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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Jeremiah 20:18

Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, to experience nothing but misery, that my days should be consumed with shame? This cry is wrung from his lips because his office was apparently without success, because his prophetical laboring was in vain, since he was unable to save his people from destruction. Cf Job 3:3 ff. Similar periods of depression are liable to strike all Christians, wherefore it is necessary that all without exception grow in trust in His mercy.

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See also Jeremiah 20:18 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Jeremiah 20:18. _WHEREFORE CAME I FORTH_] It would have been well had I never been born, as I have neither comfort in my life, nor comfort in my work....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    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 re...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 20 Pashur.-Jeremiah's Perplexity and Complaint _ 1. Pashur and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:1) _ 2. Jeremiah's great perplexity and complaint (Jeremiah 20:7) Jeremiah 20:1. A great scene now

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE PROPHET'S TROUBLES, HOPES, AND DARK DESPAIR. In passionate protest against his lot (possibly occasioned by the incident just related) Jeremiah complains that Yahweh has beguiled him into the work...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WHEREFORE... ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ Compare Job 3....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Jeremiah 20:7-18. The prophet bitterly complains to God of his lot The passage opens to us the depths of the prophet's soul, and we see him in intimate converse with God, and possessed now by the emo...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    See summary at commencement of section. Cp. Job 3:3-12. The latter passage is even more vehement than this and also bears traces of artificiality as compared with this natural and spontaneous outburst...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    C. Curse Jeremiah 20:14-18 TRANSLATION (14) Cursed be the day on which I was born! The day on which my mother bore me, let it not be blessed! (15) Cursed is the man who brought the good news to my fa...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed. The contrast between the spirit of this passage and the preceding thanksgiving to be explained thus: to s...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    1-6. Pashur's act and Jeremiah's reply....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    WHEREFORE CAME I FORTH...? — Like the preceding verse, this is in its tone, almost in its words, an echo of Job 3:11; Job 3:20....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ מֵ רֶ֣חֶם יָצָ֔אתִי לִ רְאֹ֥ות

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XIII JEREMIAH UNDER PERSECUTION Jeremiah 20:1 THE prophet has now to endure something more than a scornful rejection of his message. "And Pashchur ben Immer the priest" (he was chief officer...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The story of the persecution which this action stirred up against him follows. Pashur heard the prophecy, and, smiting the prophet, arrested and imprisoned him. On the following day Jeremiah, being br...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    So great a contrast there is between the last verse of the preceding paragraph and the beginning of this, that I cannot but suppose the Prophet is not speaking these things of himself. And I the rathe...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    REFLECTIONS OH! Pashur! what a vast difference was there even in the moment of thy seeming triumphs, between the suffering Prophet, and the insulting Governor? And what an everlasting and eternal diff...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    He then adds, _My mother might have been my grave; _(18) that is, “This light and life I value not; why then did I not die in my mother’s womb? and why did she conceive me?” Then he says, _Why came I...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 19 AND 20. Chapter s 19 and 20 shew us the judgment of Jerusalem announced in terms that require little explanation; and we have in chapter 20 a sample of the...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    WHEREFORE CAME I FORTH OUT OF THE WOMB TO SEE LABOUR AND SORROW,.... "Labour" in performing his work and office as a prophet; and "sorrow" in suffering reproach, contempt, and persecution for it; whic...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame? Ver. 18. _Wherefore came I forth, &c._] Passions are a most dangerous and heady water when...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Cursed be the man_, &c. As in the forms of rejoicing upon a birth-day they blessed every person and thing concerned in the birth, and said, _Blessed be the womb that bare thee_, and the like, and he...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    14-18 When grace has the victory, it is good to be ashamed of our folly, to admire the goodness of God, and be warned to guard our spirits another time. See how strong the temptation was, over which...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    These words let us know the prophet's temptation to these extravagant eruptions of passion; it was the reproach, and shame, and affliction which he endured for the faithful discharge of his ministry;...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Jeremiah 20:18 forth H3318 (H8804) womb H7358 see H7200 (H8800) labor H5999 sorrow H3015 days H3117 consumed...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    JEREMIAH CURSES THE DAY OF HIS BIRTH (JEREMIAH 20:14). This passage closes off the section with a heart rending call by Jeremiah that the day of his birth be cursed, along with all who assisted in ens...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jeremiah's first persecution. His complaint to God and encouragement in God. CHARACTERS: God, Pashur, Jeremiah, Nebuchadnezzar. CONCLUSION: Those who declare the whole counsel of God may ex...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Jeremiah 20:3. _The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur,_ which signifies security or increase; _but Magormissabib,_ a terror on every side, or terrors of a captivity. Pashur believed the prophet, ye...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _An my familiars watched for my halting._ PATHETIC EXPERIENCES In these verses we have two distinct aspects of human experience. Within this brief section Jeremiah is on the hill top and in the deepe...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 20:18 Jeremiah’s ministry causes him hard work, SORROW, and SHAME. He accepts his role, but has no illusions of fame, approval, or appreciation....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES.—1. CHRONOLOGY OF THE CHAPTER. With chap. 20 the first section of this book closes. Probably this was Jeremiah’s last public prophecy in Jehoiakim’s reign, and formed the...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JEREMIAH 20:1 The 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...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now Pashur (Jeremiah 20:1). And the name means "prosperity all around." Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah had prophesie...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 4:9; 1 Peter 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:12; Acts 5:41; G

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