Jeremiah 20:17 kjv
Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.
Jeremiah 20:17 nkjv
Because he did not kill me from the womb, That my mother might have been my grave, And her womb always enlarged with me.
Jeremiah 20:17 niv
For he did not kill me in the womb, with my mother as my grave, her womb enlarged forever.
Jeremiah 20:17 esv
because he did not kill me in the womb; so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb forever great.
Jeremiah 20:17 nlt
because he did not kill me at birth.
Oh, that I had died in my mother's womb,
that her body had been my grave!
Jeremiah 20 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 20:14 | "Cursed be the day that I was born! Let the blessing of the mother who bore me not be blessed!" | Curse on birthday |
| Job 3:3 | "Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a child conceived." | Similar sentiment of despair |
| Job 10:18 | "Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!" | Desire to have not been born |
| Jeremiah 1:8 | "Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD." | God's assurance of presence |
| Jeremiah 1:19 | "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." | God's protection |
| 2 Corinthians 12:10 | "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." | Finding strength in weakness |
| Romans 8:35-37 | "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" | Overcoming adversity in Christ |
| Isaiah 53:3 | "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." | Suffering Servant imagery |
| John 15:18-20 | "If the world hate you, ye know that it hath hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." | Persecution for Christ's sake |
| Matthew 5:11-12 | "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." | Blessings for persecution |
| 2 Timothy 3:12 | "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." | Suffering is part of godliness |
| Acts 7:54 | "When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth." | Opposition to reformers |
| Acts 14:19 | "And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead." | Persecution of apostles |
| Galatians 6:17 | "From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." | Bearing the marks of Christ |
| Revelation 6:9-11 | "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:" | Martyrs for the word |
| Philippians 1:29 | "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;" | Privilege to suffer for Christ |
| Jeremiah 15:10 | "For I have heard the reproach of many: fear on every side. Prophesy against them, prophesy, O thou son of man." | Facing reproach |
| Jeremiah 20:1-2 | "Now Pashur the son of Iim-mer the priest, who was also governor of the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things. Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD." | Physical abuse of the prophet |
| Proverbs 1:24-31 | "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;" | Rejection of God's call |
| Psalm 22:6-8 | "But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him." | Messianic Psalm, suffering |
Jeremiah 20 verses
Jeremiah 20 17 Meaning
This verse expresses extreme distress and despair over the prophet Jeremiah's difficult calling, specifically wishing he had never been born due to the suffering and rejection he faced for proclaiming God's word.
Jeremiah 20 17 Context
This verse comes from the end of Jeremiah chapter 20, following a vivid account of the prophet's imprisonment and mistreatment by Pashur, the chief official of the temple. Jeremiah had prophesied judgment against Jerusalem, which Pashur violently opposed. After his release, Jeremiah confronted Pashur with a prophecy of his future exile and death, denouncing him as "Terror all around." The subsequent lament in verses 14-18 is a personal expression of the prophet's immense suffering and emotional turmoil arising from his thankless and dangerous ministry, a ministry that brought him rejection and pain rather than peace. This personal outpouring is placed in stark contrast to God's assurance of protection given to Jeremiah at the beginning of his prophetic commission (Jeremiah 1:8, 19).
Jeremiah 20 17 Word analysis
- and I heard
- Hebrew: wəšāmaʿ (וְשָׁמַעְתִּי) - and he heard/listened. Reflects Jeremiah's internal reception and processing of his difficult experience.
- the voice
- Hebrew: qōl (קוֹל) - sound, voice. Refers to the spoken message or prophecy.
- of my supplication
- Hebrew: tᵉfillāṯî (תְּפִלָּתִי) - my prayer, my supplication. Highlights the deep, earnest pleading that accompanies his suffering.
- then
- Hebrew: ʾāz (אָז) - then, at that time. Indicates a consequence or reaction to his supplication.
- Jehovah
- Hebrew: YHWH (יְהוָה) - LORD. The personal covenant name of God.
- of hosts
- Hebrew: ṣəbāʾôṯ (צְבָאוֹת) - of hosts, of armies. Refers to God's sovereignty and power as commander of all celestial and earthly forces.
- out of the house
- Hebrew: mibbêt (מִבֵּית) - from the house. Specifically refers to the temple complex.
- of my God
- Hebrew: ʾĕlōhāy (אֱלֹהָי) - my God. A personal and intimate address to God.
words-group by words-group analysis
- "my supplication... from the house of my God": This phrase vividly describes Jeremiah pouring out his soul in prayer within the sacred precincts of God's temple, a place of supposed refuge, yet where he had just faced brutal treatment and where his ministry brought him deep sorrow. It emphasizes the intersection of his personal suffering and his divine commission.
Jeremiah 20 17 Bonus section
The expression of wishing not to have been born is found in other biblical figures, such as Job. It represents the absolute limit of human endurance when facing extreme suffering. For Jeremiah, this outburst comes after a direct confrontation and humiliation, highlighting the personal cost of faithfulness to God's unpopular message. Despite this profound despair, Jeremiah does not ultimately abandon his calling; his subsequent actions and prophecies indicate a reaffirmation of his commitment, drawing strength from God despite his pain. This passage offers a realistic view of the emotional toll that divine service can take, reminding believers that their struggles are acknowledged and can be brought to God in prayer.
Jeremiah 20 17 Commentary
Jeremiah 20:14-18 is a profound lament, articulating the overwhelming emotional and spiritual burden of prophetic ministry when met with severe opposition and rejection. The prophet, after enduring physical abuse and intense mockery, articulates a wish to have never been born. This expression of utter despair is not a denial of God's sovereignty, but a raw cry of anguish from a human soul overwhelmed by the pain of obedience. It underscores that even those deeply committed to God can experience moments of profound suffering and question their path. However, the context of Jeremiah's ministry, and the broader biblical narrative, assures that God hears these cries and remains with His servants, even in their darkest hours, ultimately fulfilling His purposes through them.