◄ Jeremiah 20:6 ►
And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house, will go into captivity. You will go to Babylon, and there you will die and be buried--you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied these lies.'"
Study Bible
And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house, will go into captivity.
Pashhur was a priest and chief officer in the temple, representing the religious authority of the time. His name means "freedom" or "liberation," which is ironic given his fate. The mention of "all who live in your house" indicates that his entire household, including family and servants, would share in his punishment. This reflects the communal nature of ancient Near Eastern societies, where the actions of the head of the household could impact everyone under his care. The concept of captivity here is a direct reference to the Babylonian exile, a significant event in Jewish history where many were taken from Judah to Babylon as a result of their disobedience to God.

You will go to Babylon,
Babylon was the center of the Babylonian Empire, known for its wealth, power, and idolatry. It was a place of exile for the people of Judah, symbolizing judgment and separation from the Promised Land. The prophecy of going to Babylon underscores the certainty of God's judgment against those who oppose His word. This also connects to the broader narrative of the Babylonian captivity, which was a fulfillment of earlier warnings given by prophets like Isaiah and Habakkuk.

and there you will die and be buried—
The prophecy that Pashhur would die and be buried in Babylon signifies the finality of his judgment. In ancient cultures, being buried in one's homeland was considered important for one's legacy and honor. Dying in a foreign land was seen as a disgrace and a sign of divine disfavor. This phrase emphasizes the completeness of God's judgment, as Pashhur would not return to his homeland, nor would he be honored in death.

you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied these lies.’”
Pashhur's friends likely included other priests and prophets who shared his false messages. The term "prophesied these lies" indicates that Pashhur and his associates were spreading false assurances of peace and security, contrary to God's true message delivered by Jeremiah. This highlights the theme of false prophecy, a recurring issue in the Old Testament, where leaders misled the people for personal gain or out of fear of the truth. The judgment on Pashhur and his friends serves as a warning against the dangers of false teaching and the importance of adhering to God's true word.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
The prophet of God who delivers the message of judgment to Pashhur. Known for his unwavering commitment to speaking God's truth despite persecution.

2. Pashhur
A priest and chief officer in the house of the Lord who opposed Jeremiah and falsely prophesied peace. His name means "freedom" or "prosperity," which is ironic given his fate.

3. Babylon
The place of captivity where Pashhur and his household will be exiled. Represents God's instrument of judgment against Judah.

4. Captivity
The event of being taken into exile, symbolizing God's judgment on those who oppose His word.

5. False Prophecy
The act of delivering messages that contradict God's truth, which Pashhur is guilty of, leading to his downfall.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of False Prophecy
False prophets lead people away from God's truth, resulting in severe consequences. We must discern and adhere to God's word.

The Certainty of God's Judgment
God's judgment is certain and just. Those who oppose His truth will face consequences, as seen in Pashhur's fate.

The Importance of True Prophecy
True prophecy aligns with God's word and leads to life. We should seek and value truth over comforting lies.

The Role of Suffering in God's Plan
Jeremiah's suffering for truth contrasts with Pashhur's false comfort. Suffering for righteousness is part of God's refining process.

The Irony of Names and Outcomes
Pashhur's name means "freedom," yet he faces captivity. This irony highlights the futility of opposing God's will.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the fate of Pashhur illustrate the dangers of false prophecy, and how can we guard against it in our own lives?

2. In what ways does the Babylonian captivity serve as a warning for us today regarding the consequences of disobedience to God?

3. How can we discern true prophecy from false prophecy in our current context, and what role does Scripture play in this discernment?

4. What lessons can we learn from Jeremiah's perseverance in delivering God's message despite opposition and suffering?

5. How does the irony of Pashhur's name and his fate challenge us to examine the authenticity of our own faith and actions?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 29:10
This verse speaks of the seventy years of captivity in Babylon, providing context for the judgment pronounced on Pashhur.

2 Kings 25:11
Describes the Babylonian captivity, illustrating the fulfillment of prophecies like the one against Pashhur.

Deuteronomy 18:20-22
Discusses the consequences for false prophets, aligning with the judgment on Pashhur.

Ezekiel 13:9
Condemns false prophets, similar to the judgment against Pashhur for misleading the people.
Sermons
A Changed Name and a Dreadful DoomD. Young Jeremiah 20:1-6
Magor-Missabib; Or, the Fate of a False ProphetA.F. Muir Jeremiah 20:3-6
People
Benjamin, Immer, Jeremiah, Magormissabib, Pashur
Places
Babylon, Benjamin Gate, Topheth
Topics
Babylon, Body, Buried, Captivity, Die, Diest, Dwell, Dwelling, Enter, Exile, Falsehood, Falsely, Friends, Hast, Lies, Loving, Pashhur, Pashur, Prisoners, Prophesied, Rest
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 20:3-6

     5044   names, giving of

Jeremiah 20:4-6

     4215   Babylon

Library
The Revelation to which the Scripture of the Old Testament Owes Its Existence.
"O Lord, . . . Thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed."--Jer. xx. 7. The understanding of the Holy Spirit's work in Scripture requires us to distinguish the preparation, and the formation that was the outcome of the preparation. We will discuss these two separately. The Holy Spirit prepared for Scripture by the operations which from Paradise to Patmos supernaturally apprehended the sinful life of this world, and thus raised up believing men who formed the developing Church. This will seem very …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Revelation of the Old Testament in Writing.
"Then I said, I will not speak any more in His Name. But His word was in my heart as a burning fire, shut up in my bones: and I was weary with forbearing, but I could not."--Jer. xx. 9. Altho the miracles performed for and in the midst of Israel created a glorious life-center in the midst of the heathen world, yet they did not constitute a Holy Scripture; for this can not be created except God speak to man, even to His people Israel. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

One Thing is Needful;
or, SERIOUS MEDITATIONS UPON THE FOUR LAST THINGS: DEATH, JUDGMENT, HEAVEN, AND HELL UNTO WHICH IS ADDED EBAL AND GERIZZIM, OR THE BLESSING AND THE CURSE, by John Bunyan. London: Printed for Nath. Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1688.[1] ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. According to Charles Doe, in that curious sheet called The Struggler for the Preservation of Mr. John Bunyan's Labours, these poems were published about the year 1664, while the author was suffering imprisonment for conscience …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Baptist's Inquiry and Jesus' Discourse Suggested Thereby.
(Galilee.) ^A Matt. XI. 2-30; ^C Luke VII. 18-35. ^c 18 And the disciples of John told him of all these things. ^a 2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent by his disciples ^c 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them unto the Lord [John had been cast into prison about December, a.d. 27, and it was now after the Passover, possibly in May or June, a.d. 28. Herod Antipas had cast John into prison because John had reproved him for taking his brother's wife. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Hindrances to Mourning
What shall we do to get our heart into this mourning frame? Do two things. Take heed of those things which will stop these channels of mourning; put yourselves upon the use of all means that will help forward holy mourning. Take heed of those things which will stop the current of tears. There are nine hindrances of mourning. 1 The love of sin. The love of sin is like a stone in the pipe which hinders the current of water. The love of sin makes sin taste sweet and this sweetness in sin bewitches the …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Jeremiah, a Lesson for the Disappointed.
"Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord."--Jeremiah i. 8. The Prophets were ever ungratefully treated by the Israelites, they were resisted, their warnings neglected, their good services forgotten. But there was this difference between the earlier and the later Prophets; the earlier lived and died in honour among their people,--in outward honour; though hated and thwarted by the wicked, they were exalted to high places, and ruled in the congregation. …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

Meditations for the Morning.
1. Almighty God can, in the resurrection, as easily raise up thy body out of the grave, from the sleep of death, as he hath this morning wakened thee in thy bed, out of the sleep of nature. At the dawning of which resurrection day, Christ shall come to be glorified in his saints; and every one of the bodies of the thousands of his saints, being fashioned like unto his glorious body, shall shine as bright as the sun (2 Thess. i. 10; Jude, ver. 14; Phil. iii. 21; Luke ix. 31;) all the angels shining …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Ninth Commandment
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.' Exod 20: 16. THE tongue which at first was made to be an organ of God's praise, is now become an instrument of unrighteousness. This commandment binds the tongue to its good behaviour. God has set two natural fences to keep in the tongue, the teeth and lips; and this commandment is a third fence set about it, that it should not break forth into evil. It has a prohibitory and a mandatory part: the first is set down in plain words, the other …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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