New Living Translation
Jeremiah 20:10
10I have heard the many rumors about me. They call me “The Man Who Lives in Terror.” They threaten, “If you say anything, we will report it.” Even my old friends are watching me, waiting for a fatal slip. “He will trap himself,” they say, “and then we will get our revenge on him.”
Jeremiah 20:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!” All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! "Denounce him! Let us denounce him!" say all my close friends, watching for my fall. "Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him."
- New King James Version (NKJV)For I heard many mocking: “Fear on every side!” “Report,” they say, “and we will report it!” All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying, “Perhaps he can be induced; Then we will prevail against him, And we will take our revenge on him.”
Context of Jeremiah 20:10
8When I speak, the words burst out. “Violence and destruction!” I shout. So these messages from the Lord have made me a household joke. 9But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it! I have heard the many rumors about me. They call me “The Man Who Lives in Terror.” They threaten, “If you say anything, we will report it.” Even my old friends are watching me, waiting for a fatal slip. “He will trap himself,” they say, “and then we will get our revenge on him.” 11But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior. Before him my persecutors will stumble. They cannot defeat me. They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated. Their dishonor will never be forgotten. 12O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you test those who are righteous, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let me see your vengeance against them, for I have committed my cause to you.
Read all of Jeremiah 20Jeremiah 20:10 word by word
כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֜עְתִּי דִּבַּ֣ת רַבִּים֮ מָג֣וֹר מִסָּבִיב֒ הַגִּ֙ידוּ֙ וְנַגִּידֶ֔נּוּ כֹּ֚ל אֱנ֣וֹשׁ שְׁלוֹמִ֔י שֹׁמְרֵ֖י צַלְעִ֑י אוּלַ֤י יְפֻתֶּה֙ וְנ֣וּכְלָה ל֔וֹ וְנִקְחָ֥ה נִקְמָתֵ֖נוּ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For I heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- the defamingדִּבָּהdibbâh · slanderH1681
- of manyרַבrab · manyH7227
- fearמָגוֹרmâgôr mâgûr · terrorH4032
- on every sideסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · around: sideH5439
- Reportנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
- it. All my familiarsשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peace: friendshipH7965
- it. All my familiarsאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- watchedשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: look atH8104
- for my haltingצֶ֫לַעtsela‛ · stumblingH6761
- for my haltingצֵלָעtsêlâ‛ tsal‛âh · sideH6763
- Peradventure he will be enticedפָּתָהpâthâh · to enticeH6601
- and we shall prevailיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- against him, and we shall takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- our revengeנְקָמָהneqâmâh · vengeanceH5360
Cross-references for Jeremiah 20:10
- Psalms 31:13I have heard the many rumors about me, and I am surrounded by terror. My enemies conspire against me, plotting to take my life.
- Psalms 57:4I am surrounded by fierce lions who greedily devour human prey— whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows, and whose tongues cut like swords.
- Psalms 64:2Hide me from the plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers.
- Matthew 26:59Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find witnesses who would lie about Jesus, so they could put him to death.
- Jeremiah 20:3The next day, when Pashhur finally released him, Jeremiah said, “Pashhur, the Lord has changed your name. From now on you are to be called ‘The Man Who Lives in Terror.’
- Jeremiah 18:18Then 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.”
- Nehemiah 6:6and this is what it said: “There is a rumor among the surrounding nations, and Geshem tells me it is true, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel and that is why you are building the wall. According to his reports, you plan to be their king.
- Proverbs 10:18Hiding hatred makes you a liar; slandering others makes you a fool.
- Isaiah 29:21Those who convict the innocent by their false testimony will disappear. A similar fate awaits those who use trickery to pervert justice and who tell lies to destroy the innocent.
- Ezekiel 22:9People accuse others falsely and send them to their death. You are filled with idol worshipers and people who do obscene things.
- Luke 20:20Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus.
- Acts 6:11So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.”
- Acts 24:1Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor.
- Job 19:19My close friends detest me. Those I loved have turned against me.
- Psalms 41:9Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me.
- Psalms 55:13Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 20:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Report - and we will report it - Let us spread calumnies against him every where; or let us spread reports of dangers coming upon him, that we may intimidate him, and cause him to desist.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. 10The people mockingly called Jeremiah by the name he had given to Pashhur, Terror is on every side (Jeremiah 20:3). Even Jeremiah’s old friends tried to twist his words and trap him.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. For--not referring to the words immediately preceding, but to "I will not make mention of Him." The "defaming" or detraction of the enemy on every side (see Psa 31:13) tempted him to think of prophesying no more. Report ... we will report--The words of his adversaries one to the other; give any information against him (true or false) which will give color for accusing him; and "we will report it," namely, to the Sanhedrim, in order to crush him…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 20:10
In the dictionaries
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
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