BOOK 24 OF 66 · MAJOR PROPHETS · KING JAMES BIBLE

Jeremiah 20

Jeremiah book home•Chapter 20 of 52•18 verses

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Jeremiah 20 Overview

Pashur beats and imprisons Jeremiah, but the prophet renames him as a sign of terror and announces Babylonian exile; Jeremiah then pours out one of his darkest laments, saying God’s word burns within him even when he wants to stop speaking.

JeremiahBook

20Chapter

18Verses

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Before you read Jeremiah 20

Coming from

Jeremiah takes elders to the valley of Hinnom, breaks a potter’s bottle as a sign that Judah and Jerusalem will be shattered beyond ordinary repair, and condemns child sacrifice and idolatry before repeating the warning at the temple.

In this chapter

Leads into

King Zedekiah asks Jeremiah for divine help against Nebuchadnezzar, but the LORD announces that He Himself will fight against Jerusalem; the people are offered a way of life through surrender, and David’s house is told to practice justice.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Public persecution moves from threats to physical abuse. The chapter exposes the psychological strain of prophetic faithfulness without hiding Jeremiah’s anguish.

The interpretive center of Jeremiah 20 is the chapter’s own movement: opposition cannot extinguish god’s word. Read its poetry, signs, historical references, and later biblical connections from that center rather than treating isolated phrases as detached slogans.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Opposition cannot extinguish God’s word

Jeremiah tries to remain silent but experiences the message as fire in his bones.

Faithful servants can speak from deep emotional distress

Jeremiah alternates confidence in God with wishing he had never been born.

Religious officials can persecute true prophets

Pashur’s temple office does not make his opposition righteous.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Acts 4:18-20

The apostles likewise say they cannot stop speaking what they have seen and heard.

Job 3

Jeremiah’s curse on the day of his birth closely resembles Job’s lament.

Jeremiah 38

Later persecution becomes even more severe when Jeremiah is cast into a dungeon.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not treat Jeremiah’s lament as calm doctrinal prose about the value of life.

It is anguished prayer from a persecuted prophet.

Do not conclude that strong emotion proves lack of faith.

Jeremiah’s grief coexists with continued proclamation and confidence that the LORD is with him.

Read Jeremiah 20 watching for…

Pashur’s abuse

the new name Magor-missabib

Babylon named in the warning

fire in Jeremiah’s bones

the curse on his birth day

Chapter outline3 sections

1-6Pashur strikes and imprisons Jeremiah, then receives the name Magor-missabib and a prophecy of captivity 7-13Jeremiah pours out his complaint but cannot keep from speaking God’s word and ends in praise 14-18Jeremiah curses the day of his birth because of the sorrow of his calling

Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.

Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib.

For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.

And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.

O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.

For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.

Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

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.

But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.

Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.

And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;

Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.

Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

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Jeremiah 20:5

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