Jeremiah and Pashhur
1 When the priest Pashhur son of lmmer, the
official in charge of the temple of the LORD, heard
Jeremiah prophesying there things, 2 he had
Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks
at the Upper Gate of Benjamin at the LORD's temple.
3 The next day, when Pashhur released him from the
stocks, Jeremiah said to him, "The LORD's name for
you is not Pashhur, but Terror on Every Side. 4 For
this is what the LORD says: 'I will make you a terror to
yourself and to all your friends; with your own eyes
you will see them fall by the sword of their enemies.
I will give all judah into the hands of the king of
Babylon, who will carry them away to Babylon or put
them to the sword. 5 I will deliver all the wealth of
this city into the hands of their enemies--all its
products, all its valuables and all the treasures of
the kings of Judah. They will take it away as plunder
and carry it off to Babylon. 6 And you, Pashhur, and
all who live in your house will go into exile to
Babylon. There you will die and be buried, you and
all your friends to whom you have prophesied lies.' "
Jeremiah's Complaint
7 You deceived me, LORD, and I was deceived;
you overpowered me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed all day long;
everyone mocks me.
8 Whenever I speak, I cry out
proclaiming violence and destruction.
So the word of the LORD has brought me
insult and reproach all day long.
9 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.
10 I hear many whispering,
"Terror on every side!
Denounce him! Let's denounce him!"
All my friends
are waiting for me to slip, saying,
"Perhaps he will be deceived;
then we will prevail over him
and take our revenge on him."
11 But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior;
so my persecutors will srumble and not prevail.
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;
their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous
and probe the heart and mind,
let me see your vengeance on them,
for to you I have committed my cause.
13 Sing to the LORD!
Give praise to the LORD!
He rescues the life of the needy
from the hands of the wicked.
14 Cursed be the day I was born!
May the day my mother bore me not be blessed!
15 Cursed be the man who brought my father the news,
who made him very glad, saying,
"A child is born to you--a son!"
16 May that man be like the towns
the LORD overthrew without pity.
May he hear wailing in the morning,
a battle cry at noon.
17 For he did not kill me in the womb,
with my mother as my grave,
her womb enlarged forever.
18 Why did I ever come out of the womb
to see trouble and sorrow
and to end my days in shame?