Jeremiah 20 6

Jeremiah 20:6 kjv

And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.

Jeremiah 20:6 nkjv

And you, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house, shall go into captivity. You shall go to Babylon, and there you shall die, and be buried there, you and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied lies.' "

Jeremiah 20:6 niv

And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into exile to Babylon. There you will die and be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied lies.'?"

Jeremiah 20:6 esv

And you, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house, shall go into captivity. To Babylon you shall go, and there you shall die, and there you shall be buried, you and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied falsely."

Jeremiah 20:6 nlt

As for you, Pashhur, you and all your household will go as captives to Babylon. There you will die and be buried, you and all your friends to whom you prophesied that everything would be all right.'"

Jeremiah 20 verses

Jeremiah 20 6 Meaning

Jeremiah 20:6 describes the profound discouragement and despair the prophet felt after confronting Pashhur, a chief priest. This confrontation resulted in Jeremiah being struck, put in stocks, and publicly humiliated. The verse emphasizes the deceptive and false nature of Pashhur's prophecy, highlighting how it led to the prophet's suffering without offering true divine reassurance, thus making his ministry appear foolish and ineffective to his people.

Jeremiah 20 6 Context

Jeremiah 20 begins with Pashhur, the son of Immer, a prominent priest in Jerusalem, striking Jeremiah and putting him in the stocks. This happened after Jeremiah delivered a prophecy that denounced the Temple and predicted Jerusalem's destruction. Pashhur's action was an attempt to silence Jeremiah and portray his message as rebellious and false. In this immediate aftermath, as Jeremiah is released from the stocks, he delivers this profound lament, focusing on the painful consequences of his prophetic calling, especially how his pronouncements were perceived and how he was personally treated. The broader context is Jeremiah's ongoing, difficult ministry during a period of severe spiritual and political crisis in Judah, just before the Babylonian conquest.

Jeremiah 20 6 Word Analysis

• and: Conjunction, connecting the action of striking and putting in stocks to the resulting perception.

• Pashhur: Hebrew: פַּשְׁחוּר (Pašḥûr). Meaning: "Prosperity surrounds." Irony given the destruction his actions, or lack thereof, contribute to.

• son: Hebrew: בֶּן (ben). Indicates lineage and role as part of the priestly class.

• of Immer: Hebrew: אִימֵּר (ʼIyyimēr). Refers to the priestly family or course descended from Immer.

• chief: Hebrew: שַׂר (śar). Ruler, prince, captain, chief official. Implies authority and status within the Temple administration.

• priest: Hebrew: כֹּהֵן (kōhēn). A sacred minister; officiating priest. Holds religious authority.

• and: Conjunction linking the two actions.

• who: Relative pronoun introducing a description of Pashhur.

• was: Verb of being, connecting Pashhur to his role.

• overseer: Hebrew: פָּקִיד (pāqîd). Official, one appointed in charge; deputy. Suggests oversight of Temple affairs.

• in: Preposition indicating location or position.

• the: Definite article.

• LORD’s: Hebrew: יְהוָה (YHWH). The Tetragrammaton, God's covenant name.

• house: Hebrew: בַּיִת (bayit). House, household, Temple. Refers to the Temple precinct.

• heard: Hebrew: שָׁמַע (šāmaʻ). To hear; listen, obey, pay attention. Pashhur heard Jeremiah's prophecy.

• that: Conjunction introducing the content of what was heard.

• Jeremiah: Hebrew: יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirməyāhû). "Whom Yahweh appoints/casts."

• prophesied: Hebrew: נִבָּא (nibbāʼ). To prophesy; to speak forth from God.

• all: Indicates the entirety of the group addressed.

• this: Demonstrative pronoun referring to the prophecy.

• word: Hebrew: דָּבָר (dāḇār). Word, deed, matter, thing. The prophetic message.

• against: Preposition indicating opposition or directed towards.

• you: Refers to Jeremiah.

• that: Conjunction introducing the reason for Pashhur's action.

• And: Conjunction linking the reason to the subsequent description of Pashhur's accusation.

• Pashhur: Hebrew: פַּשְׁחוּר (Pašḥûr).

• struck: Hebrew: הִכָּה (hikkâ). To strike, smite, beat. An act of physical aggression and punishment.

• Jeremiah: Hebrew: יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirməyāhû).

• and: Conjunction.

• put: Hebrew: נָתַן (nāṯan). To give, put, place.

• him: Refers to Jeremiah.

• in: Preposition.

• the: Definite article.

• stocks: Hebrew: מַחְסֵר (maḥṣēr) or a word indicating confinement, possibly derived from roots meaning to cut off or restrain (the exact term and its specific form are debated, but it denotes severe confinement or stocks). A wooden frame used for public punishment and humiliation.

• that: Conjunction introducing the location.

• were: Verb of being.

• at: Preposition.

• the: Definite article.

• upper: Hebrew: עֶלְיוֹן (ʻelyôn). Upper, chief, high. Likely the upper gate of Benjamin.

• gate: Hebrew: שַׁעַר (šaʻar). Gate, opening. A significant location in the Temple complex or city.

• of: Preposition.

• Benjamin: Hebrew: בִּנְיָמִין (Binyāmîn). "Son of my right hand." Northern gate of Jerusalem, indicating the location of confinement.

• next: Preposition indicating adjacency or connection.

• to: Preposition.

• the: Definite article.

• Lord’s: Hebrew: יְהוָה (YHWH).

• house: Hebrew: בַּיִת (bayit). Temple.

• then: Adverb of time, indicating consequence.

• Jeremiah: Hebrew: יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirməyāhû).

• said: Hebrew: אָמַר (ʼāmar). To say, speak, tell.

• in: Preposition.

• his: Possessive pronoun.

• own: Emphatic pronoun.

• ears: Hebrew: אֹזֶן (ʼōzen). Ear, organ of hearing. Here used metonymically to signify his internal listening to God or the understanding he gained.

• But: Conjunction expressing contrast or opposition.

• you: Refers to Pashhur.

• have: Verb.

• made: Hebrew: עָשָׂה (ʻāśâ). To do, make, accomplish.

• me: Object pronoun.

• deceived: Hebrew: פָּתָה (pāṯâ). To entice, persuade, seduce, deceive, mislead. Pashhur has mislead him with his actions or perceived divine justification.

• O: Interjection.

• LORD: Hebrew: יְהוָה (YHWH).

• of: Preposition.

• Hosts: Hebrew: צְבָאוֹת (ṣəḇāʼôṯ). Armies, hosts. A title for God indicating His power and authority.

• You: Refers to God.

• have: Verb.

• enticed: Hebrew: פָּתִיתָ (pāṯîṯâ). Second person singular masculine past tense of פָּתָה (pāṯâ). To entice, persuade, seduce, deceive, mislead. Jeremiah feels God used him in a way that led to this result.

• me: Object pronoun.

• and: Conjunction.

• I: Pronoun.

• was: Verb of being.

• enticed: Hebrew: הָפְתֵּיתִי (hāp̄əṯîṯî). First person singular passive past tense of פָּתָה (pāṯâ). To be enticed, seduced, deceived. Indicates Jeremiah's passive submission to God's call.

• O: Interjection.

• LORD: Hebrew: יְהוָה (YHWH).

• You: Refers to God.

• have: Verb.

• conquered: Hebrew: חָזַק (ḥāzâq). To be strong, firm, hardened; hence, to strengthen oneself, prevail, seize. Implies God has overpowered him, making him unable to resist the call.

• me: Object pronoun.

• and: Conjunction.

• prevailed: Hebrew: גָּבַר (gāḇar). To be strong, grow strong, overcome, prevail. Similar to conquered, emphasizing God's irresistible force.

• I: Pronoun.

• am: Verb of being.

• become: Hebrew: הָיִיתִי (hāyîṯî). First person singular past tense of היה (hâya), "to be."

• a: Indefinite article.

• laughingstock: Hebrew: לָצָה (lāṣûq) or a word indicating mockery or ridicule. "Ridicule," "derision."

• all: Adjective.

• day: Hebrew: יוֹם (yôm). Day.

• every: Adjective.

• one: Pronoun.

• mocks: Hebrew: לָעַג (lāʻaḡ). To mock, ridicule, deride.

• me: Object pronoun.

• and: Conjunction.

• my: Possessive pronoun.

• friends: Hebrew: רֵעַ (rēʻ). Friend, companion, neighbor.

• mock: Hebrew: לָעֵג (lāʻēḡ). Verb form of mockery.

• me: Object pronoun.

• (and): Conjunction implied in context.

• their: Possessive pronoun.

• deception: Hebrew: בּוּגְדֹוּת (bûḡəḏôṯ) or a related concept of betrayal/treachery in speaking, possibly referring to false words against him. Alternatively, referring to Pashhur's prophecy being deceptive.

• is: Verb of being.

• great: Hebrew: גָּדוֹל (gāḏôl). Great, large, mighty.

• or: Conjunction.

• powerful: Hebrew: חָזָק (ḥāzāq). Strong, mighty, able. This refers back to Pashhur's actions or perhaps the force of the false prophecy.

• indeed: Emphatic adverb.

• you: Refers to God.

• deceived: Hebrew: פָּתִיתָ (pāṯîṯâ). Second person singular masculine past tense of פָּתָה (pāṯâ). God is addressed as having tricked him.

• me: Object pronoun.

• O: Interjection.

• LORD: Hebrew: יְהוָה (YHWH).

• of: Preposition.

• Hosts: Hebrew: צְבָאוֹת (ṣəḇāʼôṯ).

• you: Refers to God.

• have: Verb.

• persuaded me; I have been persuaded. Hebrew: פִּתִּיתַנִי, וָאֶפָּת. This is a strong repetition of the root פָּתָה (pāṯâ) – "You have enticed me, and I was enticed." This emphasizes Jeremiah's feeling of being manipulated or irresistibly drawn into a situation where he is now suffering ridicule. It's a cry of distress about God's sovereign hand in his predicament.

• or: Conjunction suggesting an alternative understanding.

• proved: Hebrew: חֲזַקְתָּ (ḥăzāqəṯā). Second person singular masculine past tense of חָזַק (ḥāzâq) - "You were stronger," "You prevailed." Jeremiah felt God's strength overcame his own.

• stronger than I: Hebrew: מִמֶּנִּי (mimmɛnnî). "From me."

• than I:

• You: Refers to God.

• are: Verb of being.

• mightier: Hebrew: חָזַק (ḥāzâq) in a comparative sense. Stronger, more powerful.

• than: Preposition.

• I: Pronoun.

• am: Verb of being.

• But: Conjunction.

• you: Refers to Pashhur.

• caused: Hebrew: גָּרַם (gāram). To bring about, cause, result in. Pashhur caused Jeremiah to suffer this.

• me: Object pronoun.

• to be: Verb of being.

• mocked: Hebrew: חֶרְפָּה (ḥerpâ) related to verbal abuse or scorn. The shame and reproach. Or possibly related to the root for "to be confused/deceived" making him a subject of mockery.

• and: Conjunction.

• derision: Hebrew: לַעַג (laʻaḡ). Mockery, ridicule, derision.

• my: Possessive pronoun.

• persecutors: Hebrew: רֹדְפַי (rōḏəp̄ay). Those who pursue or persecute me.

• They: Pronoun.

• put: Hebrew: נָתַן (nāṯan). To put, place.

• me: Object pronoun.

• to: Preposition.

• shame: Hebrew: בֹּשֶׁת (bōšeṯ). Shame, confusion, disgrace.

• my: Possessive pronoun.

• and: Conjunction.

• affliction: Hebrew: עֳנִי (ʻəṉî). Affliction, hardship, misery, suffering.

• They: Pronoun.

• deceived: Hebrew: פָּתָה (pāṯâ). To entice, persuade, seduce, deceive. This might refer to Pashhur's false message deceiving people about Jeremiah's own pronouncements. Or his words brought about deception in a sense that his prophetic role itself was discredited.

• Phrase Analysis: "Then all the officials of the LORD’s house heard these things and went up to Jerusalem from the house of the LORD." This establishes that Jeremiah's message and Pashhur's reaction were noticed by other Temple authorities, who then went to consult further, possibly about the disturbance. The implication is that Pashhur's actions and Jeremiah's prophecy had significant ramifications within the religious establishment.

• Phrase Analysis: "Now the men who had been confined with Jeremiah complained about him..." This implies Jeremiah wasn't alone in confinement or that his suffering was witnessed by others. This might refer to other prisoners or possibly that Pashhur’s public humiliation of Jeremiah was observed by fellow priests or Levites within the Temple precincts. The phrasing here can be tricky in translation, and some versions see this phrase relating to Jeremiah being "exposed to all ridicule" rather than fellow prisoners complaining. The subsequent verse confirms the ridicule Jeremiah experienced.

• Passage Analysis: "You have enticed me, and I was enticed; you have overpowered me, and you are stronger." This is Jeremiah's emotional outcry to God. It expresses a deep sense of being trapped by God's calling. He feels God initiated this ministry, drawing him in and making him susceptible to suffering, and that God's plan has been so strong that it has led to his present humiliation and mockery. It’s a complex expression of trust and frustration, wrestling with divine sovereignty and personal pain.

• Word Group Analysis: "mocking... derision... laughingstock" (לָצָה / לַעַג) These words (related in Hebrew) consistently describe the shame and scorn Jeremiah is subjected to due to Pashhur's actions and the perception of his prophecies as foolish. This theme of mockery is central to his suffering.

• Word Group Analysis: "enticed/deceived... overpowered/conquered/stronger" (פָּתָה / חָזַק) This pairing highlights Jeremiah's struggle with God's call. He feels both tricked into the role and then unable to resist the divine pressure, leading to his current predicament. It reveals a deep internal struggle for the prophet, acknowledging God's overwhelming purpose while lamenting its painful consequences for him.

Jeremiah 20 6 Bonus Section

The specific location, "the upper gate of Benjamin," likely points to a prominent entrance in Jerusalem, possibly near the northern wall, a strategic point and visible public space. This choice of location for Jeremiah's confinement amplified the public nature of his shame. Pashhur, as "chief in the house of the LORD," represented the corrupt religious authority that resisted God's word, a recurring theme in Jeremiah's ministry. Jeremiah's lament is a poignant reminder that faithfulness to God's message often leads to personal suffering, and prophets, like apostles later, experienced severe backlash. This experience also sets the stage for God's promise of being with Jeremiah as a "mighty warrior," a comforting assurance that immediately follows this lament, providing the prophet with the strength to continue despite his circumstances.

Jeremiah 20 6 Commentary

Jeremiah's suffering at the hands of Pashhur, a religious leader, demonstrates the deep opposition prophets faced, even from within the religious establishment. The phrase "You have enticed me, and I was enticed; you have overpowered me, and you are stronger" is a powerful expression of the prophet's wrestling with God. It's not an accusation of God being evil, but rather a cry of how God's calling and purpose have led Jeremiah into such distress, making him appear a fool in the eyes of others. Jeremiah feels that God's power is so great that it has compelled him into this situation, which has resulted in him being a object of ridicule and mockery. This highlights the cost of obedience to God's challenging word and the emotional toll it can take on His messengers, particularly when confronting sin and corruption, even within religious leadership. The experience reveals that God's purposes sometimes involve humiliation and suffering as part of the prophetic path, which ultimately serves to underscore the message and God's ultimate sovereignty.