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 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 1:17-19 | "But you, gird up your loins and rise and speak to them all with all the commandment that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land..." | Predictive of opposition faced by prophets |
| Psalm 35:11-12 | "False witnesses rise; they ask me of things that I know not. They repay me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul." | Echoes Jeremiah's complaint of false accusations |
| Psalm 119:161 | "My heart stands in awe of your word." | Reflects Jeremiah's commitment to God's word |
| Matthew 5:11-12 | "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account." | Jesus' teaching on persecution for righteousness |
| John 15:20 | "Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you." | Jesus' parallel experience of persecution |
| Acts 7:51-53 | "You stiff-necked people...which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute?" | Stephen's accusation of persecuting prophets |
| 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 | "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not destroyed; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not killed;" | Paul's experience of hardship and persecution |
| 2 Timothy 3:12 | "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." | Universal principle of godliness and persecution |
| Romans 8:17-18 | "...if indeed we suffer with him, in order that we may also be glorified with him." | Suffering as a precursor to glory |
| Psalm 22:1-2 | "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest." | Expression of distress under opposition |
| Isaiah 53:7 | "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth..." | Foretells the suffering servant's silence |
| Mark 14:61 | "But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, 'Have you no answer to make?'" | Jesus' silence before accusers |
| Proverbs 26:2 | "Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without occasion shall not light." | Curse against unjust aggression |
| Psalm 140:1-5 | "Rescue me, O Lord, from the evil man; preserve me from the violent man, who devise evil in their hearts and stir up wars all day long... They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adder's poison is under their lips." | Plea against the malicious and violent |
| Psalm 7:3-5 | "O Lord, if I have done this, if there is any injustice in my hands, if I have returned evil to him who did evil to me or have plundered my enemy, let my enemy pursue my soul and overtake it..." | Jeremiah's posture of appealing to God's justice |
| 1 Peter 2:20 | "For what credit is it if when you sin and are roughly handled you endure it? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure it, this is a graciousthinking with God." | Suffering for good as a mark of divine favor |
| Philippians 1:29 | "It has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake," | Suffering as a gift for Christ's sake |
| Matthew 10:28 | "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." | True fear of God over human threat |
| Jeremiah 1:8 | "Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord." | God's assurance to Jeremiah during opposition |
| Acts 17:6 | "...and shouting, 'These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also...'" | How disruptive truth-telling could be perceived |
Jeremiah 18 verses
Jeremiah 18 20 Meaning
This verse expresses Jeremiah's desperate plea to God regarding his enemies who are actively seeking to harm him for upholding God's message. Jeremiah articulates his innocence and points to his consistent obedience to God's word. He highlights the injustice of being targeted and punished, not for his own wrongdoings, but for faithfully proclaiming God's divine will and pronouncements.
Jeremiah 18 20 Context
In Jeremiah 18, the prophet is instructed by God to go to the potter's house and observe the potter at work. This imagery serves as a powerful metaphor for God's sovereign power to shape and reshape individuals and nations. After this vision, Jeremiah pronounces judgment on Israel for their persistent disobedience and idolatry. He details how God, like a potter, can discard a flawed vessel. Chapter 18:18, immediately preceding the verse in question, describes the conspiracies of the priests, wise men, and prophets against Jeremiah, labeling him a heretic and threatening his life. Therefore, Jeremiah 18:20 is a direct lament and prayer from Jeremiah in response to the hostile plotting and accusations directed at him by religious and political leaders who are determined to silence his prophetic warnings.
Jeremiah 18 20 Word Analysis
"Therefore": Hebrew: לָכֵן (lāḵēn) - signifies consequence, indicating this prayer is a direct result of the preceding actions and pronouncements against him.
"in the locust-hole" (or "in the pit"): Hebrew: בַּשּׁוּק (baššûq) - some manuscripts suggest "in the winepress" or "in the dunghill". However, the common interpretation and textual basis for "pit" or "cistern" is strongly supported. It evokes a place of confinement, hardship, or public shame. Other traditions render it as a more general "open square" or "public place" where his enemies set their traps.
"of the watchmen" (or "of the ambush"): Hebrew: לַצּפִים (laṣṣōp̄îm) - This refers to those who watch intently, specifically for the purpose of seizing or capturing, implying an ambush or deliberate surveillance aimed at apprehending him. It could also refer to the watchers in a fortress or guard posts, indicating the pervasiveness of the threat.
"for me": Hebrew: לִי (lî) - Emphasizes that the plot is personal and directed specifically at him.
"they dig a pit": Hebrew: חָפְרוּ שׁוּחָה (ḥāp̄ərû šûḥāh) - The action of excavating a pit, a common method for trapping animals, signifying a deliberate, concerted effort to ensnare and capture him.
"They even opened": Hebrew: אַף־פָּתְחוּ (ʾap̄-pāṯəḥû) - "Apph" (also/even) intensifies the action, showing that this goes beyond mere digging; it implies making an opening, possibly breaking through defenses or into a space to trap him.
"their great pit": Hebrew: שׁוּחָתָם הַגְּדֹלָה (šûḥāṯām haggəḏōlāh) - Highlights the significant and perhaps elaborate nature of the trap set for him.
"for my soul": Hebrew: לְנַפְשִׁי (lənapešî) - refers to his life, his very being, the essence of his existence. It underscores the deadly intent behind their actions.
"Render": Hebrew: שַׁלֵּם (šālēmm) - Means to pay, to recompense, to give back, either a reward or a punishment. Here it's asking God to recompense the wicked actions of his enemies.
"to me": Hebrew: לִי (lî) - Personal appeal.
"evil": Hebrew: רָעָה (rā‘â) - Misfortune, harm, distress, wickedness.
"for good": Hebrew: תַּחַת טוֹבָתִי (taḥat ṭōḇāṯî) - For my good. The contrast is between the good he has done and the evil he receives in return.
"for I": Hebrew: כִּי־אָנֹכִי (kî-ʾānōḵî) - Explaining the reason for God's intervention.
"am before thee": Hebrew: לְפָנֶיךָ (ləp̄ānêḵā) - Indicates presence before God, in His sight, ready for His judgment or response.
"to turn back": Hebrew: לָשׁוּב (lāšûḇ) - to return, to repent.
"the evil": Hebrew: הָרָעָה (hā rā‘â) - the specific harm or wickedness directed towards him.
"for them": Hebrew: עֲלֵיהֶם (‘ălêhem) - Directed towards them, referring to his enemies.
Jeremiah 18 20 Bonus Section
The act of digging a pit as a trap is a metaphor for setting hidden snares and plans of destruction. This tactic reflects the insidious nature of opposition faced by God's people, where enemies might seem hidden or at least concealed in their true intentions until their trap is sprung. The mention of "opening their great pit" could imply that his enemies were preparing an enclosure or a fortified place of capture, indicating a comprehensive strategy against him. Jeremiah's plea for God to "turn back the evil for them" echoes the principle of reaping what one sows and divine retribution against the wicked, as seen in other psalms and prophetic warnings, asserting that God's justice will align the consequences with the deeds committed.
Jeremiah 18 20 Commentary
Jeremiah's cry in this verse is one of profound injustice. He is being persecuted for speaking God's truth, an act that is fundamentally good. His enemies, driven by malice and a desire to silence God's prophet, have set elaborate traps for his life. Jeremiah appeals to God's justice, asking that the very evil plotted against him be returned upon his persecutors. This is not a personal vendetta but an acknowledgment that God is the ultimate arbiter of justice and that wrongdoing, especially against His servants, will not go unaddressed. He affirms his own adherence to God's commands and points to his obedience as the reason for his suffering. This verse demonstrates the prophetic experience of opposition, where loyalty to God incurs the wrath of the world. It's a powerful reminder of the spiritual battle that often accompanies those who faithfully deliver God's message, and it shows the prophet's complete reliance on God for vindication and deliverance.