# Jeremiah 20 š: Fire Shut Up in My Bones
[[š Explore the Bible Books]]
[[-Jeremiah Overview]] | [[Jeremiah 19]] | [[Jeremiah 21]]
> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#š Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#š Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#š§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#āļø Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#š Key Principles / š Life Application]]
> [[#š¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#āļø Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#š Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#š Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#š Internal Notes]]
## š Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Jeremiah is Flogged and Put in A Cell
[[#Verse 01.]]Ā Now Pashhur son of Immer heard Jeremiah prophesy these things. He was the priest who was chief of securityĀ in theĀ Lordās temple.Ā
[[#Verse 02.]]Ā When he heard Jeremiahās prophecy, he had the prophet flogged.Ā Then he put him in the stocksĀ that were at the Upper Gate of Benjamin in theĀ Lordās temple.Ā
[[#Verse 03.]]Ā But the next day Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks. When he did, Jeremiah said to him, āTheĀ Lordās name for you is not āPashhurā but āTerror is Everywhere.āĀ
[[#Verse 04.]]Ā For theĀ LordĀ says, āI will make both you and your friends terrified of what will happen to you.Ā You will see all of them die by the swords of their enemies.Ā I will hand all the people of Judah over to the king of Babylon. He will carry some of them away into exile in Babylon and he will kill others of them with the sword.Ā
[[#Verse 05.]]Ā I will hand over all the wealth of this city to their enemies. I will hand over to them all the fruits of the labor of the people of this city and all their prized possessions, as well as all the treasures of the kings of Judah. Their enemies will seize it all as plunderĀ and carry it off to Babylon.Ā
[[#Verse 06.]]Ā You, Pashhur, and all your householdĀ will go into exile in Babylon. You will die there and you will be buried there. The same thing will happen to all your friends to whom you have prophesied lies.āā
### Jeremiah Complains about the Reaction to His Ministry
[[#Verse 07.]]Ā Lord, you coerced me into being a prophet,
and I allowed you to do it.
You overcame my resistance and prevailed over me.
Now I have become a constant laughingstock.
Everyone ridicules me.
[[#Verse 08.]]Ā For whenever I prophesy,Ā I must cry out,
āViolence and destruction are coming!ā
This message from theĀ LordĀ has made me
an object of continual insults and derision.
[[#Verse 09.]]Ā Sometimes I think, āI will make no mention of his message.
I will not speak as his messengerĀ anymore.ā
But thenĀ his message becomes like a fire
locked up inside of me, burning in my heart and soul.
I grow weary of trying to hold it in;
I cannot contain it.
[[#Verse 10.]]Ā IĀ hear many whispering words of intrigue against me.
Those who would cause me terror are everywhere!
They are saying, āCome on, letās publicly denounce him!ā
All my so-called friendsĀ are just watching for
something that would lead to my downfall.
They say, āPerhaps he can be enticed into slipping up,
so we can prevail overĀ him and get our revenge on him.ā
[[#Verse 11.]]Ā But theĀ LordĀ is with me to help me like an awe-inspiring warrior.
Therefore those who persecute me will fail and will not prevail over me.
They will be thoroughly disgraced because they did not succeed.
Their disgrace will never be forgotten.
[[#Verse 12.]]Ā OĀ LordĀ of Heavenās Armies,Ā you test and prove the righteous.
You see into peopleās hearts and minds.
Pay them back for what they have done
because I trust you to vindicate my cause.
[[#Verse 13.]]Ā Sing to theĀ Lord! Praise theĀ Lord!
For he rescues the oppressed from the clutches of evildoers.
[[#Verse 14.]]Ā Cursed be the day I was born!
May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.
[[#Verse 15.]]Ā Cursed be the man
who made my father very glad
when he brought him the news
that a baby boy had been born to him!
[[#Verse 16.]]Ā May that man be like the cities
that theĀ LordĀ destroyed without showing any mercy.
May he hear a cry of distress in the morning
and a battle cry at noon.
[[#Verse 17.]]Ā For he did not kill me before I came from the womb,
making my pregnant motherās womb my grave forever.
[[#Verse 18.]]Ā Why did I ever come forth from my motherās womb?
All I experience is trouble and grief,
and I spend my days in shame.
## š Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
## š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Pashhur son of Immer was a priest and chief officer in the temple (20:1). He is not the same Pashhur mentioned in 21:1.
2. Pashhur beat Jeremiah and put him in stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin (20:2). Stocks held the body in a painful, bent position.
3. God renamed Pashhur *Magor-missabib*, "Terror on Every Side" (20:3).
4. "Terror on every side" appears several times in Jeremiah (6:25; 20:10; 46:5; 49:29) and in Psalm 31:13.
5. Jeremiah 20:4 is the first time Babylon is named in the book.
6. Jeremiah says, "You deceived me" or "You persuaded me" (20:7). The Hebrew word can mean to persuade or entice.
7. Jeremiah 20:7-18 is the last and most intense of Jeremiah's personal laments.
8. Jeremiah's curse on the day of his birth (20:14-18) closely resembles Job 3.
9. Jeremiah's friends were watching for him to stumble (20:10).
10. The towns overthrown without pity (20:16) refer to Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19).
## š§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## āļø Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the righteous Sufferer who was struck by religious leaders (20:2; Mark 14:65) and yet trusted the Father. Like Jeremiah, He could say the Lord was with Him like a mighty warrior (20:11), and God vindicated Him.
## š Key Principles / š Life Application
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š¬ Discussion Questions
1. Jeremiah says God's word was like a fire shut up in his bones (20:9). Has God's truth ever pressed on you so strongly that you could not stay silent?
2. Jeremiah moves from praise (20:13) to cursing his birth (20:14). What does this honest prayer teach about bringing our darkest feelings to God?
3. Pashhur was renamed "Terror on Every Side" (20:3). How does God turn the tables on those who oppose His word?
## āļø Key Verses to Remember
- š verse 9: God's word is in my heart like a fire shut up in my bones.
- š verse 11: The Lord is with me like a mighty warrior, so my persecutors will stumble.
- š verse 13: Sing to the Lord, for He rescues the needy from the hands of evildoers.
## š Related Passages/Cross Reference
- š [[Mark 14#Verse 65.|Mark 14:65]] - Jesus is struck and mocked by religious leaders.
- š [[Luke 24#Verse 32.|Luke 24:32]] - Our hearts burned while He opened the Scriptures.
- š [[Job 03#Verse 01.|Job 3:1-3]] - Job curses the day of his birth.
- š [[Psalm 31#Verse 13.|Psalm 31:13-14]] - Terror on every side, but I trust in You.
- š [[1 Peter 02#Verse 23.|1 Peter 2:23]] - Jesus entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly.
## š Devotional Reflection
š SOAP: [[Jeremiah 20 - SOAP|A Fire That Wonāt Go Out]]
## š Internal Notes