Jeremiah 20 5

Jeremiah 20:5 kjv

Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.

Jeremiah 20:5 nkjv

Moreover I will deliver all the wealth of this city, all its produce, and all its precious things; all the treasures of the kings of Judah I will give into the hand of their enemies, who will plunder them, seize them, and carry them to Babylon.

Jeremiah 20:5 niv

I will deliver all the wealth of this city into the hands of their enemies?all its products, all its valuables and all the treasures of the kings of Judah. They will take it away as plunder and carry it off to Babylon.

Jeremiah 20:5 esv

Moreover, I will give all the wealth of the city, all its gains, all its prized belongings, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah into the hand of their enemies, who shall plunder them and seize them and carry them to Babylon.

Jeremiah 20:5 nlt

And I will let your enemies plunder Jerusalem. All the famed treasures of the city ? the precious jewels and gold and silver of your kings ? will be carried off to Babylon.

Jeremiah 20 verses

Jeremiah 20 5 Meaning

Jeremiah 20:5 describes Jeremiah's profound despair and discouragement, not just due to the people's opposition to his prophecy, but also because of the very word of God which, while compelling, brought him into disrepute and constant distress. The verse highlights the heavy burden of prophetic ministry and the personal cost involved when speaking God's truth.

Jeremiah 20 5 Context

Jeremiah 20 occurs amidst intense opposition to Jeremiah's prophetic ministry in Jerusalem. The prophet had declared the impending judgment of God upon the city and the nation due to their pervasive sin and idolatry. Pashhur, the son of Immer, a chief officer in the temple, struck Jeremiah and had him placed in stocks for prophesying against Jerusalem. This verse reflects Jeremiah's raw emotional response to this mistreatment and the crushing weight of his message and the people's rejection of it. The historical context is that of the final decades leading up to the Babylonian conquest of Judah, a period of spiritual decay and national crisis.

Jeremiah 20 5 Word Analysis

• “O LORD, you have enticed me…”

  • Hebrew: "YAHWEH, pattah'ta ohtih"
    • "YAHWEH" (יְהוָה): The personal covenantal name of God.
    • "pattah'ta" (פִּתִּיתָ): From the root "pathah" (פתה), meaning to entice, persuade, allure, or deceive. Here, it suggests God’s irresistible call that drew Jeremiah into prophetic service, which, paradoxically, has led to his current suffering. It's not a moral deception, but an irresistible spiritual calling.
  • "me": The object of God's enticing action.

• “and I was enticed…”

  • Hebrew: "v'ehpah" (וְאִפָּה): A niphal passive form of "pathah," meaning "I was enticed" or "I allowed myself to be enticed." It indicates Jeremiah’s yielding to God's call.

• “You are stronger than I, and You have prevailed.”

  • Hebrew: "Chazak 'atah mimmenni vateegbōr"
    • "Chazak" (חָזַק): To be strong, firm, courageous, powerful.
    • "mimmenni" (מִמֶּנִּי): "From me" or "than I."
    • "vateegbōr" (וַתֵּגָבַר): From the root "gabar" (גָּבַר), meaning to be strong, to prevail, to be superior. This signifies God's overpowering strength, His ability to overcome Jeremiah's resistance or comfort, making it impossible for him to ignore the divine mandate.

• “I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me.”

  • Hebrew: "HeyithI Lihlehg l'kōl-hayyōm kōl Lēvah mibbhayeh"
    • "HeyithI" (הָיִיתִי): "I have become" or "I was."
    • "Lihlehg" (לְלַעַג): "for mockery" or "a laughingstock." From "le'g" (לַעַג), meaning scorn or derision.
    • "l'kōl-hayyōm" (לְכֹל־הַיּוֹם): "all day long" or "continually."
    • "kōl Lēvah" (כֹּל־לֵץ): "everyone." "Lev" (לֵץ) is a mocker or scoffer.
    • "mibbhayeh" (מִבָּאִי): "from my coming" or "from me." Suggests their mockery stems from his prophetic activity.

Jeremiah 20 5 Bonus Section

The phrase "You have enticed me, and I was enticed" touches on the complex relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. While God's call is irresistible, Jeremiah's "I was enticed" can also suggest a willing response. This paradox is central to vocational discernment. The theme of the prophet being a "laughingstock" is a recurring motif, seen also in figures like Elijah and Elisha, highlighting the difficulty of faithfulness in a disobedient generation. The verse can be seen as a foreshadowing of Christ's own experience of rejection and mockery from His own people, and it calls believers to be prepared for similar opposition when aligning themselves with God’s will.

Jeremiah 20 5 Commentary

This verse reveals the prophet’s humanity and the immense psychological pressure of his calling. Jeremiah feels betrayed by God because the very calling that God powerfully impressed upon him, which Jeremiah could not resist, has led to humiliation and suffering. The "enticement" here speaks to a divine imperative that supersedes human desire for comfort or ease. God’s strength has "prevailed" over Jeremiah’s own feelings and potentially any inclination to refuse the burden. The constant mockery Jeremiah faces stems from his unpopular message and his unusual behavior (as seen in his confinement). This verse resonates with the suffering of God’s servants throughout scripture, who often face ridicule for delivering God's truth in hostile environments. It’s not that God deceives in a sinister way, but His calling is so compelling that it leads His servants into paths of trial and often social ostracism.