Jeremiah 18:20

Jeremiah 18:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
• New International Version (NIV)Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember that I stood before you and spoke in their behalf to turn your wrath away from them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Shall evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You To speak good for them, To turn away Your wrath from them.

Context of Jeremiah 18:20

18Then [my enemies] said, “Come and let us work out schemes against Jeremiah. Surely the law is not going to be lost to the priest [as Jeremiah predicts], nor the counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us strike him with our tongue [by making charges against him before the king], and let us ignore anything he says.” 19Pay attention to me, O Lord [and intercede]; Listen to what my adversaries are saying [and are plotting against me]— Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember [with compassion] that I stood before You To speak good on their behalf, To turn Your anger away from them. 21Therefore, give their children over to the famine; Give them over to the power of the sword. And let their wives become childless and widowed; Let their men meet death [by virulent disease], Their young men be struck down by the sword in battle. 22Let an outcry be heard from their houses When You suddenly bring [a troop of] raiders upon them, For they have dug a pit to capture me And have hidden snares for my feet.

Jeremiah 18:20 word by word

הַיְשֻׁלַּ֤ם תַּֽחַת־טוֹבָה֙ רָעָ֔ה כִּֽי־כָר֥וּ שׁוּחָ֖ה לְנַפְשִׁ֑י זְכֹ֣ר׀ עָמְדִ֣י לְפָנֶ֗יךָ לְדַבֵּ֤ר עֲלֵיהֶם֙ טוֹבָ֔ה לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֶת־חֲמָתְךָ֖ מֵהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Shall evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
• be recompensedשָׁלֵםshâlam · to completeH7999
• for goodטוֹבָהţôb · welfareH2896
• for they have diggedכָּרָהkârâh · to pierceH3738
• a pitשׁוּחָהshûchâh · pitH7745
• for my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• Rememberזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
• that I stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• thee to speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• to turn awayשׁוּבshûb · to return: turn backH7725
• thy wrathחֵמָהchêmâh chêmâ' · rageH2534

Cross-references for Jeremiah 18:20

• 1 Samuel 24:17He said to David, “You are more righteous and upright [in God’s eyes] than I; for you have done good to me, but I have done evil to you.
• Psalms 35:12They repay me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul.
• Psalms 38:20They repay evil for good, they attack and try to kill me, Because I follow what is good.
• Psalms 109:4In return for my love, they attack me, But I am in prayer.
• Proverbs 17:13Whoever returns evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house.
• John 10:32Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works [and many acts of mercy] from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?”
• John 15:25But [this is so] that the word which has been written in their Law would be fulfilled, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’
• Jeremiah 18:22Let an outcry be heard from their houses When You suddenly bring [a troop of] raiders upon them, For they have dug a pit to capture me And have hidden snares for my feet.
• Job 6:27You would cast lots (gamble) over the fatherless And bargain away your friend.
• Psalms 7:15He has dug a pit and hollowed it out, And has fallen into the [very] pit which he made [as a trap].
• Psalms 35:7For without cause they hid their net for me; Without cause they dug a pit [of destruction] for my life.
• Psalms 57:6They set a net for my steps; My very life was bowed down. They dug a pit before me; Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah.
• Psalms 119:95The wicked wait for me to destroy me, But I will consider Your testimonies.
• Proverbs 26:27Whoever digs a pit [for another man’s feet] will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone [up a hill to do mischief], it will come back on him.
• Ecclesiastes 10:8He who digs a pit [for others] may fall into it, and a serpent may bite him who breaks through a [stone] wall.
• Jeremiah 7:16“Therefore, do not pray for this people [of Judah] or lift up a cry or entreaty for them or make intercession to Me, for I do not hear you.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 18:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20They have digged a pit for my soul - For my life; this they wish to take away. Stood before thee to speak good for them - I was their continual intercessor.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Jeremiah had been laboring earnestly to avert the ruin of his country, but the Jews treated him as farmers do some noxious animal which wastes their fields, and for which they dig pitfalls.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-23Verses 18-23 When the prophet called to repentance, instead of obeying the call, the people devised devices against him. Thus do sinners deal with the great Intercessor, crucifying him afresh, and speaking against him on earth, while his blood is speaking for them in heaven. But the prophet had done his duty to them; and the same will be our rejoicing in a day of evil.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-20Jeremiah told the Lord about the unfairness of his enemies' actions against him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. In the particulars here specified, Jeremiah was a type of Jesus Christ (Psa 109:4, 5; Joh 15:25). my soul--my life; me (Psa 35:7). I stood before thee ... to turn away thy wrath--so Moses (Psa 106:23; compare Eze 22:30). So Jesus Christ, the antitype of previous partial intercessors (Is 59:16).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 18:20

• Ingratitude
• Intercession
• Jeremiah
• Persecution
• Prayer
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Smite
• Wag
• Providence

Commentaries on Jeremiah 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings