Focused Passage

Jeremiah 20:14-18

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

14Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me never be blessed.

15Cursed be the man who brought my father the news, saying, “A son is born to you,” bringing him great joy.

16May that man be like the cities that the LORD overthrew without compassion. May he hear an outcry in the morning and a battle cry at noon,

17because he did not kill me in the womb so that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb forever enlarged.

18Why did I come out of the womb to see only trouble and sorrow, and to end my days in shame?

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Cross-references

Jeremiah 15:10Classic cross-references Jonah 4:3Classic cross-references Job 3:1Classic cross-references 1 Kings 19:4Classic cross-references Job 3:3Classic cross-references

Original words

Cursed beאָר֣וּרH779Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularthe dayהַיּ֔וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeI was bornיֻלַּ֖דְתִּיH3205Verb - QalPass - Perfect - first person common singularMay the dayי֛וֹםH3117Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativemy motherאִמִּ֖יH517Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularbore meיְלָדַ֥תְנִיH3205Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular | first person common singularneverאַל־H408Adverb. . .יְהִ֥יH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singularbe blessedבָרֽוּךְ׃H1288Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular

Verse 15

Original words

Cursed beאָר֣וּרH779Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singularthe manהָאִ֗ישׁH376Article | Noun - masculine singularwhoאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativebroughtבִּשַּׂ֤רH1319Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markermy father {the news}אָבִי֙H1Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularsayingלֵאמֹ֔רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructA sonזָכָ֑רH2145Noun - masculine singular. . .בֵּ֣ןH1121Noun - masculine singularis bornיֻֽלַּד־H3205Verb - QalPass - Perfect - third person masculine singularto youלְךָ֖Preposition | second person masculine singularbringing him great joyשַׂמֵּ֖חַH8055Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute. . .שִׂמֳּחָֽהוּ׃H8055Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Genesis 19:24Classic cross-references Jeremiah 18:22Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 29:23Classic cross-references Jeremiah 23:14Classic cross-references Jeremiah 48:3Classic cross-references

Original words

Mayהַה֔וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singularthat manהָאִ֣ישׁH376Article | Noun - masculine singularbeוְהָיָה֙H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularlike the citiesכֶּֽעָרִ֛יםH5892Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine pluralthatאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularoverthrewהָפַ֥ךְH2015Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularwithoutוְלֹ֣אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlecompassionנִחָ֑םH5162Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularMay he hearוְשָׁמַ֤עH8085Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularan outcryזְעָקָה֙H2201Noun - feminine singularin the morningבַּבֹּ֔קֶרH1242Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand a battle cryוּתְרוּעָ֖הH8643Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularvvvבְּעֵ֥תH6256Preposition-b | Noun - common singular constructat noonצָהֳרָֽיִם׃H6672Noun - masculine plural

Verse 17

Cross-references

Job 10:18Classic cross-references Job 3:10Classic cross-references Ecclesiastes 6:3Classic cross-references Job 3:16Classic cross-references

Original words

becauseאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativehe did notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlekill meמוֹתְתַ֖נִיH4191Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singularin the wombמֵרָ֑חֶםH7358Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularso that my motherאִמִּי֙H517Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularmight have beenוַתְּהִי־H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularmy graveקִבְרִ֔יH6913Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularand her wombוְרַחְמָ֖הֿH7358Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularforeverעוֹלָֽם׃H5769Noun - masculine singularenlargedהֲרַ֥תH2030Adjective - feminine singular construct

Verse 18

Cross-references

Job 3:20Classic cross-references 1 Peter 4:14Classic cross-references Job 14:1Classic cross-references Lamentations 3:1Classic cross-references Numbers 11:15Classic cross-references

Original words

Whyלָ֤מָּהH4100Interrogative. . .זֶּה֙H2088Pronoun - masculine singulardid I come outיָצָ֔אתִיH3318Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularof the wombמֵרֶ֣חֶםH7358Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularto seeלִרְא֥וֹתH7200Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructonly troubleעָמָ֖לH5999Noun - masculine singularand sorrowוְיָג֑וֹןH3015Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularand to endוַיִּכְל֥וּH3615Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralmy daysיָמָֽי׃פH3117Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularin shameבְּבֹ֖שֶׁתH1322Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular

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