Jeremiah 15 20

Jeremiah 15:20 kjv

And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 15:20 nkjv

And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; And they will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you; For I am with you to save you And deliver you," says the LORD.

Jeremiah 15:20 niv

I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you," declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 15:20 esv

And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 15:20 nlt

They will fight against you like an attacking army,
but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze.
They will not conquer you,
for I am with you to protect and rescue you.
I, the LORD, have spoken!

Jeremiah 15 verses

Jeremiah 15 20 Meaning

Jeremiah 15:20 is a powerful divine assurance from God to Jeremiah, reaffirming His commitment to protect and empower the prophet in the face of intense opposition. God declares He will transform Jeremiah into an impregnable "fortified wall of bronze" against his own people, who will aggressively fight him. Despite their efforts, they will utterly fail to overcome him because the Lord Himself promises His unwavering presence and active intervention to save and deliver Jeremiah. It emphasizes God's sovereign power and faithfulness to uphold His chosen servant, even when that servant experiences deep discouragement and conflict.

Jeremiah 15 20 Context

Jeremiah 15:20 follows a passage (verses 10-18) where Jeremiah expresses profound despair, feeling cursed and suffering intensely for God's message. He laments his solitary existence, continuous pain, and God's perceived unreliability ("like a deceptive brook"). God responds in verse 19 with a conditional promise of restoration and continued ministry, contingent on Jeremiah's repentance from speaking "worthless" words and his return to faithful service. Verse 20 is then God's direct and unconditional affirmation of divine protection and empowerment for the prophet's future mission. It serves as an anchor of assurance following Jeremiah's deep emotional crisis and God's prior instruction to purify his speech, directly addressing the conflict Jeremiah fears and experiences. Historically, Jeremiah ministered during Judah's decline before the Babylonian exile, a time of national apostasy, political instability, and divine judgment, making his message unpopular and dangerous.

Jeremiah 15 20 Word analysis

• And I will make you: 'Va-sa-mee-tikha (וַאֲשִֽׂימְךָ֙), God’s initiative and active shaping of Jeremiah. This is a divine declaration of transformation. The "I" (אנכי, 'ānōkī) emphasizes the Lord's personal, sovereign involvement, not Jeremiah's own strength.
• to this people: 'la-'am hazeh (לָעָ֥ם הַזֶּה֙), specifies Jeremiah's hostile audience – his own countrymen in Judah – making the opposition personal and painful, yet defining the precise scope of his divine assignment.
• a fortified wall: le-ḥomat b'tzura (לְחוֹמַ֣ת בְּצֻרָ֔ה). ḥomat (חוֹמָה) means wall; b'tzura (בְּצֻרָה) means fortified, inaccessible, or embattled. This signifies impenetrable defense and strength. It's a metaphor for an unyielding character and position.
• of bronze: nechoshet (נְחֹ֑שֶׁת), bronze. A metal known for its strength, durability, and resistance to corrosion, significantly harder and more lasting than stone or typical building materials. It elevates the imagery of the wall from merely strong to virtually indestructible, denoting enduring resilience and God-given imperviousness to attacks.
• they shall fight against you: w'nilḥamu 'alekha (וְנִלְחֲמ֣וּ עָלֶ֔יךָ), an acknowledgement of the certainty of ongoing conflict. God does not promise the absence of battle, but strength within it. This is a direct answer to Jeremiah's complaints about perpetual affliction (Jer 15:10, 18).
• but they shall not prevail against you: w'lo' yuklulu lak (וְלֹֽא־יוּכְל֣וּ לָ֔ךְ), an absolute divine guarantee of the outcome. Despite fierce fighting, their efforts will be ultimately futile and unsuccessful. The word yuklulu implies inability or impotence.
• for I am with you: kî 'anî 'ittkha (כִּי־אֲנִ֥י אִתְּךָ֖), the foundational reason for Jeremiah's impregnable nature and ultimate victory. This covenantal phrase, meaning "I am with you," signifies God's active presence, protection, and partnership. It is the core assurance.
• to save you: l'hoshî`eka (לְהוֹשִׁיעֶ֑ךָ), means to deliver, rescue, or grant victory. God's purpose for His presence.
• and deliver you: w'lehatsilēkha (וּלְהַצִּילֶ֖ךָ), specifically implies pulling someone out of danger or snatching from peril. It speaks to an active, direct intervention in times of distress.
• declares the Lord: neum Yahweh (נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה), an authoritative divine declaration. It underscores the certainty, truth, and omnipotent power behind the promise, as spoken by the covenant God.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "I will make you... a fortified wall of bronze": This phrase speaks to God's transformative power, making His servant utterly resilient. It moves beyond mere protection; it makes Jeremiah himself the unyielding barrier. This imagery resonates with Jeremiah's initial call where he was made a "fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls" (Jer 1:18).
• "They shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you": This concisely articulates the nature of Jeremiah's ministry – constant conflict combined with divine guarantee of invincibility. It highlights the gap between human opposition and divine sovereignty. God permits the struggle but promises the victory, ensuring Jeremiah's ministry accomplishes His purpose.
• "for I am with you to save you and deliver you": This grouping provides the theological bedrock for the preceding promise. God's presence (I am with you) is the absolute assurance, and His actions (to save and deliver) are the tangible manifestations of that presence. It anchors the supernatural strength in God's covenant faithfulness and active intervention, rather than in Jeremiah's personal capabilities.

Jeremiah 15 20 Bonus section

• The strength symbolized by "bronze" is also significant in biblical symbolism, often associated with judgment and enduring, unyielding power (e.g., bronze altar, bronze serpent). Here, it applies to Jeremiah's ability to withstand the judgment-like opposition he faces.
• This verse can be seen as a direct refutation of Jeremiah's complaint in verse 18 that God was "like a deceptive brook," implying unreliability. God's firm declaration directly counters that accusation, reaffirming His covenant faithfulness and active role.
• The promise to "save and deliver" is a common Hebrew parallelism, emphasizing thorough and comprehensive divine intervention. It assures protection from both general peril ("save") and specific threats ("deliver"), covering all aspects of potential danger.
• The prophetic office often involved extreme isolation and opposition, and these divine assurances (e.g., to Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel) were crucial for the prophets to persevere in their difficult and often dangerous missions.

Jeremiah 15 20 Commentary

Jeremiah 15:20 serves as a pivotal reassurance for a prophet on the verge of spiritual collapse, echoing and strengthening the initial call in chapter 1. Amidst the prophet's profound lament and self-pity, God doesn't offer a reprieve from suffering but rather fortifies him for it. The metaphor of a "fortified wall of bronze" signifies divine empowerment to stand firm and unyielding against the relentless hostility of the very people he is called to serve. This is not passive protection but an active, confronting strength bestowed directly by God. The promise explicitly acknowledges the inevitability of conflict ("they shall fight against you") but unequivocally guarantees the outcome ("they shall not prevail against you"). The cornerstone of this invincibility is not Jeremiah's might, but God's unswerving presence and active commitment to save and deliver. This promise emphasizes that the prophet's endurance and eventual triumph stem solely from the Lord, validating Jeremiah's unique call and ensuring the divine word spoken through him cannot be thwarted by human opposition. It reinforces a critical principle for all believers facing opposition: ultimate victory is secured not by the absence of struggle, but by the assured presence and power of God within the struggle.