“If there were not another life after this, we should be tempted many a time to wish that we have never known this; for our few days here are full of trouble. See the folly and absurdity of sinful passion, how unreasonably it talks when it is suffered to ramble. What nonsense is it to curse a day--to curse a messenger for the sake of his message!”