Focused Passage

Jeremiah 20:1-6

Pashhur, Terror on Every Side, and the Fire Shut Up in Jeremiah’s Bones

The chapter moves from Pashhur hearing Jeremiah’s temple proclamation, to Pashhur beating and imprisoning Jeremiah, to Jeremiah announcing Pashhur’s new name and Babylonian doom, to Jeremiah’s lament over being overpowered by the LORD’s call, to the burning word he cannot hold in, to his confidence that the LORD is with him like a mighty warrior, to praise for deliverance, and finally to a deep birth lament expressing the prophet’s anguish.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 When Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer and the chief official in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things,

2 he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.

3 The next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “The LORD does not call you Pashhur, but Magor-missabib.

4 For this is what the LORD says: ‘I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They will fall by the sword of their enemies before your very eyes. And I will hand Judah over to the king of Babylon, and he will carry them away to Babylon and put them to the sword.

5 I will give away all the wealth of this city—all its products and valuables, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah—to their enemies. They will plunder them, seize them, and carry them off to Babylon.

6 And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house, will go into captivity. You will go to Babylon, and there you will die and be buried—you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied these lies.’”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Cross-references

Jeremiah 29:26 Classic cross-references 1 Chronicles 24:14 Classic cross-references Ezra 2:37 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 25:18 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 1:19 Classic cross-references

Original words

When Pashhur פַּשְׁחוּר֙ H6583 Noun - proper - masculine singular the priest הַכֹּהֵ֔ן H3548 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . וְהֽוּא־ H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular the son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Immer אִמֵּ֣ר H564 Noun - proper - masculine singular and the chief נָגִ֖יד H5057 Noun - masculine singular official פָקִ֥יד H6496 Noun - masculine singular in the house בְּבֵ֣ית H1004 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶֽת־ H853 Direct object marker heard וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע H8085 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular prophesying נִבָּ֖א H5012 Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker these הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural things הַדְּבָרִ֥ים H1697 Article | Noun - masculine plural

Verse 2

Cross-references

Hebrews 11:36 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 37:13 Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 16:10 Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 18:23 Classic cross-references Acts 5:20 Classic cross-references

Original words

[he] פַשְׁח֔וּר H6583 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֵ֖ת H853 Direct object marker had Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular the prophet הַנָּבִ֑יא H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular beaten וַיַּכֶּ֣ה H5221 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular and put וַיִּתֵּ֨ן H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular - אֹת֜וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular in עַל־ H5921 Preposition the stocks הַמַּהְפֶּ֗כֶת H4115 Article | Noun - feminine singular - אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative at the Upper הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן H5945 Article | Adjective - masculine singular Gate בְּשַׁ֤עַר H8179 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of Benjamin בִּנְיָמִן֙ H1144 Noun - proper - masculine singular which [was] אֲשֶׁ֖ר H834 Pronoun - relative by the house בְּבֵ֥ית H1004 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular

Verse 3

Cross-references

Jeremiah 20:10 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 46:5 Classic cross-references Lamentations 2:22 Classic cross-references Psalms 31:13 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 13:9 Classic cross-references

Original words

- וַֽיְהִי֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular The next day מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת H4283 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular when Pashhur פַשְׁח֛וּר H6583 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶֽת־ H853 Direct object marker released וַיֹּצֵ֥א H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular from מִן־ H4480 Preposition the stocks הַמַּהְפָּ֑כֶת H4115 Article | Noun - feminine singular Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֨אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to him אֵלָ֜יו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular The LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular does not לֹ֤א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle call קָרָ֤א H7121 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular . . . שְׁמֶ֔ךָ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular you Pashhur פַשְׁחוּר֙ H6583 Noun - proper - masculine singular but כִּ֖י H3588 Conjunction . . . אִם־ H518 Conjunction vvv מָג֥וֹר H4036 Noun - masculine singular Magor-missabib מִסָּבִֽיב׃פ H4036 Preposition-m | Adverb

BSB notes

Magor-missabib means terror on every side or the man who lives in terror.

Verse 4

Cross-references

Proverbs 28:1 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 29:21 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 25:9 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 21:4 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 32:27 Classic cross-references

Original words

For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction this is what כֹ֣ה H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֡ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . הִנְנִי֩ H2005 Interjection | first person common singular says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular I will make you נֹתֶנְךָ֨ H5414 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular a terror לְמָג֜וֹר H4032 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular to yourself לְךָ֣ Preposition | second person masculine singular and to all וּלְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct your friends אֹהֲבֶ֗יךָ H157 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular They will fall וְנָֽפְל֛וּ H5307 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural by the sword בְּחֶ֥רֶב H2719 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of their enemies אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם H341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural before your very eyes וְעֵינֶ֣יךָ H5869 Conjunctive waw | Noun - cdc | second person masculine singular . . . רֹא֑וֹת H7200 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine plural - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker - כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct And I will hand Judah יְהוּדָ֗ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular over to אֶתֵּן֙ H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular . . . בְּיַ֣ד H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct the king מֶֽלֶךְ־ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Babylon בָּבֶ֔ל H894 Noun - proper - feminine singular and he will carry them away וְהִגְלָ֥ם H1540 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural to Babylon בָּבֶ֖לָה H894 Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular and put them וְהִכָּ֥ם H5221 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural to the sword בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ H2719 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular

Verse 5

Cross-references

Isaiah 39:6 Classic cross-references 2 Kings 24:13 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 22:25 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 15:13 Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 36:10 Classic cross-references

Original words

I will give away וְנָתַתִּ֗י H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the wealth חֹ֙סֶן֙ H2633 Noun - masculine singular construct of this הַזֹּ֔את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker city הָעִ֣יר H5892 Article | Noun - feminine singular all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct its products יְגִיעָ֖הּ H3018 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and valuables יְקָרָ֑הּ H3366 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular and וְאֵ֨ת H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct - כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the treasures אוֹצְר֜וֹת H214 Noun - masculine plural construct of the kings מַלְכֵ֣י H4428 Noun - masculine plural construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֗ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶתֵּן֙ H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular to בְּיַ֣ד H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct their enemies אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם H341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural They will plunder them וּבְזָזוּם֙ H962 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural seize them וּלְקָח֔וּם H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural and carry them off וֶהֱבִיא֖וּם H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural to Babylon בָּבֶֽלָה׃ H894 Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular

Verse 6

Cross-references

Jeremiah 28:15 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 14:14 Classic cross-references Lamentations 2:14 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 22:28 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 20:4 Classic cross-references

Original words

And you וְאַתָּ֣ה H859 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular Pashhur פַשְׁח֗וּר H6583 Noun - proper - masculine singular and all וְכֹל֙ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct who live יֹשְׁבֵ֣י H3427 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct in your house בֵיתֶ֔ךָ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular will go תֵּלְכ֖וּ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural into captivity בַּשֶּׁ֑בִי H7628 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular You will go תָּב֗וֹא H935 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular to Babylon וּבָבֶ֣ל H894 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular and there וְשָׁ֤ם H8033 Conjunctive waw | Adverb you will die תָּמוּת֙ H4191 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular and וְשָׁ֣ם H8033 Conjunctive waw | Adverb be buried תִּקָּבֵ֔ר H6912 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular you אַתָּה֙ H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular and all וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct your friends אֹ֣הֲבֶ֔יךָ H157 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular to whom אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative you have prophesied נִבֵּ֥אתָ H5012 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine singular these לָהֶ֖ם Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural lies בַּשָּֽׁקֶר׃ס H8267 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular

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