Tree of Life Version
Jeremiah 20:9
9But if I say: “I won’t mention Him, or speak any more in His Name,” then it is like fire burning in my heart— shut up in my bones— I weary myself holding it in, but I cannot.
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
7Adonai, You enticed me, so I was enticed. You overpowered me, and prevailed. I am a laughingstock all day long. Everyone mocks me. 8For whenever I speak, I cry out, I proclaim, “Violence and ruin!” For the word of Adonai is scorn and ridicule to me all day long. But if I say: “I won’t mention Him, or speak any more in His Name,” then it is like fire burning in my heart— shut up in my bones— I weary myself holding it in, but I cannot. 10For I heard the whispering of many: “‘Terror on every side?’ Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!” Even all my close friends are watching for my fall: “Perhaps he may be deceived, so we’ll get the better of him, and we’ll get our revenge on him.” 11But Adonai is with me like a dreadful warrior. Therefore my persecutors will stumble and will not prevail. Since they are not insightful and not wise, they will be utterly shamed— an everlasting disgrace, never to be forgotten.
Read all of Jeremiah 20Jeremiah 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 19:3Frightened, he got up and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, he left his servant there.
- John 1:2He was with God in the beginning.
- John 4:2(Although Yeshua Himself was not immersing, His disciples were.)
- Luke 9:62But Yeshua said to him, “No one who has put his hand to the plow and looked back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
- Acts 15:37Barnabas was planning to take along John, called Mark.
- Jeremiah 6:11So I am full of the wrath of Adonai. I am weary of holding it in! Pour it out on a child in the street, on young men gathered together. For husband will be taken with wife, the aged with the very old.
- Job 32:18For I am full of words, and the spirit within me compels me;
- Psalms 39:3So I became utterly speechless, kept silent even from good, but my anguish was stirred up.
- Ezekiel 3:14The Ruach lifted me up and took me away. I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit. The hand of Adonai was strong upon me.
- Acts 4:20For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
- Acts 17:16Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was aroused within him when he saw that the city was full of idols.
- Acts 18:5Now when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul became occupied with the message, urgently testifying to the Jewish people that Yeshua is the Messiah.
- 1 Corinthians 9:16For if I proclaim the Good News, I have no reason to boast—for pressure is put on me and woe to me if I don’t proclaim the Good News!
- 2 Corinthians 5:13For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are in our right 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
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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