7 O LORD, H3068 thou hast deceived H6601 me, and I was deceived: H6601 thou art stronger H2388 than I, and hast prevailed: H3201 I am in derision H7814 daily, H3117 every one mocketh H3932 me.
For the zeal H7068 of thine house H1004 hath eaten me up; H398 and the reproaches H2781 of them that reproached H2778 thee are fallen H5307 upon me. When I wept, H1058 and chastened my soul H5315 with fasting, H6685 that was to my reproach. H2781 I made H5414 sackcloth H8242 also my garment; H3830 and I became a proverb H4912 to them. They that sit in H3427 the gate H8179 speak H7878 against me; and I was the song H5058 of the drunkards. H8354 H7941
But I am a worm, H8438 and no man; H376 a reproach H2781 of men, H120 and despised H959 of the people. H5971 All they that see H7200 me laugh me to scorn: H3932 they shoot out H6358 the lip, H8193 they shake H5128 the head, H7218 saying,
For G1063 I think G1380 that G3754 God G2316 hath set forth G584 us G2248 the apostles G652 last, G2078 as G5613 it were appointed to death: G1935 for G3754 we are made G1096 a spectacle G2302 unto the world, G2889 and G2532 to angels, G32 and G2532 to men. G444 We G2249 are fools G3474 for G1223 Christ's G5547 sake, G1223 but G1161 ye G5210 are wise G5429 in G1722 Christ; G5547 we G2249 are weak, G772 but G1161 ye G5210 are strong; G2478 ye G5210 are honourable, G1741 but G1161 we G2249 are despised. G820 Even G891 unto this present G737 hour G5610 we G3983 both G2532 hunger, G3983 and G2532 thirst, G1372 and G2532 are naked, G1130 and G2532 are buffeted, G2852 and G2532 have no certain dwellingplace; G790 And G2532 labour, G2872 working G2038 with our own G2398 hands: G5495 being reviled, G3058 we bless; G2127 being persecuted, G1377 we suffer it: G430 Being defamed, G987 we intreat: G3870 we are made G1096 as G5613 the filth G4027 of the world, G2889 and are the offscouring G4067 of all things G3956 unto G2193 this day. G737
And G2532 the people G2992 stood G2476 beholding. G2334 And G1161 the rulers G758 also G2532 with G4862 them G846 derided G1592 him, saying, G3004 He saved G4982 others; G243 let him save G4982 himself, G1438 if G1487 he G3778 be G2076 Christ, G5547 the chosen G1588 of God. G2316 And G1161 the soldiers G4757 also G2532 mocked G1702 him, G846 coming G4334 to him, and G2532 offering G4374 him G846 vinegar, G3690
And G2532 the men G435 that held G4912 Jesus G2424 mocked G1702 him, G846 and smote G1194 him. And G2532 when they had blindfolded G4028 him, G846 they struck G5180 him G846 on the face, G4383 and G2532 asked G1905 him, G846 saying, G3004 Prophesy, G4395 who G5101 is it G2076 that smote G3817 thee? G4571
For, behold, I H589 have made H5414 thee this day H3117 a defenced H4013 city, H5892 and an iron H1270 pillar, H5982 and brasen H5178 walls H2346 against the whole land, H776 against the kings H4428 of Judah, H3063 against the princes H8269 thereof, against the priests H3548 thereof, and against the people H5971 of the land. H776 And they shall fight H3898 against thee; but they shall not prevail H3201 against thee; for I am with thee, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 to deliver H5337 thee.
But in mine adversity H6761 they rejoiced, H8055 and gathered themselves together: H622 yea, the abjects H5222 gathered themselves together H622 against me, and I knew H3045 it not; they did tear H7167 me, and ceased H1826 not: With hypocritical H2611 mockers H3934 in feasts, H4580 they gnashed H2786 upon me with their teeth. H8127
And Moses H4872 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 Wherefore hast thou afflicted H7489 thy servant? H5650 and wherefore have I not found H4672 favour H2580 in thy sight, H5869 that thou layest H7760 the burden H4853 of all this people H5971 upon me? Have I conceived H2029 all this people? H5971 have I begotten H3205 them, that thou shouldest say H559 unto me, Carry H5375 them in thy bosom, H2436 as a nursing father H539 beareth H5375 the sucking child, H3243 unto the land H127 which thou swarest H7650 unto their fathers? H1 Whence H370 should I have flesh H1320 to give H5414 unto all this people? H5971 for they weep H1058 unto me, saying, H559 Give H5414 us flesh, H1320 that we may eat. H398 I am not able H3201 to bear H5375 all this people H5971 alone, H905 because it is too heavy H3515 for me. And if thou deal H6213 thus with me, kill H2026 me, I pray thee, out of hand, H2026 if I have found H4672 favour H2580 in thy sight; H5869 and let me not see H7200 my wretchedness. H7451
And Moses H4872 returned H7725 unto the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 Lord, H136 wherefore hast thou so evil entreated H7489 this people? H5971 why is it that thou hast sent H7971 me? For since I came H935 to Pharaoh H6547 to speak H1696 in thy name, H8034 he hath done evil H7489 to this people; H5971 neither hast thou delivered H5337 thy people H5971 at all. H5337
Then said H559 I, Ah, H162 Lord H136 GOD! H3069 behold, I cannot H3045 speak: H1696 for I am a child. H5288 But the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Say H559 not, I am a child: H5288 for thou shalt go H3212 to all that I shall send H7971 thee, and whatsoever I command H6680 thee thou shalt speak. H1696 Be not afraid H3372 of their faces: H6440 for I am with thee to deliver H5337 thee, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 20
Commentary on Jeremiah 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
Jer 20:1-18. Jeremiah's Incarceration by Pashur, the Principal Officer of the Temple, for Prophesying within Its Precincts; His Renewed Predictions against the City, &c., ON His Liberation.
1. son—descendant.
of Immer—one of the original "governors of the sanctuary and of the house of God," twenty-four in all, that is, sixteen of the sons of Eleazar and eight of the sons of Ithamar (1Ch 24:14). This Pashur is distinct from Pashur, son of Melchiah (Jer 21:1). The "captains" (Lu 22:4) seem to have been over the twenty-four guards of the temple, and had only the right of apprehending any who were guilty of delinquency within it; but the Sanhedrim had the judicial power over such delinquents [Grotius] (Jer 26:8, 10, 16).
2. The fact that Pashur was of the same order and of the same family as Jeremiah aggravates the indignity of the blow (1Ki 22:24; Mt 26:67).
stocks—an instrument of torture with five holes, in which the neck, two hands, and two feet were thrust, the body being kept in a crooked posture (Jer 29:26). From a Hebrew root, to "turn," or "rack." This marks Pashur's cruelty.
high—that is, the upper gate (2Ki 15:35).
gate of Benjamin—a gate in the temple wall, corresponding to the gate of Benjamin, properly so called, in the city wall, in the direction of the territory of Benjamin (Jer 7:2; 37:13; 38:7). The temple gate of Benjamin, being on a lofty position, was called "the high gate," to distinguish it from the city wall gate of Benjamin.
3. Pashur—compounded of two roots, meaning "largeness (and so 'security') on every side"; in antithesis to Magor-missabib, "terror round about" (Jer 20:10; Jer 6:25; 46:5; 49:29; Ps 31:13).
4. terror … to all thy friends—who have believed thy false promises (Jer 20:6). The sense must be in order to accord with "fear round about" (Jer 20:3). 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."
5. strength—that is, resources.
labours—fruits of labor, gain, wealth.
6. prophesied lies—namely, that God cannot possibly leave this land without prophets, priests, and teachers ("the wise") (Jer 18:18; compare Jer 5:31).
7. Jeremiah's complaint, not unlike that of Job, breathing somewhat of human infirmity in consequence of his imprisonment. Thou didst promise never to give me up to the will of mine enemies, and yet Thou hast done so. 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. So the Hebrew word is used in a good sense (Ge 9:27, Margin; Pr 25:15; Ho 2:14).
stronger than I—Thou whose strength I could not resist hast laid this burden on me, and hast prevailed (hast made me prophesy, in spite of my reluctance) (Jer 1:5-7); yet, when I exercise my office, I am treated with derision (La 3:14).
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)! I could not speak in a calm tone; their desperate wickedness compelled me to "cry out."
because—rather, "therefore," the apodosis of the previous sentence; because in discharging my prophetic functions, I not merely spake, but cried; and cried, violence … ; therefore the word of the Lord was made a reproach to me (Jer 20:7).
9. his word was—or literally, "there was in my heart, as it were, a burning fire," that is, the divine afflatus or impulse to speak was as … (Job 32:18, 19; Ps 39:3).
weary with forbearing, and I could not—"I labored to contain myself, but I could not" (Ac 18:5; compare Jer 23:9; 1Co 9:16, 17).
10. For—not referring to the words immediately preceding, but to "I will not make mention of Him." The "defaming" or detraction of the enemy on every side (see Ps 31:13) tempted him to think of prophesying no more.
Report … we will report—The words of his adversaries one to the other; give any information against him (true or false) which will give color for accusing him; and "we will report it," namely, to the Sanhedrim, in order to crush him.
familiars—literally, "men of my peace"; those who pretended to be on peaceable terms with me (Ps 41:9). Jeremiah is a type of Messiah, referred to in that Psalm. (See Jer 38:22; Job 19:19; Ps 55:13, 14; Lu 11:53, 54).
watched for my halting—(Ps 35:15, Margin, "halting"; Ps 38:17; 71:10, Margin). 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.
11. not prevail—as they hoped to do (Jer 20:10; Jer 15:20).
prosper—in their plot.
12. triest the righteous—in latent contrast to the hasty judgments of men (Jer 11:20; 17:10).
opened—that is, committed (compare 2Ki 19:14; Ps 35:1).
13. delivered … soul—This deliverance took place when Zedekiah succeeded Jeconiah.
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; I had said in the time of my imprisonment, "Cursed be the day"; my feeling was that of Job (Job 3:3, 10, 11, whose words Jeremiah therefore copies). Though Jeremiah's zeal had been stirred up, not so much for self as for God's honor trampled on by the rejection of the prophet's words, yet it was intemperate when he made his birth a subject for cursing, which was really a ground for thanksgiving.
15. A man child—The birth of a son is in the East a special subject of joy; whereas that of a daughter is often not so.
16. the cities—Sodom and Gomorrah.
cry … morning … noontide—that is, Let him be kept in alarm the whole day (not merely at night when terrors ordinarily prevail, but in daytime when it is something extraordinary) with terrifying war shouts, as those in a besieged city (Jer 18:22).
17. he—"that man" (Jer 20:15, 16).
from the womb—that is, at that time while I was still in the womb.