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 the people said, “Come on, let’s plot a way to stop Jeremiah. We have plenty of priests and wise men and prophets. We don’t need him to teach the word and give us advice and prophecies. Let’s spread rumors about him and ignore what he says.” 19Lord, hear me and help me! Listen to what my enemies are saying. Should they repay evil for good? They have dug a pit to kill me, though I pleaded for them and tried to protect them from your anger. 21So let their children starve! Let them die by the sword! Let their wives become childless widows. Let their old men die in a plague, and let their young men be killed in battle! 22Let screaming be heard from their homes as warriors come suddenly upon them. For they have dug a pit for me and have hidden traps along my path.

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 24:17And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil.
• Psalms 35:12They repay me evil for good. I am sick with despair.
• Psalms 38:20They repay me evil for good and oppose me for pursuing good.
• Psalms 109:4I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations even as I am praying for them!
• Proverbs 17:13If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house.
• John 10:32Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?”
• John 15:25This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: ‘They hated me without cause.’
• Jeremiah 18:22Let screaming be heard from their homes as warriors come suddenly upon them. For they have dug a pit for me and have hidden traps along my path.
• Job 6:27You would even send an orphan into slavery or sell a friend.
• Psalms 7:15They dig a deep pit to trap others, then fall into it themselves.
• Psalms 35:7I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me. I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me.
• Psalms 57:6My enemies have set a trap for me. I am weary from distress. They have dug a deep pit in my path, but they themselves have fallen into it. Interlude
• Psalms 119:95Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind on your laws.
• Proverbs 26:27If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead.
• Ecclesiastes 10:8When you dig a well, you might fall in. When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake.
• Jeremiah 7:16“Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, and don’t beg me to help them, for I will not listen to 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