Jeremiah 20:3-5 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Bible Comments

Jeremiah said, The Lord hath not called Rather, doth not call thy name Pashur; but Magor-missabib That is, Terror on every side, or, Terror to all around, as the name is explained in the next verse. God's giving him this name: signifies his changing the circumstances or condition of the person so named, agreeably to the meaning of the name given him, or that he would render him such as he called him. So when God called Abram by the new name of Abraham, he assigns the reason, “For a father of many nations have I made thee,” Genesis 17:5. I will deliver all the strength of this city All its wealth, the word חסן, here used, being frequently translated treasures: see Proverbs 15:6; Ezekiel 22:25. It may also include whatever strengthened and defended it, especially the men of war; and all the labours thereof Or, all the workmanship thereof; that is, all the fruit of the people's labours; all their fine buildings, or whatever its artificers had erected with labour and cost; and all the precious things thereof Whatever was valuable in the eyes of the greatest persons among them; will I give into the hands of their enemies The Babylonians shall spoil and make a prey of them all.

Jeremiah 20:3-5

3 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib.a

4 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

5 Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.