Jeremiah 20:9

Jeremiah 20:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If I say, "I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name," there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.

Context of Jeremiah 20:9

7Lord, you coerced me into being a prophet, and I allowed you to do it. You overcame my resistance and prevailed over me. Now I have become a constant laughingstock. Everyone ridicules me. 8For whenever I prophesy, I must cry out, “Violence and destruction are coming!” This message from the Lord has made me an object of continual insults and derision. Sometimes I think, “I will make no mention of his message. I will not speak as his messenger any more.” But then his message becomes like a fire locked up inside of me, burning in my heart and soul. I grow weary of trying to hold it in; I cannot contain it. 10I hear many whispering words of intrigue against me. Those who would cause me terror are everywhere! They are saying, “Come on, let’s publicly denounce him!” All my so-called friends are just watching for something that would lead to my downfall. They say, “Perhaps he can be enticed into slipping up, so we can prevail over him and get our revenge on him. 11But the Lord is with me to help me like an awe-inspiring warrior. Therefore those who persecute me will fail and will not prevail over me. They will be thoroughly disgraced because they did not succeed. Their disgrace will never be forgotten.

Jeremiah 20:9 word by word

וְאָמַרְתִּ֣י לֹֽא־אֶזְכְּרֶ֗נּוּ וְלֹֽא־אֲדַבֵּ֥ר עוֹד֙ בִּשְׁמ֔וֹ וְהָיָ֤ה בְלִבִּי֙ כְּאֵ֣שׁ בֹּעֶ֔רֶת עָצֻ֖ר בְּעַצְמֹתָ֑י וְנִלְאֵ֥יתִי כַּֽלְכֵ֖ל וְלֹ֥א אוּכָֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then I saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I will not make mentionזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
• of him, nor speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• any more in his nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• was in mine heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• as a burningבָּעַרbâ‛ar · to burn: burnH1197
• fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• shut upעָצַר‛âtsar · to restrainH6113
• in my bonesעֶ֫צֶם‛etsem · boneH6106
• and I was wearyלָאָהlâ'âh · be wearyH3811
• with forbearingכּוּלkûl · to sustainH3557
• and I couldיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201

Cross-references for Jeremiah 20:9

• 1 Kings 19:3Elijah was afraid, so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there,
• John 1:2The Word was with God in the beginning.
• John 4:2(although Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were),
• Luke 9:62Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
• Acts 15:37Barnabas wanted to bring John called Mark along with them too,
• Jeremiah 6:11I am as full of anger as you are, Lord, I am tired of trying to hold it in.” The Lord answered, “Vent it, then, on the children who play in the street and on the young men who are gathered together. Husbands and wives are to be included, as well as the old and those who are advanced in years.
• Job 32:18For I am full of words, and the spirit within me constrains me.
• Psalms 39:3my anxiety intensified. As I thought about it, I became impatient. Finally I spoke these words:
• Ezekiel 3:14A wind lifted me up and carried me away. I went bitterly, my spirit full of fury, and the hand of the Lord rested powerfully on me.
• Acts 4:20for it is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”
• Acts 17:16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was greatly upset because he saw the city was full of idols.
• Acts 18:5Now when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
• 1 Corinthians 9:16For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I am compelled to do this. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
• 2 Corinthians 5:13For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 20:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9I wilt not make mention of him - I will renounce the prophetic office, and return to my house. As a burning fire shut up in my bones - He felt stings of conscience for the hasty and disobedient resolution he had formed; he felt ashamed of his own weakness, that did not confide in the promise and strength of God; and God's word was in him as a strongly raging fire, and he was obliged to deliver it, in order to get rid of the tortures which he felt from…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-18Verses 7-18 In the rest of the chapter we have an outbreak of deep emotion, of which the first part 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-13Verses 7-13 The prophet complains of the insult and injury he experienced. But Jr 20:7 may be read, Thou hast persuaded me, and I was persuaded. Thou wast stronger than I; and didst overpower me by the influence of thy Spirit upon me. So long as we see ourselves in the way of God, and of duty, it is weakness and folly, when we meet with difficulties and discouragements, to wish we had never set out in it. The prophet found the grace of God mighty in him…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9Jeremiah could not stop speaking God's judgment, even though people mocked him for it (see also Job 32:18–20; Psalm 39:1–3; Acts 4:18–20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. his word was--or literally, "there was in my heart, as it were, a burning fire," that is, the divine afflatus or impulse to speak was as ... (Job 32:18, 19; Psa 39:3). weary with forbearing, and I could not--"I labored to contain myself, but I could not" (Ac 18:5; compare Jr 23:9; 1Co 9:16, 17).Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 20:9

• Fire
• Heart
• Jeremiah
• Minister, Christian
• Prophets
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Derision
• Familiar
• Bone; Bones
• Fire
• Forbear
• Jeremiah (2)
• Preacher; Preaching
• Prophecy; Prophets
• Uriah; Uruah

Commentaries on Jeremiah 20

• 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