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20 Now Pashchur Ben Immer the kohen, who was also Pakid Nagid in the Beis Hashem, heard that Yirmeyah prophesied these things.

Then Pashchur struck Yirmeyah HaNavi, and put him in the stocks that were in the Upper Gate of Binyamin, which was at the Beis Hashem.

And it came to pass on the next day, that Pashchur brought forth Yirmeyah out of the stocks. Then said Yirmeyah unto him, Hashem hath not called thy shem Pashchur, but Magor Missaviv (Terror on Every Side).

For thus saith Hashem, Hineni, I will make thee a magor (terror) to thyself, and to all thy friends; and they shall fall by the cherev of their oyevim, and thine eynayim shall behold it; and I will give kol Yehudah into the yad Melech Bavel, and he shall carry them captive into Bavel, and shall slay them with the cherev.

Moreover, I will deliver all the wealth of this city, and all the produce thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the otzarot of the melachim of Yehudah will I give into the yad of their oyevim, which shall plunder them, and seize them, and carry them to Bavel.

And thou, Pashchur, and all that dwell in thine bais shall go into the [Golus] captivity: and thou shalt come to Bavel, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied sheker.

Hashem, Thou hast induced me, and I was induced; Thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed; I am a laughingstock all day long, every one mocketh me.

For since I spoke, I cried out, I cried chamas and destruction; because the Devar Hashem was made a cherpah (reproach) unto me, and a derision, all day long.

Then I said, I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in Shmo. But His word was in Mine lev as a burning eish shut up in my atzmot, and I was weary of holding back, and I could not.

10 For I heard the slander of many, Magor (terror) on every side. Report, say they, let’s report him. Kol enosh shelomi watched for my stumbling, saying, Perhaps he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

11 But Hashem is with me as a Gibbor Aritz (Mighty Warrior): therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail; they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not succeed; their kelimat olam (everlasting dishonor) shall never be forgotten.

12 But, Hashem Tzva’os, that tests the tzaddik, and seest the kelayot and the lev, let me see Thy vengeance on them; for unto Thee have I pled my cause.

13 Sing unto Hashem, hallelu Hashem; for He hath saved the nefesh of the evyon (poor) from the yad of evildoers.

14 Arur (cursed) be the day wherein I was born; let not the day wherein immi bore me yehi baruch (be blessed).

15 Arur (cursed) be the ish who brought news to avi, saying, A ben zachar (male child) is born unto thee; making him very glad.

16 And let that ish be as the towns which Hashem overthrew, and relented not; and let him hear the wailing in the boker, and the teru’ah (battle cry) at noontide;

17 Because he slaughtered me not from the womb; or that immi might have been my kever, and olam (forever) her womb enlarged.

18 Why came I forth out of the womb to see amal (trouble, toil) and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

Jeremiah and Pashhur

20 When the priest Pashhur son of Immer,(A) the official(B) in charge of the temple of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten(C) and put in the stocks(D) at the Upper Gate of Benjamin(E) at the Lord’s temple. The next day, when Pashhur released him from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “The Lord’s name(F) for you is not Pashhur, but Terror on Every Side.(G) For this is what the Lord says: ‘I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; with your own eyes(H) you will see them fall by the sword of their enemies. I will give(I) all Judah into the hands of the king of Babylon, who will carry(J) them away to Babylon or put them to the sword. I will deliver all the wealth(K) of this city into the hands of their enemies—all its products, all its valuables and all the treasures of the kings of Judah. They will take it away(L) as plunder and carry it off to Babylon. And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into exile to Babylon. There you will die and be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied(M) lies.’”

Jeremiah’s Complaint

You deceived[a](N) me, Lord, and I was deceived[b];
    you overpowered(O) me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed(P) all day long;
    everyone mocks(Q) me.
Whenever I speak, I cry out
    proclaiming violence and destruction.(R)
So the word of the Lord has brought me
    insult and reproach(S) all day long.
But if I say, “I will not mention his word
    or speak anymore in his name,”(T)
his word is in my heart like a fire,(U)
    a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;(V)
    indeed, I cannot.
10 I hear many whispering,
    “Terror(W) on every side!
    Denounce(X) him! Let’s denounce him!”
All my friends(Y)
    are waiting for me to slip,(Z) saying,
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
    then we will prevail(AA) over him
    and take our revenge(AB) on him.”

11 But the Lord(AC) is with me like a mighty warrior;
    so my persecutors(AD) will stumble and not prevail.(AE)
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;(AF)
    their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous
    and probe the heart and mind,(AG)
let me see your vengeance(AH) on them,
    for to you I have committed(AI) my cause.

13 Sing(AJ) to the Lord!
    Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues(AK) the life of the needy
    from the hands of the wicked.(AL)

14 Cursed be the day I was born!(AM)
    May the day my mother bore me not be blessed!
15 Cursed be the man who brought my father the news,
    who made him very glad, saying,
    “A child is born to you—a son!”
16 May that man be like the towns(AN)
    the Lord overthrew without pity.
May he hear wailing(AO) in the morning,
    a battle cry at noon.
17 For he did not kill me in the womb,(AP)
    with my mother as my grave,
    her womb enlarged forever.
18 Why did I ever come out of the womb(AQ)
    to see trouble(AR) and sorrow
    and to end my days in shame?(AS)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 20:7 Or persuaded
  2. Jeremiah 20:7 Or persuaded

20 Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the Lord, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.

Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the Lord.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib.

For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.

And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.

O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.

For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.

Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

10 For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

11 But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.

12 But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.

13 Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

14 Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

15 Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.

16 And let that man be as the cities which the Lord overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;

17 Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.

18 Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?