Albert Barnes Commentary Jeremiah 20:7-18

"O Jehovah, thou hast persuaded me, and I was persuaded; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am become a laughing-stock all the day, every one mocketh me. For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, Violence and destruction! because the word of Jehovah is made a reproach unto me, and a derision, all the day. And if I say, I will not make mention of him, nor 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 forbearing, and I cannot [contain]. For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, [say] all my familiar friends, they that watch for my fall; peradventure he will be persuaded, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him. But Jehovah is with me as a mighty one [and] a terrible: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail; they shall be utterly put to shame, because they have not dealt wisely, even with an everlasting dishonor which shall never be forgotten. But, O Jehovah of hosts, that triest the righteous, that seest the heart and the mind, let me see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I revealed my cause. Sing unto Jehovah, praise ye Jehovah; for he hath delivered the soul of the needy from the hand of evil-doers. Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed. Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man-child is born unto thee; making him very glad. And let that man be as the cities which Jehovah overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear a cry in the morning, and shouting at noontime; because he slew me not from the womb; and so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great. Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?" — Jeremiah 20:7-18 (ASV)

In the rest of the chapter, we have an outbreak of deep emotion, the first part of which ends in a cry of hope (Jeremiah 20:13), followed nevertheless by curses upon the day of his birth.

Was this the result of feelings wounded by the indignities of a public scourging and a night spent in the stocks? Or was it not the mental agony of knowing that his ministry had (as it seemed) failed?

He stands indeed before the multitudes with unbending strength, warning prince and people with unwavering constancy of the national ruin that would necessarily follow from their sins. Before God, he stood crushed by the thought that he had labored in vain and spent his strength for nothing.

It is important to note that with this outpouring of sorrow, Jeremiah’s ministry virtually closed. Though he appeared again at Jerusalem toward the end of Jehoiakim’s reign, yet it was no longer to say that by repentance the national ruin might be averted. During the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the die was cast, and all the prophet could henceforth do was to alleviate a punishment that was inevitable.

(Jeremiah 20:7) Thou hast deceived me... — What Jeremiah refers to is the joy with which he had accepted the prophetic office (Jeremiah 15:16), occasioned perhaps by taking the promises in (Jeremiah 1:18) too literally as a pledge that he would succeed.

Thou art stronger than I — Rather, “You have taken hold of me.” God had taken Jeremiah in so firm a grasp that he could not escape from the necessity of prophesying. He would have resisted, but the hand of God prevailed.

I am in derision daily — literally, “I have become a laughing-stock all day,” i.e., perpetually.

(Jeremiah 20:8) Translate: For as often as I speak, I must complain; I call out, Violence and spoil.

From the time Jeremiah began to prophesy, he had had reason for nothing but lamentation. Daily, with louder voice and more desperate energy, he had to call out Violence and spoil, as a perpetual protest against the manner in which the laws of justice were violated by powerful men among the people.

(Jeremiah 20:9) Seeing that his mission was useless, Jeremiah determined to withdraw from it.

I could not stay — Rather, “I did not prevail,” meaning he did not succeed .

(Jeremiah 20:10) The defaming — Rather, “the talking.” The word refers to people whispering in twos and threes apart, in this case plotting against Jeremiah. .

Report... — Rather, “Do you report, and we will report him:” i.e., they encourage one another to give information against Jeremiah.

My familiars — literally, “the men of my peace” (Psalms 41:9). In the East, the usual salutation is “Peace be to you,” and the answer, “And to you peace.” Thus, the phrase means acquaintances rather than familiar friends.

Enticed — literally, “persuaded, misled,” the same word as deceived (Jeremiah 20:7). .

(Jeremiah 20:11) A mighty terrible one — Rather, “a terrible warrior.” The mighty One (Isaiah 9:6) who is on his side is a terror to them. This change of feeling was the effect of faith, enabling him to be content with calmly doing his duty and leaving the result to God.

For... — Rather, because they have not acted wisely (see note on Jeremiah 10:21), with an everlasting disgrace that shall never be forgotten.

(Jeremiah 20:12) This verse is repeated almost verbatim from Jeremiah 11:20.

(Jeremiah 20:13) Sing — Jeremiah’s outward circumstances remained the same, but he found peace in leaving his cause in faith to God.

(Jeremiah 20:14) This sudden outbreak of impatience after the happy faith of Jeremiah 20:13 has led to much discussion. Possibly there was more of sorrow in the words than of impatience; sorrow that the earnest labor of a life had been in vain. Yet, the form of the expression is fierce and indignant, and the impatience of Jeremiah is that part of his character which is most open to blame. He does not reach that elevation which is set before us by Him who is the perfect pattern of all righteousness. Our Lord was a prophet whose mission to the men of His generation equally failed, and His sorrow was even more deep; but it never broke forth in imprecations .

(Jeremiah 20:16) The cry — is the sound of the lamentation (Jeremiah 20:8); the shouting is the alarm of war.