Jeremiah 20:8
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
When I speak, the words burst out. “Violence and destruction!” I shout. So these messages from the LORD have made me a household joke.

English Standard Version
For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction!” For the word of the LORD has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.

Berean Standard Bible
For whenever I speak, I cry out; I proclaim violence and destruction. For the word of the LORD has become to me a reproach and derision all day long.

King James Bible
For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.

New King James Version
For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, “Violence and plunder!” Because the word of the LORD was made to me A reproach and a derision daily.

New American Standard Bible
For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction, Because for me the word of the LORD has resulted In taunting and derision all day long.

NASB 1995
For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction, Because for me the word of the LORD has resulted In reproach and derision all day long.

NASB 1977
For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction, Because for me the word of the LORD has resulted In reproach and derision all day long.

Legacy Standard Bible
For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I call out violence and devastation Because for me the word of Yahweh has resulted In reproach and derision all day long.

Amplified Bible
For whenever I speak, I must shout out; I shout violence and destruction, Because the word of the LORD has become to me A reprimand and a mockery and has brought me insult all day long.

Christian Standard Bible
For whenever I speak, I cry out, I proclaim, “Violence and destruction! ” so the word of the LORD has become my constant disgrace and derision.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For whenever I speak, I cry out, I proclaim, “Violence and destruction!” because the word of the LORD has become for me constant disgrace and derision.

American Standard Version
For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, Violence and destruction! because the word of Jehovah is made a reproach unto me, and a derision, all the day.

Contemporary English Version
You have let me announce only injustice and death. Your message has brought me nothing but insults and trouble.

English Revised Version
For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, Violence and spoil: because the word of the LORD is made a reproach unto me, and a derision, all the day.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Each time I speak, I have to cry out and shout, "Violence and destruction!" The word of the LORD has made me the object of insults and contempt all day long.

Good News Translation
Whenever I speak, I have to cry out and shout, "Violence! Destruction!" LORD, I am ridiculed and scorned all the time because I proclaim your message.

International Standard Version
Indeed, as often as I speak, I cry out, and shout, "Violence and destruction!" For this message from the LORD has caused me constant reproach and derision.

Majority Standard Bible
For whenever I speak, I cry out; I proclaim violence and destruction. For the word of the LORD has become to me a reproach and derision all day long.

NET Bible
For whenever I prophesy, I must cry out, "Violence and destruction are coming!" This message from the LORD has made me an object of continual insults and derision.

New Heart English Bible
For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, "Violence and destruction." because the word of the LORD is made a reproach to me, and a derision, all the day.

Webster's Bible Translation
For since I spoke, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach to me, and a derision, daily.

World English Bible
For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, “Violence and destruction!” because Yahweh’s word has been made a reproach to me, and a derision, all day.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Because from the time I speak I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction!” "" For the word of YHWH has been to me "" For reproach and for derision all the day.

Young's Literal Translation
Because from the time I speak I cry out, 'Violence and destruction,' I cry, For the word of Jehovah hath been to me For reproach and for derision all the day.

Smith's Literal Translation
For as often as I shall speak I shall cry; violence and oppression I shall call; for the word of Jehovah was to me for a reproach and for a derision all the day.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For I am speaking now this long time, crying out against iniquity, and I often proclaim devistation: and the word of the Lord is made a reproach to me, and a derision all the day.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For I speak now as I have long spoken: crying out against iniquity and proclaiming devastation. And the word of the Lord has been made into a reproach against me and a derision, all day long.

New American Bible
Whenever I speak, I must cry out, violence and outrage I proclaim; The word of the LORD has brought me reproach and derision all day long.

New Revised Standard Version
For whenever I speak, I must cry out, I must shout, “Violence and destruction!” For the word of the LORD has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For at the time when I spoke and cried out, I spoke against the extortioners and against the robbers; because the word of the LORD has become for me a reproach and derision daily.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And at the time that I was speaking and crying out against extortionists and against plunderers, I was calling out, because the word of LORD JEHOVAH has been to me for reproach and for mockery every day
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For as often as I speak, I cry out, I cry: 'Violence and spoil'; Because the word of the LORD is made A reproach unto me, and a derision, all the day.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For I will laugh with my bitter speech, I will call upon rebellion and misery: for the word of the Lord is become a reproach to me and a mockery all my days.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jeremiah's Complaint
7You have deceived me, O LORD, and I was deceived. You have overcome me and prevailed. I am a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. 8For whenever I speak, I cry out; I proclaim violence and destruction. For the word of the LORD has become to me a reproach and derision all day long. 9If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.…

Cross References
Matthew 5:11-12
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. / Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Acts 5:41
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

2 Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

John 15:18-20
If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. / If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. / Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.

1 Peter 4:14-16
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. / Indeed, none of you should suffer as a murderer or thief or wrongdoer, or even as a meddler. / But if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God that you bear that name.

Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Psalm 69:7-9
For I have endured scorn for Your sake, and shame has covered my face. / I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons, / because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.

1 Corinthians 4:12-13
We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; / when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

Luke 6:22-23
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man. / Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For their fathers treated the prophets in the same way.

2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Hebrews 11:36-38
Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. / They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated. / The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.

Micah 2:6
“Do not preach,” they preach. “Do not preach these things; disgrace will not overtake us.”

Amos 7:10-13
Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words, / for this is what Amos has said: ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their homeland.’” / And Amaziah said to Amos, “Go away, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah; earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. ...

Ezekiel 3:7-9
But the house of Israel will be unwilling to listen to you, since they are unwilling to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted. / Behold, I will make your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. / I will make your forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or dismayed at their presence, even though they are a rebellious house.”

1 Kings 22:8
The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.


Treasury of Scripture

For since I spoke, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach to me, and a derision, daily.

I cried.

Jeremiah 4:19
My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

Jeremiah 5:1,6,15-17
Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it…

Jeremiah 6:6,7
For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her…

the word.

Jeremiah 20:7
O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.

Jeremiah 6:10
To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

2 Chronicles 36:16
But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

Jump to Previous
Aloud Behaviour Cause Cried Cry Daily Derision Destruction Help Loud Oft Often Proclaim Proclaiming Reproach Resulted Shame Shout Speak Spoil Time Violence Violent Voice Whenever Word
Jump to Next
Aloud Behaviour Cause Cried Cry Daily Derision Destruction Help Loud Oft Often Proclaim Proclaiming Reproach Resulted Shame Shout Speak Spoil Time Violence Violent Voice Whenever Word
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.














For whenever I speak
This phrase indicates a continual action, suggesting that Jeremiah's role as a prophet is not occasional but a constant calling. The Hebrew root for "speak" is "דָּבַר" (dabar), which implies not just speaking but declaring or proclaiming. Jeremiah's life was dedicated to delivering God's messages, often at great personal cost. This reflects the prophet's obedience and the weight of his divine commission.

I cry out
The Hebrew word "זָעַק" (za'aq) is used here, which means to cry out or call for help. This conveys a sense of urgency and distress. Jeremiah's prophetic messages were not just spoken; they were delivered with a deep emotional intensity. This highlights the prophet's empathy and the burden he felt for his people, as he was compelled to deliver God's warnings with passion and sincerity.

I proclaim
The word "קָרָא" (qara) in Hebrew means to call out or announce. This indicates that Jeremiah's messages were not whispered or hidden but boldly declared. The role of a prophet was to be a public voice for God, and Jeremiah fulfilled this role despite opposition. This phrase underscores the courage required to stand firm in one's convictions and the importance of proclaiming truth, regardless of the consequences.

violence and destruction
These words, "חָמָס" (chamas) for violence and "שֹׁד" (shod) for destruction, reflect the content of Jeremiah's prophecies. They were warnings of impending judgment due to the people's disobedience. Historically, this was a time of great turmoil for Judah, with threats from surrounding nations. Jeremiah's messages were not popular, as they confronted the people with the reality of their sin and the consequences that would follow.

the word of the LORD
This phrase emphasizes the divine origin of Jeremiah's message. The Hebrew "דְּבַר־יְהוָה" (devar-YHWH) signifies that these were not Jeremiah's own words but those given to him by God. This underscores the authority and authenticity of his prophecies. In a conservative Christian perspective, this highlights the belief in the inerrancy and divine inspiration of Scripture.

has become to me
This indicates a transformation in Jeremiah's experience. The Hebrew "הָיָה" (hayah) suggests a state of being or becoming. Jeremiah's relationship with God's word was not static; it was dynamic and deeply personal. This reflects the transformative power of engaging with God's word, which can profoundly impact one's life and mission.

a reproach and derision
The words "חֶרְפָּה" (cherpah) for reproach and "קֶלֶס" (qeles) for derision indicate the social and personal cost of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry. He faced mockery and scorn from those who rejected his message. This highlights the theme of suffering for righteousness, a common experience for those who stand for truth in a world that often opposes it.

all day long
This phrase underscores the relentless nature of Jeremiah's trials. The Hebrew "כָּל־הַיּוֹם" (kol-hayom) suggests a continuous, unending experience. Jeremiah's faithfulness in the face of constant opposition serves as an inspiration for believers to persevere in their own spiritual journeys, trusting that God is with them through every challenge.

(8) I cried out, I cried.--The two Hebrew words are not, as in the English, alike, the first being the cry of complaint, the second of protest: When I speak (the tense implies from the beginning of his work till now), I complain; I call out (against) violence and spoil. They had formed the burden of his discourses, he had borne his witness against them, and yet "the word of Jehovah" so proclaimed by him had exposed him simply to derision. He had been the champion of the people's rights, and yet they mocked and scorned him.

Verse 8. - For since I spake, I cried out, etc.; rather, For as often as I speak, I must shout; I must cry, Violence and spoil; I can take up no other tone but that of indignant denunciation, no other theme but that of the acts of injustice constantly committed (not merely, nor indeed chiefly, against the prophet himself). Was made; rather, is made.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

whenever
מִדֵּ֤י (mid·dê)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1767: Sufficiency, enough

I speak,
אֲדַבֵּר֙ (’ă·ḏab·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

I cry out,
אֶזְעָ֔ק (’ez·‘āq)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2199: To shriek, to announce, convene publicly

I proclaim
אֶקְרָ֑א (’eq·rā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

violence
חָמָ֥ס (ḥā·mās)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2555: Violence, wrong, by meton, unjust gain

and destruction.
וָשֹׁ֖ד (wā·šōḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7701: Violence, havoc, devastation, ruin

For
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the word
דְבַר־ (ḏə·ḇar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

of the LORD
יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

has become
הָיָ֨ה (hā·yāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

to me
לִ֛י (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

a reproach
לְחֶרְפָּ֥ה (lə·ḥer·pāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2781: Contumely, disgrace, the pudenda

and derision
וּלְקֶ֖לֶס (ū·lə·qe·les)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7047: A laughing-stock

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

day long.
הַיּֽוֹם׃ (hay·yō·wm)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day


Links
Jeremiah 20:8 NIV
Jeremiah 20:8 NLT
Jeremiah 20:8 ESV
Jeremiah 20:8 NASB
Jeremiah 20:8 KJV

Jeremiah 20:8 BibleApps.com
Jeremiah 20:8 Biblia Paralela
Jeremiah 20:8 Chinese Bible
Jeremiah 20:8 French Bible
Jeremiah 20:8 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Jeremiah 20:8 For as often as I speak (Jer.)
Jeremiah 20:7
Top of Page
Top of Page