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20:1–6 Jeremiah’s prophecy, which he delivered in the temple court (19:14–15), elicits a strong reaction from the priest, Pashhur, who was responsible for maintaining order in the temple. Jeremiah is beaten and put in stocks overnight, resulting in a strong denunciation of Pashhur the next morning. The incident provides an example of the persecution Jeremiah received and leads into his final two laments in vv. 7–18.

20:1 Pashhur, the son of Immer, the priest Pashhur was a common name at this time. Jeremiah’s narrative mentions three individuals with this name. This individual is not the same as the Pashhur named in 21:1 or 38:1.

Pashhur ISBE

Jeremiah 20:1 NICOT Jer

was officer in charge in the temple of Yahweh The chief officer was probably charged with maintaining order in the temple area (compare 29:26). Jeremiah was disturbing the peace.

20:2 the stocks Refers to some instrument or place of restraint and punishment, a confinement that limited movement.

The exact meaning of the term here is unclear. It also occurs in 29:26 and 2 Chr 16:10 and is almost always translated “stocks.” The Hebrew root has the basic sense of “turn, overturn.” Jeremiah might have been confined to a small jail cell or placed in a device that kept the body in a stooped position. The reference in 2 Chr 16:10 suggests a prison or building with a phrase that can be translated as “house of the stocks.”

Stocks ZEB Q—Z

Stock ISBE

Stocks EDB

the upper Gate of Benjamin The Benjamin Gate was the northern exit from the city (see Jer 37:13). This gate was likely the northern gate of the temple complex, facing the territory of Benjamin.

20:3 Terror From All Around Pashhur’s new name is magor missaviv, a Hebrew phrase used several times in Jeremiah to depict the people’s dismay at the impending Babylonian invasion (see 6:25; 46:5; 49:29). Instead of meting out punishment, Pashhur will experience divine wrath. The phrase may be borrowed from poetic language such as Psa 31:13.

There may be a pun turning about the meaning of “Pashhur,” but this is not obvious since the meaning of the name in Hebrew is uncertain. The name seems to have been borrowed from Egyptian, but Jeremiah could be reading the name as the Aramaic phrase pash-sechor, which may be translated “fruitful all around.” The Hebrew phrase magor missaviv can be construed in three different ways, and the detailed explanation of Pashhur’s punishment seems to invoke all of them. Magor can mean “terror,” “attack,” and “place of sojourning.” These three senses correspond to the punishments described in Jer 20:4–6. Pashhur will be a terror to his friends, who will suffer death from the Babylonian attack while he is taken into exile. The addition of missaviv, sometimes translated as “all around,” gives Jeremiah’s pun the added sense that Pashhur will be magor in every sense of the word.

Jeremiah 20:3–6 Jeremiah 1 (Hermeneia)

Jeremiah 20:3 NICOT Jer

Symbolic Names of People in Hebrew Table

20:6 you have prophesied falsely Classifies Pashhur among the lying prophets who will be judged for prophesying peace (see 14:13–16). Pashhur’s reaction to Jeremiah’s message clearly indicates he felt Jeremiah was in the wrong.

20:7–13 Jeremiah’s sixth lament channels his frustration into an accusation against God for deliberately leading him into difficult circumstances. The language of this lament is bold and direct, leaving a clear view of the distress experienced by the prophet and his ambivalence toward Yahweh.

Lament ISBE

Lament EDB

20:7 You have persuaded me The verb here can be translated as “persuade,” “seduce,” or “entice.” The sense seems to be “lead astray.” See Exod 22:16 in reference to a man seducing a virgin. On Yahweh’s misleading the prophets, see Ezek 14:9 and note.

a laughingstock all day long Jeremiah’s strong words are an emotional response to his public humiliation at the hands of Pashhur (Jer 20:1–6). Compare Lam 3:14.

20:8 a disgrace and derision all day long Jeremiah’s experience of proclaiming God’s word has been overwhelmingly negative, filled with humiliation and mockery. His ambivalence is evident in a very different response recorded in Jer 15:16.

20:9 I will not mention him Jeremiah wants to give up and retreat from this role of publicly proclaiming news no one wants to hear, but Yahweh will not let him.

20:10 Terror is from all around See note on v. 3. Now the phrase magor missaviv is used to depict Jeremiah’s enemies plotting against him.

All my close friends The betrayal of close friends is a standard image in psalms of lament (see Psa 41:9; 55:13, 20–21).

20:11 Yahweh is with me like a powerful warrior Jeremiah’s attitude changes from antagonism to trust as he realizes that Yahweh will ultimately vindicate him and judge his persecutors.

a powerful warrior Invokes the image of Yahweh as the Divine Warrior (see Jer 14:9 and note).

20:12 let me see your retribution upon them The language is typical of Jeremiah’s laments (see 11:18–23; 12:6; 15:15).

20:13 Sing to Yahweh The lament ends in thanksgiving and praise. Lament psalms often contain expressions of praise and trust, anticipating Yahweh’s deliverance in response to the psalmist’s complaint.

20:14–18 With his seventh lament, Jeremiah concludes the series that dominates 11:1–20:18 by complaining about his very existence. Like Job, he wishes he’d never been born to experience such misery (compare Job 3).

20:14 Cursed be the day Jeremiah’s curse of his own birth may be an intentional rejection of his prophetic call (see Jer 1:5). He lamented his own birth before, but less harshly (15:10). See Job 3:3 and note on Job 3:1.

20:17 he did not kill me in the womb Yahweh won’t let Jeremiah stop prophesying (Jer 20:9), so he wishes instead that he had never been born. This is the only way he could have avoided his prophetic mission. Compare Job 3:10; see note on Jer 20:14.

20:18 Why did I come out from the womb, to see toil, and sorrow, and to end my days in shame? Compare Job 3:11.

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