Matthew Henry on Jeremiah 20:1-6

Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · Matthew Henry · CC0 1.0 Universal

Pashur smote Jeremiah, and put him in the stocks. Jeremiah was silent till God put a word into his mouth. To confirm this, Pashur has a name given him, "Fear on every side." It speaks a man not only in distress, but in despair; not only in danger, but in fear on every side.

The wicked are in great fear where no fear is, for God can make the most daring sinner a terror to himself. And those who will not hear of their faults from God's prophets, shall be made to hear them from their consciences.

Miserable is the man thus made a terror to himself. His friends shall fail him. God lets him live miserably, that he may be a monument of Divine justice.

More for Jeremiah 20:1-6

Continue with other commentaries and DiscipleDeck content connected to this verse, chapter, or topic.

Other commentaries

commentaryThe Sin and Doom of Pashur. (b. c. 600.)THE SIN AND DOOM OF PASHUR. (B. C. 600.) Here is, I. Pashur's unjust displeasure against Jeremiah, and the fruits of that displeasure, Jeremiah 20:1-2. This Pashur was a priest, and therefore, one would think, should ha…Matthew Henry commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Jeremiah 20:1-6Pashur. At length the smoldering opposition to Jeremiah breaks out into open persecution. Hitherto, though he has been answered by words (Jeremiah 18:18) and threatened with violence, no overt act has been committed. Se…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Jeremiah 20:1-6A changed name and a dreadful doom. The change here, from Pashur to Magor-Missabib, reminds us of other divinely indicated changes of name in Scripture; e.g. from Abram to Abraham, from Jacob to Israel, from Simon to Pe…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Jeremiah 20:1-3The behavior of the wicked towards the truth. I. THEY REGARD THE TRUTH AND ITS MINISTERS AS THEIR GREATEST ENEMIES. If Pashur had known better he would have refrained from such exhibitions of temper. The prophet would t…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Jeremiah 20:1-18EXPOSITIONJoseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Jeremiah 20:1The continuation of the preceding narrative. Pashur the son of Trainer. This man belonged to the sixteenth of the sacerdotal families or classes (1 Chronicles 24:14). Another of the same name is referred to in Jeremiah…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Jeremiah 20:2Pashur, being charged with the police of the temple, smites Jeremiah, i.e. causes stripes to be given him, and then orders him to be put into the stocks; literally, that which distorts—some instrument of punishment whic…Joseph S. Exell and contributors commentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Jeremiah 20:3Symbolic change of name. Not … Pashur, but Magor-missabib; i.e. terror on every side. There is probably no allusion to the (by no means obvious) etymology of Pashur. Jeremiah simply means to say that Pashur would one da…Joseph S. Exell and contributors