Persecution and Complaint
- 20:1 “prophesying these things” - i.e. doom and destruction, discouraging
the people, even traitorous. Repenting to avoid the doom was out of
the question.
- 20:2 “Passhur smote Jeremiah " - some commentators think it was a direct
personal blow, like when the high priest struck Jesus or Paul. Others
say it is a technical term denoting the 40 lashes save one.
- 20:3 “not call you Pashhur, but Magor-Missabib” - no longer “Freedom” or
“Peace”, but “terror on every side”.
- 20:7 “You have deceived me” - the same word as “seduced” in the Law of
Moses. Exodus 22:16
- 20:8 “reproach and derision” - the judgement is still held back, and
the time of repentance is still at hand - but Jeremiah is mocked
as a Chicken Little.
- 20:9 “not speak anymore in His name” - Jeremiah tries to keep quiet,
but can not keep it in.
- 20:10 “perhaps he will be deceived” - i.e. utter a demonstrably false
prophecy in the name of the Lord, so that they can stone him to death.
“trusted friends” - everyone has turned on Jeremiah.
“terror is on every side!” - they called Jeremiah Magor-Missabib
after his rebuke of Pashhur.
- 20:11 “with me like a fearsome warrior” - Jeremiah suddenly remembers
just Who is on his side.
- 20:12 “let me see Your vengeance” - sadly, they never did
repent, and this prayer was answered.
- 20:14 “cursed be the day I was born” - “I wish I’d never been born.”
Jeremiah is physically and emotionally bruised and sore from a public beating
and a night in the stocks.
- 20:17 “kill me in the womb” - “I wish I had been aborted”.