The Meaning of Jeremiah 20:4 Explained

Jeremiah 20:4

KJV: 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.

YLT: For thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am making thee for a fear to thyself, And to all loving thee, And they have fallen by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes are beholding, And all Judah I give into the hand of the king of Babylon, And he hath removed them to Babylon, And he hath smitten them with the sword.

Darby: For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I 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 see 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 smite them with the sword.

ASV: For thus saith Jehovah, 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 to Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Jeremiah 20:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord announced through Jeremiah that Pashhur would become a terror to others, his friends, and even himself, and he would feel terror when he saw the coming invader slaughter his loved ones. The Lord promised to deliver all of Judah over to the Babylonian king, who would take many of the people captive to Babylon and slay them with the sword. This is the first explicit reference to the place of exile in the book (cf. Jeremiah 1:13; Jeremiah 15:14).

Context Summary

Jeremiah 20:1-18 - The Folly Of Idolatry
Jeremiah 10:1-10
We are here introduced into an idol-factory. Contrasted with the manufactured idols is the majesty of our God. There is none like Him. His name is great in might; He is the King of the nations, the true and living God, and the everlasting King! Christian, fear not or be dismayed when enemies plot against you. It is a vain device that they frame. To hide in God is a sure defence from all that man can do for our hurt. O thou true and living Savior, in thy wounds harried and faithful souls become strong and brave again.
Jeremiah 10:19-25
The prophet now bids the people prepare for their captivity. Their city would be as when a shepherd removed his slight and insubstantial tent, leaving no trace. But Jeremiah's soul is lacerated and torn with the message he must needs announce. Are we called to be shepherds? Let us see to it that we seek the Lord; so only shall our flocks not be scattered, Jeremiah 10:21. Are we in perplexity as to our path in life? It is not for us to direct ourselves, but to look up for God's sure guidance, which will be given to the soul that waits for it, Jeremiah 10:23. Are we being corrected? Let us be patient; it is only when we endure without complaining that our trial works out the highest good, and God will not give us more than we can bear, Jeremiah 10:24. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 20

1  Pashur, smiting Jeremiah, receives a new name, and a fearful doom
7  Jeremiah complains of contempt;
10  of treachery;
14  and of his birth

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 20:4 mean?

For thus says Yahweh behold I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies and your eyes shall see [it] and all Judah I will give into the hand of the king of Babylon and he shall carry them captive to Babylon and slay them with the sword
כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֡ה הִנְנִי֩ נֹתֶנְךָ֨ לְמָג֜וֹר לְךָ֣ וּלְכָל־ אֹהֲבֶ֗יךָ וְנָֽפְל֛וּ בְּחֶ֥רֶב אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם וְעֵינֶ֣יךָ רֹא֑וֹת וְאֶת־ כָּל־ יְהוּדָ֗ה אֶתֵּן֙ בְּיַ֣ד מֶֽלֶךְ־ בָּבֶ֔ל וְהִגְלָ֥ם בָּבֶ֖לָה וְהִכָּ֥ם בֶּחָֽרֶב

כֹ֣ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֡ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הִנְנִי֩  behold  I 
Parse: Interjection, first person common singular
Root: הֵן  
Sense: behold, lo, though hypothetical part.
נֹתֶנְךָ֨  will  make  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְמָג֜וֹר  a  terror 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָגֹור  
Sense: fear, terror.
לְךָ֣  to  yourself 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
וּלְכָל־  and  to  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אֹהֲבֶ֗יךָ  your  friends 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
וְנָֽפְל֛וּ  and  they  shall  fall 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
בְּחֶ֥רֶב  by  the  sword 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם  of  their  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
וְעֵינֶ֣יךָ  and  your  eyes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
רֹא֑וֹת  shall  see  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
יְהוּדָ֗ה  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
אֶתֵּן֙  I  will  give 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
בְּיַ֣ד  into  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  of  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בָּבֶ֔ל  of  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.
וְהִגְלָ֥ם  and  he  shall  carry  them  captive 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: גָּלָה  
Sense: to uncover, remove.
בָּבֶ֖לָה  to  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.
וְהִכָּ֥ם  and  slay  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
בֶּחָֽרֶב  with  the  sword 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.