Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 20

Verse 1

Pashur = most noble. The first person named in this book, beside Jeremiah. Not the Pashur of Jeremiah 21:0 . This incident is in the third year of Jehoiakim, just before Nebuchadnezzar comes for the first time. Jeremiah 2:0 1 is in the latter part of Zedekiah's reign, nineteen years later.

Immer. The ancestor of the sixteenth order of priests (1 Chronicles 24:14 ).

the priest: i.e. Immer.

chief governor: i.e. Pashur.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah.

prophesied = was prophesying.

Verse 2

smote. Perhaps according to Deuteronomy 25:3 .

high = upper. Probably north of the Temple, which looked toward the gate of Benjamin.

Verse 3

not called thy name Pashur. Pashhur is the foreign Aramaic name, given by his parents. Jeremiah takes this Aramaic name and interprets it in Hebrew (as Isaiah had done in Jeremiah 8:1 , Jeremiah 8:3 ). Pash = to stay (or remain on), gur = to sojourn or wander about in a strange land. Aramaean sehor = Hebrew. sabib. Hence, "Thy name is not staying on, but wandering about. " Compare Jeremiah 20:3 with Jeremiah 20:6 . The opposite of Isaiah 8:1 , Isaiah 8:3 .

Magor-missabib. Hebrew. Magor- missabib = terror-round about, or fear on every side. Compare Jeremiah 20:10 ; Jeremiah 6:25 ; Jeremiah 46:5 , &c.

Verse 4

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.

by the sword. Some codices, with two early printed editions, add "at the hand of".

the king of Babylon. This is the first occurrence in Jeremiah.

Verse 5

strength = power, or might. Hebrew. hasen. Not the same word as in Jeremiah 20:7 . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Effect), for the wealth acquired by strength.

Verse 7

deceived = induced, or persuaded. Hebrew. pathah, in a good sense: Genesis 9:27 ("enlarge"). Proverbs 25:15 ("persuade"). Hosea 2:14 ("allure"). The adjective Petthi means persuasible, and generally in a good sense: Psalms 19:7 ; and is rendered "simple": (Psalms 19:7 ; Psalms 116:6 ; Psalms 119:130 . Proverbs 1:4 ; Proverbs 8:5 ; Proverbs 21:11 , &c.)

stronger = stronger (to hold fast). Hebrew. hazak. Not the same word as in Jeremiah 20:5 .

mocketh = is laughing at.

Verse 9

was = became.

Verse 10

fear on every side. Hebrew. magor-missabib, as in Jeremiah 20:3 . Compare Jeremiah 6:25 ; Jeremiah 46:5 , &c.

familiars = those whom I am wont to salute. See App-85 .

enticed = induced, or persuaded. Hebrew. pathah , Jeremiah 20:7 .

Verse 12

LORD of hosts. See note on Jeremiah 6:6 , and 1 Samuel 1:3 .

triest = testest.

the righteous = a righteous one.

reins = kidneys. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for thoughts.

heart. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for the affections.

Verse 13

soul. Heb, nephesh. App-13 .

poor = helpless. Hebrew. 'ebyon. See note on Proverbs 6:11 .

evildoers. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .

Verse 14

let not the day, &c. Figure of speech Pleonasm.

Verse 15

man child = a son, a male. Compare Revelation 12:5 .

Verse 16

as the cities, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 19:24 ).

cry: of the besieged for help. Compare Exodus 32:0 . shouting: of the besiegers for victory Jeremiah 17:18 .

Verse 18

Wherefore . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. Compare Job 3:0 .