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 is a declaration of divine judgment upon Jerusalem, proclaiming that God Himself will ensure the complete plundering of the city. All its accumulated wealth, the fruit of its inhabitants' labor, and its most cherished and valuable possessions, including the entire treasury belonging to the kings of Judah, will be delivered into the hands of its enemies. This verse highlights the absolute and comprehensive nature of the impending destruction and captivity, signaling the complete loss of national prosperity and sovereignty as a consequence of their sin and disobedience.

Jeremiah 20 5 Context

Jeremiah 20:5 is embedded within a deeply personal and pivotal chapter in the book of Jeremiah. Prior to this verse, Jeremiah has delivered a strong message of judgment and doom against Jerusalem (Jer 19), culminating in Pashhur the priest, an influential temple official, striking Jeremiah and putting him in the stocks for a night (Jer 20:1-2). Upon release, Jeremiah immediately pronounces a prophetic curse upon Pashhur, declaring he will be renamed "Magor-Missabib" ("Terror on every side") and would be exiled and die in Babylon, along with all his friends who prophesied falsely (Jer 20:3-4). Verse 5 then expands this personal judgment to the entire city of Jerusalem, tying Pashhur's fate to the nation's. This follows Jeremiah's first lament, where he expresses his anguish over his calling (Jer 20:7-18).

Historically, these events unfold during a period of intense political and spiritual turmoil in Judah, primarily during the reign of King Jehoiakim (609-598 BC), who pursued policies contrary to God's commands and rebelled against Babylon. The powerful Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar was consolidating its dominance over the ancient Near East, threatening Judah's independence. Jerusalem and its kings often placed their trust in political alliances, their fortified city, and their material wealth rather than faithfully adhering to the covenant with Yahweh. Jeremiah’s message consistently warned that these misplaced trusts, coupled with widespread idolatry and social injustice, would inevitably lead to divine judgment, manifested through the instrument of Babylon. The prophecy of Jeremiah 20:5, therefore, details the comprehensive financial ruin and despoliation that was to accompany this coming invasion and exile.

Jeremiah 20 5 Word analysis

The verse to analyze: "Moreover I will deliver all the riches of this city, and all the gain 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."

• "Moreover" (וְ / wə): A simple conjunction "and," often translated as "moreover" or "furthermore" in this context, signaling a continuation and expansion of the preceding pronouncement against Pashhur to now include the city itself.
• "I will deliver" (וְנָתַתִּ֥י / wə·nā·ṯat·tî): The Hebrew verb natan means "to give, place, set, deliver." Here it is in the first person singular perfect consecutive, highlighting God's direct, active, and decisive involvement in bringing about this judgment. It signifies divine agency – God is not merely allowing it; He is actively orchestrating it.
• "all the riches" (כָּל־חֵ֥יל / kol-ḥêl): The term kol (כָּל) means "all, every, whole." Ḥêl (חֵיל) means "strength, power, army, wealth, riches." In this context, it refers primarily to material wealth, possessions, and assets. The inclusion of "all" indicates absolute and comprehensive removal.
• "of this city" (הָעִיר / hā·‘îr): Refers to Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. The phrase identifies the specific target of God's judgment, located within the narrative context where Pashhur ministered in the temple.
• "and all the gain thereof" (כָּל־יְגִיעָהּ֙ / kol-yə·ḡî·‘āh): Again, kol ("all"). Yəḡî‘āh (יְגִיעָה) means "product of toil, labor, gain, acquisition." This emphasizes all the fruits of their economic activity, their hard-earned assets, and accumulated resources derived from labor and business. It highlights that nothing earned through effort will be spared.
• "and all the precious things thereof" (כָּל־יְקָרָהּ֙ / kol-yə·qā·rāh): Another kol. Yəqārāh (יְקָרָה) signifies "costly, precious, honorable." This refers to items of high intrinsic value, luxury goods, prized possessions, and valuable artifacts, perhaps even including sacred items from the Temple, implicitly.
• "and all the treasures of the kings of Judah" (כָּל־אוֹצְר֣וֹת מַלְכֵי־יְהוּדָ֔ה / kol-’ō·wṣ·rō·wṯ mal·ḵê-yə·hū·ḏāh): The repeated kol. ’Ōṣrōṯ (אוֹצְרוֹת) are "treasures, storerooms, treasuries." This specifically mentions the royal treasury, encompassing state wealth, regalia, and all valuable items collected and kept by the Judean monarchs. This points to the complete humiliation and subjugation of the kingdom itself, not just its citizens.
• "will I give" (אֶתֵּ֖ן / ’et·tên): A powerful repetition of "I will give/deliver," this time the common future tense, reinforcing divine intent and certainty. This second "I will give" emphasizes the double assurance of this decreed outcome.
• "into the hand of their enemies" (בְּיַ֥ד אֹיְבֵיהֶֽם / bə·yaḏ ’ō·yə·ḇê·hem): "Into the hand of" (בְּיַד) is an idiom signifying "under the control of, in the power of." It indicates complete surrender and subjugation to the enemy's will. "Their enemies" (אֹיְבֵיהֶֽם) refers directly to the Chaldeans/Babylonians, God's chosen instruments of judgment, who would completely dominate and despoil Judah.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Moreover I will deliver... will I give": The doubling of God's direct personal involvement, using the first-person pronoun "I" and verbs meaning "to give/deliver," profoundly underscores His ultimate sovereignty over all human affairs. This is not chance, but divine decree, actively carried out by Yahweh.
• "all the riches... all the gain thereof... all the precious things thereof... all the treasures": The pervasive use of "all" (כָּל) four times emphasizes the absolute and total nature of the destruction and plunder. It signifies that no segment of Jerusalem's wealth—private, commercial, luxurious, or royal—will be exempt from this devastating judgment. This paints a picture of comprehensive despoliation, leaving nothing untouched.
• "of this city... of the kings of Judah": The dual targets clearly define the scope of the judgment: it encompasses both the general populace's collective prosperity within Jerusalem and the specific, accumulated wealth and power of the royal line. This highlights that no institution, from the common citizen to the monarch, is above God's judgment.
• "into the hand of their enemies": This idiomatic expression perfectly conveys the transition of control and power. Jerusalem's assets, power, and autonomy will be fully transferred to the hostile invaders, leaving the Judeans utterly subjugated and powerless. It symbolizes a complete defeat and the end of national independence.

Jeremiah 20 5 Bonus section

• The prophecy in Jeremiah 20:5 finds vivid historical fulfillment in the multiple Babylonian sieges and the final destruction of Jerusalem (e.g., in 597 BC and especially 586 BC), as meticulously documented in historical books like 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. The Temple itself, with its rich treasures, also suffered similar plunder (Jer 52:17-23).
• The severity of this judgment reflects the extent of Judah's unfaithfulness and its persistent refusal to heed the prophets' warnings, especially regarding idolatry, social injustice, and reliance on foreign powers instead of Yahweh. The loss of wealth and national independence was a direct manifestation of the covenant curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28.
• The verse indirectly stands as a polemic against the false prophets who continued to assure the people of peace and prosperity, suggesting that their earthly security and material blessings were divinely guaranteed despite their sins. Jeremiah’s message shatters this delusion, confirming that God's justice is uncompromising.
• The contrast between Jerusalem's earthly treasures being delivered into enemy hands and the concept of imperishable heavenly treasures is a recurring biblical theme. This judgment highlights the transient nature of material wealth when detached from righteous living and divine blessing.

Jeremiah 20 5 Commentary

Jeremiah 20:5 is a pronouncement of profound, divinely-orchestrated destruction. Coming right after Jeremiah's personal suffering at Pashhur's hands, it extends the individual's judgment to the entire city of Jerusalem, confirming that the spiritual decay within the religious leadership permeated the whole society. The repetition of "all" (Hebrew kol) before "riches," "gain," "precious things," and "treasures" powerfully conveys a message of total and absolute despoliation. Nothing accumulated by Jerusalem, whether through private industry, royal collection, or even temple veneration, would escape the impending plunder.

God unequivocally declares "I will deliver" and "I will give," emphasizing His sovereign hand in initiating and executing this severe judgment. This isn't merely the unfortunate outcome of war but the direct consequence of a broken covenant, wherein God uses the Chaldeans as His instrument of righteous wrath. The destination "into the hand of their enemies" signifies complete subjugation and the humiliating loss of independence. The wealth in which Judah had perhaps placed its security, apart from God, would become a source of their ruin, stripped away to underscore their ultimate vulnerability without divine favor. This serves as a stark warning against misplaced trust in material prosperity or national power, rather than in the Living God.