Jeremiah 18 20

Jeremiah 18:20 kjv

Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.

Jeremiah 18:20 nkjv

Shall evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You To speak good for them, To turn away Your wrath from them.

Jeremiah 18:20 niv

Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember that I stood before you and spoke in their behalf to turn your wrath away from them.

Jeremiah 18:20 esv

Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.

Jeremiah 18:20 nlt

Should they repay evil for good?
They have dug a pit to kill me,
though I pleaded for them
and tried to protect them from your anger.

Jeremiah 18 verses

Jeremiah 18 20 Meaning

Jeremiah 18:20 conveys the prophet's profound shock and anguished plea for divine justice. He expresses bewilderment at the moral perversion of receiving "evil" and murderous intent (implied by "digging a pit for my soul") in return for his consistent "good"—specifically, his faithful role as an intercessor, tirelessly standing before God to advocate for the very people now conspiring against him, seeking to avert God's impending wrath from them. This rhetorical question highlights the profound ingratitude and treachery of his own countrymen, while his appeal to God underscores the deep personal suffering he endures due to his obedience.

Jeremiah 18 20 Context

Jeremiah chapter 18 is pivotal in the prophet's ministry, framing God's sovereign right over nations using the analogy of a potter and clay. God declares His power to either build or destroy, promising to relent from judgment if a nation repents and to bring calamity if it persists in evil. The Lord specifically calls Judah to "turn now, everyone from his evil way, and make your ways and your deeds good" (Jer 18:11). However, the people arrogantly respond, "We will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart" (Jer 18:12). This rejection leads to a divine indictment against Judah for unprecedented apostasy, forsaking the Lord for idols (Jer 18:13-17). Directly preceding our verse, Jeremiah 18:18 reveals the malicious intent of Judah's leaders: "Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah... Let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words." This confession (or lament) in Jeremiah 18:20, thus, is the prophet's immediate, anguished cry to God in response to this personal threat and profound betrayal, highlighting the cost of his prophetic faithfulness amidst a people hardened in rebellion.

Jeremiah 18 20 Word analysis

• Shall evil be recompensed for good? (הַיְשֻׁלַּם תַּחַת טוֹבָה רָעָה, hay’shullam tachat tovah ra’ah)
  • Shall evil (רָעָה, ra’ah): This Hebrew term denotes wickedness, calamity, or harm. Here, it signifies the malicious actions, specifically the plot to kill Jeremiah, devised by his adversaries. Its use in a rhetorical question conveys deep astonishment at such injustice.
  • be recompensed (יְשֻׁלַּם, y'shullam): From the root shālam, meaning "to be complete," "to pay," or "to repay." The Hophal stem implies "be fully paid back" or "be rendered." It's a term often used in contexts of divine or legal retribution and justice.
  • for good (טוֹבָה, tovah): Derived from tov, meaning goodness, prosperity, or well-being. It refers to Jeremiah's righteous actions and beneficial service, most notably his intercession for the people. The stark contrast with ra’ah underscores the shocking inversion of moral order.
  • Word group significance: This rhetorical question expresses Jeremiah's profound outrage at the moral absurdity where altruistic acts are met with malevolence, challenging the fundamental sense of fairness and divine order.
• For they have dug a pit for my soul. (כִּי־כָרוּ שׁוּחָה לְנַפְשִׁי, kî-kāru šûḥāh l'naphšî)
  • For (כִּי, kî): A causal conjunction, acting here as "indeed" or "because," providing the justification for the preceding rhetorical question.
  • they have dug (כָּרוּ, kāru): From the verb kārâ, meaning "to dig" or "to excavate." It indicates a deliberate and laborious act, often implying a planned ambush or trap.
  • a pit (שׁוּחָה, šûḥāh): This noun refers to a literal pit, well, or trap often dug to ensnare enemies or animals. It is a powerful metaphor for a life-threatening snare or a murderous conspiracy.
  • for my soul (לְנַפְשִׁי, l'naphshî): nephesh signifies "soul," "life," "person," or "self." "For my soul" means "for my life" or "against me." The preposition le ("for") denotes the object or target of the action.
  • Word group significance: This vivid imagery depicts a treacherous, deliberate attempt to capture or kill Jeremiah. It stands in stark opposition to Jeremiah's life-preserving intercessions, highlighting their malicious intent and the severity of their betrayal.
• Remember that I stood before thee (זְכֹר עָמְדִי לְפָנֶיךָ, z'khor ‘āmdî l'phāneyḵā)
  • Remember (זְכֹר, z'khor): An imperative verb, directly addressing God and pleading for divine action based on God's covenantal memory. It is not just about recalling information, but about remembering with an intent to act.
  • I stood (עָמְדִי, āmdî): From āmad, "to stand." Here, it specifically denotes taking a position of service or advocacy, particularly in the divine court, representing another before God. Prophets and priests held this intercessory role.
  • before thee (לְפָנֶיךָ, l'phāneyḵā): Literally "to your face" or "in your presence," emphasizing the direct, intimate communion and the prophet's unique access to God.
  • Word group significance: This is Jeremiah's personal appeal to God, reminding Him of his unwavering fidelity and the demanding role of mediator he faithfully undertook, expecting God's remembrance to translate into divine justice.
• to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them. (לְדַבֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם טוֹב לְהָשִׁיב אֶת־חֲמָתְךָ מֵהֶם, l'dabber ‘alêhem tôv l'hāšîv 'et-ḥămāt'khā mêhem)
  • to speak good (לְדַבֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם טוֹב, l'dabber ‘alêhem tôv): "To speak favorably concerning them," or "to intercede on their behalf." This highlights Jeremiah's persistent advocacy and compassionate efforts despite their sinfulness.
  • and to turn away (לְהָשִׁיב, l'hāšîv): Hiphil infinitive of shuv, "to return" or "to turn." Here, it means "to cause to turn back," "to avert," or "to deflect." It implies an active effort to alter the course of divine judgment.
  • thy wrath (אֶת־חֲמָתְךָ, 'et-ḥămāt'khā): ḥamāh refers to "hot anger" or "fierce wrath," typically signifying God's righteous indignation and impending judgment against sin.
  • from them (מֵהֶם, mêhem): "Away from them."
  • Word group significance: This final phrase emphatically portrays Jeremiah's consistent and self-sacrificing role as a mediator. He continually sought to deflect God's righteous anger from his people, contrasting sharply with their present attempt to bring harm upon him. It underscores the profound paradox of his service and their response.

Jeremiah 18 20 Bonus section

Jeremiah's "confessions" or laments are unique within prophetic literature, offering a window into the inner life and emotional struggles of God's chosen messenger. This particular lament reveals the prophet's deep identification with God's honor and justice, not merely a desire for personal revenge. His plea for God to "remember" is an invocation of God's covenantal faithfulness, a call for Him to act in accordance with His character as the righteous judge who sees and responds to the treatment of His servants. The malicious response to Jeremiah's good deeds underscores a key theological point: the spiritual decay of Judah was so profound that they had lost their moral compass, preferring wickedness over the good counsel and intercession offered to them by God through His prophet. This inversion of moral values ultimately left them vulnerable to the judgment Jeremiah had sought to avert.

Jeremiah 18 20 Commentary

Jeremiah 18:20 serves as a powerful and agonizing lament, exposing the depths of human ingratitude and the prophet's personal suffering for his faithfulness. It is a profound cry against injustice, posing a rhetorical question that challenges the moral universe: should righteousness truly be repaid with malicious evil? Jeremiah details the ultimate act of treachery—the digging of a "pit" (a metaphor for a deadly snare or plot) against his very life. Yet, he reminds God, his actions have consistently been those of a dedicated intercessor, standing in God's presence, actively advocating for the people and diligently working to avert God's just wrath from them. This personal agony highlights the severe cost of prophecy and underscores the unworthiness of those for whom he suffered. His appeal is not for petty revenge, but an earnest call for God's righteous memory and a vindication of divine justice against those who despise both the messenger and his message, echoing the suffering of the True Intercessor, Christ Himself.