Jeremiah 20:11
in Jeremiah 20But the LORD is with me like a fearsome warrior. Therefore, my persecutors will stumble and will not prevail. Since they have not succeeded, they will be utterly put to shame, with an everlasting disgrace that will never be forgotten.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But Jehovah is with me as a mighty one and a terrible: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail; they shall be utterly put to shame, because they have not dealt wisely, even with an everlasting dishonor which shall never be forgotten.
KJV
But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.
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This verse in Jeremiah 20
Commentary
10 notes on this verseBut 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.
This site's exposition
For I have heard the whispering
on Jeremiah 20:10-13
The cry “Terror is on every side!” takes up magor missabib and now describes his own days: “All my trusted friends watch for my fall.” Against them he sets his confidence, “But the LORD is with me like a fearsome warrior,” so his persecutors “will stumble and will not prevail.”
This site's exposition
But the LORD is with me
John Gill cites the Targum, which reads that the Word of the LORD is for his help. Matthew Henry notes that what is terrible in God comforts His servants, since it turns against those who terrify them. The fearsome warrior stands on Jeremiah's side.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But Jeremiah says concerning these who conspire, "And the Lord is with me as a mighty warrior." If we become such as we ought to be, and receive that fire coming upon us for our sins, as upon Jeremiah and those like him, the Lord thereafter becomes with us "as a mighty warrior." And "therefore they persecuted and could not understand" [the Jews who persecuted him: "they were greatly ashamed and did not perceive their disgrace," being for so long a time disgraced they do not confess their own sins], because the Lord was with the persecuted one, and the persecuted one cannot come under their power. May it not then be, since many things of Jeremiah are referred to the Savior, that this too can be such? For "Conspire, and let us conspire against him" is said also concerning the Savior. And "the Lord" was with him "as a mighty warrior; therefore they persecuted and could not understand," the Jews who persecuted him; "they were greatly ashamed and did not perceive their disgrace," being for so long a time disgraced they do not confess their own sins, "which through the age shall not be forgotten," but they suppose that in this age their iniquities shall be forgotten. But we see that through the age their iniquities shall not be forgotten, and seeing this we remember the saying, "Be not high-minded, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, how much more" the unnatural ones "will he not spare?"
(Verse 11.) All the men, who were peaceful towards me, and guarding my side: if we are deceived in any way, let us prevail against him, and achieve vengeance from him. But the Lord is with me as a strong warrior. When the adversaries rise up, and former friends and peaceful men turn to war, and they want to set traps for us, let us not be greatly concerned; but let us desire to say this which the Prophet speaks: But the Lord is with me as a strong warrior.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 8 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
"They shall be greatly confounded, because they have not understood everlasting reproach." The second error concerns fatal necessity, as regarding the constellations: if a man is born under such a constellation, he will necessarily be a thief, or evil, or good. This empties free will …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
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.
He is with me to make the word I preach answer the end he designs, though not the end I desire. He is with me as a mighty terrible one, to strike a terror upon them, and so to overcome them." Note, Even that in God which is terrible is really comfortable to his servants that trust in him, for it shall be turned against those that seek to terrify his people.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
This is all that is here meant, namely, God's over-ruling him contrary to his own inclinations. Since - Since I first began to be a prophet, I have faithfully discharged my office, and that with warmth and zeal.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one - Thus was he, by his strong confidence in the strong God, delivered from all his fears, and enabled to go on comfortably with his work.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
for they did not succeed They did not succeed with their plan.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
For I heard I said that I would not mention Him because I heard the speech of many, those who whisper about me.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַֽיהוָ֤ה | vayahweh | and Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אוֹתִי֙ | ʾoti | [is] with me | H854 → | 929 times |
| כְּגִבּ֣וֹר | kegibor | like a warrior | H1368 → | 158 times |
| עָרִ֔יץ | ʾaritz | ruthless | H6184 → | |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | there- | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כֵּ֛ן | ken | -fore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| רֹדְפַ֥י | rodefai | persecutors my | H7291 → | 143 times |
| יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ | yikashelu | they will stumble | H3782 → | 62 times |
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יֻכָ֑לוּ | yukhalu | they will prevail | H3201 → | 194 times |
| בֹּ֤שׁוּ | boshu | they will be ashamed | H954 → | 127 times |
| מְאֹד֙ | meod | exceedingly | H3966 → | 300 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הִשְׂכִּ֔ילוּ | hiskilu | they will succeed | H7919 → | 62 times |
| כְּלִמַּ֥ת | kelimat | ignominy of | H3639 → | 30 times |
| עוֹלָ֖ם | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִשָּׁכֵֽחַ׃ | tishakheach | it will be forgotten | H7911 → | 102 times |
וַֽיהוָ֤הand Yahweh
vayahwehH3068 →6520 times
אוֹתִי֙[is] with me
ʾotiH854 →929 times
כְּגִבּ֣וֹרlike a warrior
kegiborH1368 →158 times
עָרִ֔יץruthless
ʾaritzH6184 →
עַל־there-
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כֵּ֛ן-fore
kenH3651 →771 times
רֹדְפַ֥יpersecutors my
rodefaiH7291 →143 times
יִכָּשְׁל֖וּthey will stumble
yikasheluH3782 →62 times
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יֻכָ֑לוּthey will prevail
yukhaluH3201 →194 times
בֹּ֤שׁוּthey will be ashamed
boshuH954 →127 times
מְאֹד֙exceedingly
meodH3966 →300 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
הִשְׂכִּ֔ילוּthey will succeed
hiskiluH7919 →62 times
כְּלִמַּ֥תignominy of
kelimatH3639 →30 times
עוֹלָ֖םperpetuity
olamH5769 →438 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תִשָּׁכֵֽחַ׃it will be forgotten
tishakheachH7911 →102 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 41:10Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand…
it leads to
- Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 43:1–2
Now this is what the LORD says— He who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your…
- Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Deuteronomy 31:6–8
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- Joshua 1:9
Through
Jeremiah 1:19They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 1:8
Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
- Psalms 129:2
many a time they have persecuted me from my youth, but they have not prevailed against me.
- Jeremiah 1:8
Through
Jeremiah 1:8Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
it leads to
- Joshua 1:5
No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
- Joshua 1:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About Jeremiah
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 8; Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JEREMIAH 20.