Jeremiah 20:7

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Jeremiah 20:7

Jeremiah 20:7. O Lord, thou hast deceived me, &c. This is a very harsh and improper translation of the prophet’s words, פתיתני ואפת , which properly and literally signify, Thou hast persuaded me, and I was persuaded. Some, to make the sense more clear, supply a few words, and make the whole sentence stand thus; O Lord, thou hast persuaded me to carry thy commands to thy people, and I was persuaded: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed That is, “It was sore against my will,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 20:7-18

Jeremiah complains again (20:7-18)The prophet feels that God has not been fair to him. God has called him to be a prophet against his personal wishes, then, when he faithfully announces God’s message, the people mock and curse him (7-8). If he decides to keep quiet he finds he cannot, for God’s word burns within him and he must proclaim it. Even his friends have turned against him and now treacherously plot his downfall (9-10). When he remembers that God is on his side, he is assured that his... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Jeremiah 20:7

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. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Jeremiah 20:7

JEREMIAH'S FINAL LAMENTSome find two confessions or laments in this passage, but we can discover only one. The only basis for making two out of it is the unexpected appearance of the reassuring verses (Jeremiah 20:11-13), but we believe the latter verses (Jeremiah 20:14-18) are also built around and related to Jeremiah 20:11-13, giving only one confession and lament in this chapter. We shall assign further reasons for this understanding of the chapter in the discussion under Jeremiah... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Jeremiah 20:7

Jeremiah 20:7. O Lord, thou hast deceived me, &c.— Over-persuaded me, and I was over-persuaded. Our translation here is harsh and faulty. The occasion of the words was this: The prophet had met with a large share of ill-usage from an ungrateful people, in return for the faithful discharge of his prophetic office. Under these his calamitous circumstances, he looks up to God, and appeals to him, the searcher of hearts, as his witness, that it was not through any ambition of his own that he... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Jeremiah 20:7

7. Jeremiah's complaint, not unlike that of Job, breathing somewhat of human infirmity in consequence of his imprisonment. Thou didst promise never to give me up to the will of mine enemies, and yet Thou hast done so. But Jeremiah misunderstood God's promise, which was not that he should have nothing to suffer, but that God would deliver him out of sufferings (Jeremiah 1:19). deceived—Others translate as Margin, "Thou hast enticed" or "persuaded me," namely, to undertake the prophetic office,... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Jeremiah 20:7

The prophet complained that the Lord had deceived him (cf. Exodus 20:16; 1 Kings 22:20-22) and had overcome him. He had made Jeremiah a laughingstock and an object of constant mockery by his people. Evidently Jeremiah hoped that the people would repent at his preaching, and when they did not, he felt betrayed by the Lord. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Jeremiah 20:7-13

Jeremiah’s struggle with his calling 20:7-13This section is another of Jeremiah’s autobiographical "confessions." In literary form it is another individual lament, like many of the psalms (cf. Psalms 6). It is one of Jeremiah’s most significant self-disclosures. The section has two parts: God the antagonist (Jeremiah 20:7-10), and God the protagonist (Jeremiah 20:11-13). read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 20:1-18

1-6. Pashur’s act and Jeremiah’s reply.2. Pashur] In chapter Jeremiah 38:1 two Pashurs are mentioned. This one is perhaps the father of Gedaliah there spoken of, while Pashur the son of Malchiah of that v. is probably identical with the Pashur of Jeremiah 21:1. The houses represented by both men were strong in numbers amongst the few priestly courses that returned from Babylon (Ezra 2:36-39).3. Magormissabib] i.e. ’fear is on every side’: see on Jeremiah 6:25. The name is symbolic of his coming... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Jeremiah 20:7

(7) O Lord, thou hast deceived me.—There is an obvious break between Jeremiah 20:6-7. The narrative ends, and a psalm of passionate complaint begins. Its position probably indicates that the compiler of the prophecies in their present form looked on the complaints as belonging to this period of the prophet’s work, representing the thoughts of that night of shame which was, as it were, the extremest point of apparent failure. This then was the end of his prophetic calling, this the fulfilment of... read more

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