Berean Study Bible Pashhur Persecutes JeremiahPashhur, whose name means “freedom” or “liberation,” belonged to Judah’s priesthood and held influence within the temple establishment. His position placed him among those responsible for preserving order and overseeing worship in Jerusalem. Ezr 2:38 the descendants of Pashhur, 1,247; the son of Immer He came from an established priestly family, reinforcing his standing and authority among the temple officials. Ezr 2:37 the descendants of Immer, 1,052; and the chief official in the house of the LORD, Pashhur served as a leading officer in the temple, charged with supervising its activities and dealing with disturbances or perceived threats to its order. 1Ch 9:11 Azariah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam,… heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, Jeremiah had publicly announced God’s judgment against Jerusalem because of the people’s idolatry, violence, and refusal to repent. His warnings against the city and temple challenged the confidence of the priests and leaders who believed Jerusalem could not fall. Jer 19:1-3 This is what the LORD says: “Go and buy a clay jar… he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten Pashhur responded to Jeremiah’s warning with violence, treating God’s prophet as a criminal. Jeremiah’s faithful proclamation of coming judgment brought hostility from leaders who refused to repent. Jer 37:15 The officials were angry with Jeremiah, and they beat him… and put in the stocks The stocks restrained Jeremiah in a painful and humiliating public position. His punishment was meant to discredit him and deter others from accepting his message. Jer 29:26 The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada,… at the Upper Gate of Benjamin, This gate, likely on Jerusalem’s northern side, was a public place of passage and judgment. Jeremiah’s suffering was deliberately displayed before the people. Jer 37:13 But when he reached the Gate of Benjamin,… which was by the house of the LORD. The punishment took place near the temple, exposing the contradiction of religious leaders opposing the messenger sent by the God they claimed to serve. Jer 7:2 “Stand in the gate of the house of the LORD and proclaim… The next day, Jeremiah’s confinement in the stocks was brief, but the public punishment revealed the opposition he faced from temple authorities. Act 4:5 The next day the rulers, elders, and scribes… when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Pashhur, a priest and chief officer in the temple, had used his position to strike and humiliate Jeremiah for proclaiming God’s judgment. Act 16:24-26 On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell.… Jeremiah said to him, Released from punishment, Jeremiah did not soften the message entrusted to him. 2Sa 12:7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!… “The LORD does not call you Pashhur, God’s declaration marked Pashhur, whose name means “freedom” or “prosperity,” as a man under judgment rather than a protector of the temple and its people. Gen 17:5 No longer will you be called Abram, but your name… but Magor-missabib. The new name, Magor-missabib (“terror on every side”), announced the calamity that would come upon Pashhur, his household, and Judah because they had rejected the Lord’s word. Jer 6:25 Do not go out to the fields; do not walk the road.… For this is what the LORD says: God answers Pashhur’s abuse of Jeremiah with an authoritative declaration of judgment. Ezk 5:5 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘This is Jerusalem… ‘I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. Pashhur, the temple official who struck and imprisoned Jeremiah, would become overwhelmed by the disaster he had helped dismiss. Those around him would share in the fear and ruin coming upon Judah. Deu 28:65-67 Among those nations you will find no repose,… They will fall by the sword of their enemies before your very eyes. Pashhur would witness the destruction of his associates as Babylon’s armies brought death to Jerusalem. 2Ki 25:7 And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes.… And I will hand Judah over to the king of Babylon, Judah’s fall would not be accidental or merely political; the Lord would deliver the nation into Nebuchadnezzar’s power because of its persistent rebellion. Jer 21:10 For I have set My face against this city… and he will carry them away to Babylon and put them to the sword. Many would be killed in the invasion, while others would be deported to Babylon, beginning the exile God had repeatedly warned Judah would come. 2Ch 36:17 So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans,… I will give away all the wealth of this city— God announces judgment against Jerusalem for its persistent rebellion. The city’s prosperity, security, and accumulated riches would no longer protect it from the consequences of sin. 2Ki 20:17 The time will surely come when everything in your palace… all its products and valuables, Everything produced by the land and preserved within the city would be vulnerable to conquest. The coming loss would extend beyond royal possessions to the ordinary wealth of Jerusalem. Jer 15:13 Your wealth and your treasures I will give up as plunder,… and all the treasures of the kings of Judah— The royal treasury, gathered through generations of Davidic rule, would be taken by the invaders. Even the resources associated with Judah’s throne and temple worship would not be spared. 2Ch 36:18 who carried off everything to Babylon—all the articles… to their enemies. Babylon would serve as the instrument of God’s judgment. Jerusalem’s leaders had trusted in political alliances, defenses, and wealth rather than obeying the Lord. Jer 12:7 I have forsaken My house; I have abandoned My inheritance.… They will plunder them, seize them, and carry them off to Babylon. The Babylonians would strip Jerusalem of its possessions and transport its treasures into exile. This judgment was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem and removed the wealth of the city, palace, and temple to Babylon. Jer 27:21-22 Yes, this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel,… And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house, will go into captivity. Pashhur, whose name means “freedom” or “liberation,” was a priest and chief officer in the temple who had opposed Jeremiah and represented the corrupt religious leadership of Judah. His judgment would extend to his household, including those dependent on him, as Babylon’s conquest would bring ruin to families as well as public leaders. 2Ki 24:14 He carried into exile all Jerusalem—all the commanders… You will go to Babylon, Babylon, the capital of the empire that would overthrow Judah, would become the place of exile for Pashhur and many others. Jeremiah’s warning left no room for the false confidence promoted by the priests and prophets who denied that judgment was coming. 2Ki 24:15 Nebuchadnezzar carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon,… and there you will die and be buried— Pashhur would not return to Jerusalem or receive burial in his homeland. Death and burial in Babylon marked the lasting consequence of rejecting God’s word and misleading the people. Ezk 12:13 But I will spread My net over him, and he will be caught… you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied these lies.’” Pashhur’s companions included those who supported his false assurances of peace and safety. Their messages contradicted Jeremiah’s warning of Babylonian invasion, and they would share the judgment they had denied. Jer 29:21-23 This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel,…
Jeremiah’s ComplaintJeremiah speaks from the anguish of a servant whose calling had brought relentless opposition. God had appointed him to warn Judah of coming judgment, but the ministry exposed him to hatred, isolation, and danger. His complaint reflects his deep personal struggle and sense of betrayal; “deceived” can also mean “enticed” or “persuaded,” expressing his feeling that God had led him into a ministry that brought suffering. His complaint is honest lament, not a charge that God had acted falsely. Ezk 14:9 But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message,… You have overcome me and prevailed. The prophet recognizes that God’s call had mastered his own reluctance. Though Jeremiah wished at times to withdraw, he could not escape the burden of declaring the Lord’s word. Gen 32:24-30 So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him… I am a laughingstock all day long; His warnings of Babylon’s invasion and Judah’s need for repentance were rejected by leaders, priests, and many of the people. Instead of honoring him as God’s messenger, they treated him as an object of public ridicule. Lam 3:14 I am a laughingstock to all my people; they mock me in song… everyone mocks me. The widespread scorn revealed Judah’s hardened resistance to God’s warning. Jeremiah’s suffering came not from wrongdoing, but from faithfully proclaiming a message his generation refused to hear. Psa 35:15-16 But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee;… For whenever I speak, I cry out; Jeremiah could not soften the message entrusted to him. Called to confront Judah’s sin, idolatry, and refusal to repent, he spoke with grief and urgency because judgment was drawing near. Isa 58:1 Cry aloud, do not hold back! Raise your voice… I proclaim violence and destruction. He announced the violence Babylon would bring against Judah and the destruction that would follow Jerusalem’s continued rebellion against the LORD. Though these warnings were unpopular, they were fulfilled when Babylon captured Jerusalem and destroyed the city in 586 BC. Hab 1:2-3 How long, O LORD, must I call for help… For the word of the LORD has become to me a reproach and derision all day long. Jeremiah’s faithfulness brought ridicule, rejection, and hostility from the very people he sought to warn. Religious leaders, officials, and many in Judah treated God’s word as offensive, leaving Jeremiah to bear the personal cost of proclaiming it. Jer 15:15 You understand, O LORD; remember me and attend to me.… If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” After Pashhur had beaten Jeremiah and placed him in the stocks, the prophet felt the full weight of rejection for proclaiming judgment against Judah. His ministry brought ridicule, threats, and isolation, and he considered remaining silent rather than enduring further suffering. Act 4:19-20 But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves… His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, God’s word would not leave him. The message of coming judgment and the call to return to the Lord pressed upon him with an urgency stronger than his fear of men. Jer 23:29 “Is not My word like fire,” declares the LORD,… shut up in my bones, The burden reached to the depths of his being. Jeremiah had been appointed by God before his birth, and the calling entrusted to him could not be separated from his life. Psa 32:3-4 When I kept silent, my bones became brittle.… and I become weary of holding it in, Trying to suppress the message proved more painful than speaking it. Though obedience brought hardship, silence could not give him relief. Jer 6:11 But I am full of the LORD’s wrath; I am tired… and I cannot prevail. Jeremiah could not overcome the Lord’s purpose for him. God sustained His prophet to continue declaring the truth during Judah’s final years before judgment came. 1Co 9:16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast… For I have heard the whispering of many: Jeremiah lived under constant hostility as leaders, priests, and neighbors opposed the warnings God gave him. Secret accusations and slander were used to isolate him and weaken his public ministry. Psa 31:13 For I hear the slander of many; there is terror… “Terror is on every side! The words Jeremiah proclaimed concerning Judah’s coming judgment became a mocking cry among his enemies. With Babylon advancing and Jerusalem facing disaster, fear had spread throughout the nation. Job 18:11 Terrors frighten him on every side and… Report him; let us report him!” His opponents sought charges they could bring before the authorities, hoping to silence the prophet rather than heed God’s warning. Dan 3:8-12 At this time some astrologers came forward… All my trusted friends watch for my fall: Even those Jeremiah considered friends waited for him to make a mistake. Their betrayal added personal grief to the rejection he faced from the nation. Psa 55:12-14 For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure.… “Perhaps he will be deceived so that we may prevail against him They hoped he would be trapped by his own words or led into error, giving them an excuse to discredit him. Psa 35:20 For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes…… and take our vengeance upon him.” Their desire was not justice but retaliation against the man whose message exposed Judah’s sin and announced God’s judgment. Psa 137:7-9 Remember, O LORD, the sons of Edom on the day… But the LORD is with me like a fearsome warrior. Jeremiah faced hostility from officials, priests, false prophets, and even people from his own hometown, yet he knew the LORD had not abandoned him. God stood as his defender against those seeking to silence His message. Jer 1:8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you… Therefore, my persecutors will stumble and will not prevail. Those opposing Jeremiah were resisting the God who sent him. Their schemes could bring suffering and imprisonment, but they could not overturn the LORD’s purpose or stop His word from being fulfilled. Jer 1:19 They will fight against you but will never overcome you… Since they have not succeeded, they will be utterly put to shame, The prophet’s enemies would be exposed as faithless men whose opposition to God had failed. Their apparent power and influence would not protect them from divine judgment. Jer 17:18 Let my persecutors be put to shame, … with an everlasting disgrace that will never be forgotten. Their disgrace would remain as a lasting testimony to the consequences of rejecting the LORD and persecuting His servant. Jer 23:40 And I will bring upon you everlasting shame… O LORD of Hosts, Jeremiah appeals to the God who rules over all heavenly powers and exercises absolute authority over nations and rulers. 1Sa 1:11 And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, … who examines the righteous, The Lord knows those who remain faithful under pressure, distinguishing genuine obedience from outward profession. Psa 11:4-5 The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His throne… who sees the heart and mind, Nothing in Jeremiah or his enemies is hidden from God. His judgments rest on motives and intentions as well as actions. 1Ch 28:9 As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father… let me see Your vengeance upon them, Jeremiah asks God to vindicate His servant by judging those who oppose His word. He leaves retribution in the Lord’s hands. Psa 58:10 The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged;… for to You I have committed my cause. Jeremiah places his complaint and defense before God, trusting the righteous Judge to act according to His knowledge and justice. Jer 11:20 O LORD of Hosts, who judges righteously,… Sing to the LORD! Amid persecution and despair, Jeremiah calls for worship grounded in God’s faithfulness. Psa 95:1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout… Praise the LORD! Though suffering under opposition, he turns from lament to confidence in the Lord’s righteous care. Psa 146:1 Hallelujah! Praise the LORD, O my soul. For He rescues the life of the needy Jeremiah identifies with the afflicted and trusts God to preserve those brought low by hardship and injustice. Psa 72:13-14 He will take pity on the poor and needy… from the hands of evildoers. The Lord is able to deliver His servants from those who abuse authority, pursue violence, and seek their ruin. Psa 140:4 Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked.… Cursed be the day I was born! Overwhelmed by persecution and the burden of announcing judgment to Judah, Jeremiah gives voice to the depth of his misery. His lament does not deny God’s sovereignty or abandon his calling; it reveals the severe personal cost of faithfully delivering a message the nation refused to hear. Job 3:1 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed… May the day my mother bore me never be blessed. A birth normally brought joy and hope to a household, yet Jeremiah’s suffering made him wish that day had never been celebrated. The words expose the isolation and grief he endured as God’s messenger amid Judah’s rebellion and approaching judgment. Job 3:4 If only that day had turned to darkness!… Cursed be the man who brought my father the news, Overwhelmed by the hostility, rejection, and suffering connected to his calling, Jeremiah speaks in the language of lament. He does not reject God’s purpose, but gives voice to the depth of his anguish. 2Sa 4:10 when someone told me, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’… saying, “A son is born to you,” A son’s birth ordinarily brought honor and hope to an Israelite household, securing the family line and inheritance. Jeremiah’s grief is so severe that he longs to undo the occasion of his own arrival into the world. Gen 21:5-7 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac… bringing him great joy. The joy his father received stands in sharp contrast to Jeremiah’s present misery. His words reveal the crushing burden he bore as God’s messenger to a nation that refused the Lord’s warnings. Pro 23:24-25 The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice… May that man be like the cities that the LORD overthrew without compassion. Jeremiah compares the man who announced his birth to Sodom and Gomorrah, cities destroyed under God’s judgment for grievous wickedness. In the anguish of his suffering, Jeremiah calls for a judgment marked by complete ruin. Deu 29:23 All its soil will be a burning waste of sulfur and salt,… May he hear an outcry in the morning and a battle cry at noon, He pictures the man living under continual alarm, hearing cries of distress and the sounds of attack throughout the day. The image reflects the terror of a city under siege, with no safety, rest, or escape from impending destruction. Jer 6:4 Prepare for battle against her; rise up, let us attack… because he did not kill me in the womb Jeremiah’s anguish turns toward the man who announced his birth, wishing that his life had ended before he entered a world marked by hostility and suffering. His lament expresses the depth of his grief under persecution, not a denial of God’s authority over life. Psa 58:8 Like a slug that dissolves in its slime,… so that my mother might have been my grave, He imagines death before birth, with the womb becoming his burial place rather than the beginning of his public ministry. The imagery reveals how severely rejection and violence had burdened the prophet. Job 3:13-16 For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep… and her womb forever enlarged. Jeremiah pictures his mother remaining perpetually pregnant, so that he would never have emerged into a life of continual trouble. The exaggerated language underscores his despair as he faced the consequences of faithfully delivering God’s message. Luk 2:5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him… Why did I come out of the womb Jeremiah’s lament follows his beating and public humiliation by Pashhur. Though called by God from before birth, he struggled under the cost of proclaiming judgment to Judah. Job 10:18-19 Why then did You bring me from the womb?… to see only trouble and sorrow, His ministry brought opposition, ridicule, imprisonment, and rejection from the people he warned. The burden of announcing God’s coming judgment left him deeply grieved. Job 14:1 “Man, who is born of woman, is short of days…”… and to end my days in shame? Jeremiah feared that public scorn would mark his life to its end. His complaint reveals the anguish of a faithful prophet suffering for delivering God’s message. Psa 69:19 You know my reproach, my shame and disgrace.… This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. Please send all comments and recommendations to bereanstudybible@aol.com. Bible Hub |
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