1
Pashhur son of Immer, the priest who at that time was chief officer in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these words.
2
Then Pashhur struck the prophet Jeremiah and put him in the stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.
3
But on the next day, when Pashhur brought Jeremiah out of the stocks, Jeremiah said to him:
“The LORD will not call your name Pashhur, but Terror-on-Every-Side.
4
For thus says the LORD:
Behold, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; they shall fall by the sword of their enemies before your eyes.
And I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them away captive to Babylon and strike them down with the sword.
5
Moreover, I will give all the wealth of this city, all its labor, all its precious things, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah into the hand of their enemies,
who shall plunder them, seize them, and carry them to Babylon.
6
And you, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house shall go into captivity;
you shall come to Babylon, and there you shall die and be buried there,
you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied falsely.”
7
You have persuaded me, O LORD,
and I was persuaded;
You are stronger than I,
and You have prevailed over me.
I have become a laughingstock all day long;
everyone mocks me.
8
For whenever I speak, I must cry out,
I must shout, “Violence! Destruction!”
For the word of the LORD has become for me a reproach
and a derision all day long.
9
But if I say, “I will not remember Him,
or speak any more in His name,”
then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire
shut up in my bones;
and I am weary with holding it in,
but I cannot.
10
For I hear many whispering:
“Terror is on every side!
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!”
All my close friends
are watching for me to stumble:
“Perhaps he may be persuaded,
then we can overcome him
and take our revenge on him!”
11
But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior;
therefore my persecutors will stumble,
and they will not prevail.
They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not succeed,
an everlasting disgrace that will never be forgotten!
12
O LORD of hosts, who tests the righteous,
who sees the inward parts and the heart,
let me see Your vengeance upon them,
for to You I have committed my cause.
13
Sing to the LORD,
praise the LORD!
For he has delivered the life of the poor
from the hand of evildoers.
14
Cursed be the day
when I was born!
Let the day when my mother bore me
not be blessed!
15
Cursed be the man who brought the news
to my father, saying:
“A son has been born to you!”
who made him very glad.
16
May that man be like the cities
that the LORD overthrew without pity!
May he hear a cry in the morning
and a shout at noon!
17
Because he did not kill me in the womb,
so that my mother would have been my grave,
and her womb forever pregnant!
18
Why did I come out from the womb
to see trouble and sorrow,
so that my days are spent in shame?
🔥💔🗣️ Summary of Jeremiah 20 – The Prophet’s Suffering & Honesty in Ministry
Jeremiah 20 portrays the peak of the prophet’s emotional pressure and personal suffering in carrying out his calling. He was seized and beaten by Priest Pashhur, then imprisoned for delivering a prophecy of the LORD’s anger. Though he endured physical torment and rejection, Jeremiah could not keep silent — the word of the LORD was like a fire in his bones. Yet he also expressed despair and even regret over his birth, showing his wounded human side. This chapter reveals how weighty it is to serve the truth in the midst of a people who reject God.
📌 1. Jeremiah Beaten and Imprisoned (verses 1–3)
“Priest Pashhur… struck the prophet Jeremiah and put him in the stocks.”
➡️ Jeremiah suffered persecution for speaking the word of God. Yet he remained faithful — and renamed Pashhur Magor-Missabib (“Terror on every side”).
🎯 The servant of God is not always honored — sometimes he is hurt even by religious leaders themselves.
📌 2. Prophecy concerning Pashhur and Judah (verses 4–6)
“I will make you a terror…”
➡️ The LORD declares that Pashhur will die in exile, together with all his household. Judah will fall into the hand of Babylon.
🎯 Rejecting the word of the LORD brings personal disgrace and national ruin.
📌 3. Jeremiah Could Not Keep Silent (verses 7–9)
“Your word became like a fire burning in my bones…”
➡️ Jeremiah felt deceived because the prophetic task brought ridicule and suffering. Yet he could not stop proclaiming the truth.
🎯 When the call from God is real, even suffering cannot silence the voice of the word.
📌 4. Jeremiah Betrayed & Threatened (verses 10–13)
“Terror is on every side!”
➡️ Jeremiah felt watched, trapped, and betrayed by his friends. Yet he still entrusted his defense to the Lord.
🎯 Though abandoned by people, Jeremiah still held fast to God’s justice and protection.
📌 5. Jeremiah’s Despair and Lament (verses 14–18)
“Cursed be the day I was born!”
➡️ In his suffering, Jeremiah regretted that he had ever been born. He felt that his life was filled only with torment and shame.
🎯 Even a great prophet can experience deep weariness and despair — this shows emotional honesty in true ministry.
📖 Main Teaching
- Speaking the truth often invites persecution, even from spiritual leaders
- The word of God cannot be silenced by pressure — it burns within the heart of His servant
- A true servant of God may experience deep weariness, sorrow, and even despair
- Honesty in suffering is part of mature faith
- The Lord sees, defends, and will judge every injustice done to His servant
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
📖 Matthew 5:11–12
“Blessed are you when, because of Me, you are insulted and persecuted…”
➡️ Jeremiah experienced what Jesus spoke of: suffering for righteousness is a heavenly honor.
📖 2 Corinthians 4:8–9
“In every way we are afflicted… yet not destroyed.”
➡️ Paul and Jeremiah experienced overwhelming pressure, yet were still upheld by the hand of God.
📖 1 Corinthians 9:16
“Woe to me, if I do not proclaim the gospel!”
➡️ Like Jeremiah, Paul too felt divinely compelled to keep speaking.
📖 Hebrews 12:2–3
“Consider Him who endured such opposition…”
➡️ Jesus also experienced humiliation — and we are called to follow His example with perseverance.
🕊️ “Your word became like a fire burning in my bones…” – Jeremiah 20:9
🕊️ “Cursed be the day I was born…” – Jeremiah 20:14
🕊️ “The LORD is with me like a mighty warrior…” – Jeremiah 20:11
🕊️ “Sing praise to the LORD…” – Jeremiah 20:13
