Jeremiah 20:7 · Bible study
Jeremiah 20:7 Commentary: The Cost of Being Persuaded by God
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the raw honesty of Jeremiah's lament in 20:7, the Hebrew word meaning both 'persuade' and 'deceive', and what this reveals about prophetic calling
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jeremiah accuses God of overpowering him into a prophetic calling that has brought public shame and suffering, using a Hebrew verb that can mean 'persuade' or 'deceive.'
- Key words: Pittitani (H6601, you deceived/persuaded me), chazaqtani (H2388, you strengthened/prevailed over me), sechoq (H7814, laughingstock).
- Main debate: Is Jeremiah stating his genuine feeling of deception (KJV, BSB), using irony (Calvin), or testifying that God 'persuaded' him against his will (Clarke, Gill)?
- Theological theme: The cost of prophetic vocation; the legitimacy of lament within a covenant relationship with God.
- Best use: A passage for those who suffer for their faithfulness, showing that honest anger toward God is not a sin but a step toward renewed trust.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You 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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Yahweh, you have persuaded me, and I was persuaded. You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day. Everyone mocks me.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
O Jehovah, thou hast persuaded me, and I was persuaded; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am become a laughing-stock all the day, every one mocketh me.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Thou hast persuaded me, O Jehovah, and I am persuaded; Thou hast hardened me, and dost prevail, I have been for a laughter all the day, Every one is mocking at me,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Jehovah, thou hast enticed me, and I was enticed; thou hast laid hold of me, and hast prevailed; I am become a derision the whole day: every one mocketh me.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Thou hast deceived me, O Lord, and I am deceived: thou hast been stronger than I, and thou hast prevailed. I am become a laughingstock all the day, all scoff at me.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Alucinásteme, oh Jehová, y hállome frustrado: más fuerte fuiste que yo, y vencísteme: cada día he sido escarnecido; cada cual se burla de mí.
Persuadiste-me, ó SENHOR, e eu fiquei persuadido; mais forte foste que eu, e prevaleceste; sirvo de escárnio o dia todo; cada deles zomba de mim.
Tu m’ as persuadé, Éternel, et je me suis laissé persuader;
HERR, du hast mich überredet, und ich habe mich überreden lassen; du bist mir zu stark gewesen und hast gewonnen; aber ich bin darüber zum Spott geworden täglich, und jedermann verlacht mich.
HEERE! Gij hebt mij overreed, en ik ben overreed geworden; Gij zijt mij te sterk geweest, en hebt overmocht; ik ben den gansen dag tot een belachen, een ieder van hen bespot mij.
Tu m’hai persuaso, o Eterno, e io mi son lasciato persuadere, tu m’hai fatto forza, e m’hai vinto; io son diventato ogni giorno un oggetto di scherno, ognuno si fa beffe di me.
Namówiłeś mię, Panie! a dałem się namówić; mocniejszyś był niż ja, i przemogłeś; jestem na pośmiech każdy dzień, każdy się ze mnie naśmiewa.
Ты влек меня, Господи, - и я увлечен; Ты сильнее меня - и превозмог, и я каждый день в посмеянии, всякий издевается надо мною.
耶和華啊，你曾勸導我，我也聽了你的勸導。你比我有力量，且勝了我。我終 日 成為 笑話，人人都 戲弄 我。
O Lord, you have been false to me, and I was tricked; you are stronger than I, and have overcome me: I have become a thing to be laughed at all the day, everyone makes sport of me.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 20:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Jeremiah is speaking from deep personal anguish, likely after the beating and imprisonment by Pashhur (Jer 20:1-2). His accusation that God has 'deceived' him is rendered by Adam Clarke as 'persuaded', the Hebrew pittitani (from H6601) can mean either, as it does in Genesis 9:27 where God 'enlarges' or 'persuades' Japheth. Gill and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note this same range, reading Jeremiah as saying, 'Thou hast persuaded me to take the prophetic office, and I was persuaded; but now I suffer for it.' Barnes adds that Jeremiah accepted his call with joy (Jer 15:16), only to find the reality crushing. Calvin, however, sees irony: Jeremiah reports the charge of his enemies that he has been deceived by God, while he himself knows God truly called him. Keil and Delitzsch stress the emotional progression, from complaint to hope to cursing his birth, showing a man overwhelmed yet still in dialogue with God. All agree: this is not cool reflection but the honest pain of a faithful servant whose calling has cost him everything. The consensus is that Jeremiah’s lament is permitted within covenant relationship, a model of raw prayer that does not hide from God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal deception (KJV/BSB tradition): The surface reading of the text, supported by the semantic range of H6601 and the parallel with 'prevailed' in the same verse, suggests Jeremiah felt genuinely tricked by God.
- Ironical (Calvin): Jeremiah quotes the accusation of his enemies, who say he is a deceived impostor; he then ironically adopts their language while actually affirming his divine commission.
- Persuaded against will (Clarke, Gill, JFB): The verb in Genesis 9:27 (margin) and Hosea 2:14 means 'allure' or 'persuade'; Jeremiah acknowledges that God overcame his reluctance to accept the prophetic role.
What is clear: Jeremiah is in severe distress—physically beaten, publicly shamed, and socially isolated—and he expresses this pain directly to God within the framework of a covenant relationship that allows for honest lament.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the Hebrew verb פִּתִּיתַנִי (pittitani) | The root H6601 covers a range from 'persuade' and 'allure' to 'deceive'; the context of Jeremiah's suffering drives the translation. | Clarke, Gill, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown argue that 'persuaded' is more reverent and fits the usage in Genesis 9:27 and Hosea 2:14. Calvin and the KJV tradition retain 'deceived' as an ironic or literal expression of Jeremiah's emotional state. |
| Is Jeremiah’s lament sinful or faithful? | The passage allows honest complaint; it is recorded as Scripture and not condemned. | Matthew Henry sees it as a 'struggle between grace and corruption', human infirmity that God overlooks. Calvin and Keil view it as a legitimate, even necessary, outpouring that leads to renewed hope. Some traditions caution against using it to justify bitterness toward God. |
| Relation of this lament to New Testament suffering | Jeremiah’s experience prefigures the rejection faced by Christ and the apostles. | Some see a direct Christological type (the mocked prophet); others read it as a general model for the cost of discipleship (2 Corinthians 11:24-27). Catholics and Orthodox may connect it to the suffering of the saints; Protestants emphasize the individual believer’s call to take up the cross. |
| The response of God (implied in verses 11-13) | God’s presence is affirmed as a ‘mighty warrior’ who will ultimately vindicate His servant. | Does God’s deliverance come in this life or only eschatologically? Barnes notes Jeremiah’s ministry virtually closed after this, vindication was not immediate. Others point to verse 13’s past-tense praise as a declaration of faith ahead of visible rescue. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah 20:7 sits at a breaking point in the prophet’s life. The immediate cause is the brutality of Pashhur, the temple warden, who struck Jeremiah and placed him in stocks overnight (Jer 20:1-2). This was not mere insult, it was public humiliation and physical torture. In a culture where honor and shame governed social standing, being made 'a laughingstock all the day' devastated a person’s place in the community.
The wider context deepens the crisis. Jeremiah had prophesied Judah’s doom under Babylon for decades. By the fourth year of Jehoiakim (around 605 BC), Barnes notes, the die was cast; the nation’s destruction was inevitable. Yet Jeremiah had taken God’s promises in Jeremiah 1:18-19 as a pledge of success and protection. Now, beaten and mocked, those promises seemed hollow. He had given up a normal life, no wife, no children (Jer 16:2), and his message of judgment had made him a pariah. In verse 8 he says that every time he speaks he must cry 'Violence and destruction!', a message that brought only scorn. The same friends who once walked with him now whisper plots to entrap him (v. 10). The entire community has turned against him.
This was the first time Jeremiah suffered bodily harm in his ministry (Keil). The shock drove him to a lament that echoes earlier cries of Moses (Exodus 5:22-23) and anticipates Job’s complaints. It also links to verses 14-18, where Jeremiah curses the day of his birth, a tradition later taken up by Job 3. Historically, this passage reveals the cost of prophetic faithfulness in a rebellious era. It is no accident that Jeremiah’s words here are not labeled 'word of the Lord'; Lange observes they are 'private,' showing that even a prophet’s inner turmoil has a place in Scripture. The cultural expectation was that a true prophet would be vindicated; Jeremiah’s experience shattered that ideal, forcing a deeper trust in God alone.
Textual Notes
The Masoretic Text of Jeremiah 20:7 is stable; no significant variant readings are noted in the supplied sources. The debate centers on translation and interpretation of the Hebrew verb pittitani (H6601) rather than on manuscript differences. The ancient versions (LXX, Syriac, Targum) reflect the same semantic ambiguity, supporting a faithful transmission of the original wording.
Reception History
Christian interpreters have long approached Jeremiah 20:7 with caution, aware of its raw language. Early church fathers such as Jerome saw in it a legitimate expression of human weakness, not rebellion. Medieval commentators often allegorized the passage, with the ‘deceived’ prophet representing Christ or the Church suffering under persecution. During the Reformation, Calvin and others used it to discuss the interplay of divine sovereignty and human emotion, God’s call is irresistible, yet the prophet feels its weight fully. In the Methodist tradition, Adam Clarke softened the translation to ‘persuaded,’ emphasizing the gracious initiative of God. The verse has also been a touchstone for modern lament theology, inspiring hymns and prayers that give voice to those who suffer for righteousness. Across centuries, the consistent thread is the tension between a calling that is divinely compelled and a life that includes deep pain, a tension resolved not by explanation but by staying in relationship with God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The burden of divine persuasion. God’s call overcame Jeremiah’s resistance; the same Hebrew word (pittitani) implies both allurement and deception. Jeremiah feels trapped by a call he cannot escape, even when it brings suffering.
- The cost of obedience. Every time Jeremiah opens his mouth, he becomes a laughingstock. The message of judgment isolates him from his people, his friends, even his own sense of success. Faithfulness does not guarantee honor, it often brings shame.
- The honesty of lament. Jeremiah turns his raw anger toward God. He does not pretend, nor does he abandon his faith. Lament is a proper form of prayer, one that keeps relationship alive through the ordeal.
Five-point outline
- God's call overcomes our resistance. Jeremiah’s words 'You are stronger than I' echo the divine compulsion of chapter 1. God's 'stronger' hand prevails, not to break but to commission.
- Suffering is not a sign of failure. Pashhur’s stocks were part of the ministry. The cross and the crown are connected, but the cross comes first.
- Lament is a gift of the covenant. The Bible allows us to argue with God (Job, Psalms, Habakkuk). Jeremiah shows that honest complaint can coexist with faith.
- The Word burns within. Verse 9 shows that Jeremiah could not stop speaking even when he wanted to. God’s message was a fire in his bones, irresistible, painful, yet life-giving.
- Hope rises from the ashes. Verse 11 begins with 'But Yahweh is with me as an awesome mighty one.' The lament does not end in despair; it pivots to trust, though the struggle remains.
Illustration hooks
- A church member who took a public stand on a controversial issue and now faces mockery from colleagues, wondering if God really called them into it.
- A parent who feels overwhelmed by the sacrifices of raising children with integrity, while the culture around them seems to thrive by cutting corners.
- An employee who chose honesty over promotion and now struggles with loneliness, questioning whether the sacrifice was worth it.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it okay to be angry at God, especially when serving Him brings hardship?
- How do I keep going when my work for God seems to produce nothing but rejection?
- If God called me to something, why is it so hard? Did I misunderstand His guidance?
Leading a Discussion
Jeremiah 20:7 pulls back the curtain on the prophet’s inner world. After the trauma of the stocks, he hurls a raw accusation at God: 'You have deceived me.' But even in his anger, he stays in conversation, he does not walk away. This passage challenges modern assumptions that faith means always feeling peaceful. Use these questions to explore the place of honest lament in your group.
Discussion questions
- Read Jeremiah 20:7-9 aloud. What emotions do you see in Jeremiah’s words? Which phrase strikes you most strongly?
- Jeremiah says God 'persuaded' or 'deceived' him, the Hebrew word can mean either. Why do you think he chose this charged language? What does it reveal about how he feels about his calling?
- In verse 9, Jeremiah tries to stop speaking in God’s name but fails. Have you ever felt a conviction that you could not set aside, even when it cost you? Share an example if comfortable.
- Jeremiah’s friends and the community mock him (v. 7-10). How does the experience of being shamed for faithfulness differ from suffering for our own mistakes?
- Verse 10 mentions people watching for Jeremiah to stumble, hoping to take revenge. Why do people often react with hostility when someone speaks an uncomfortable truth?
- Jeremiah laments, but then in verse 11 he declares, 'But Yahweh is with me as an awesome mighty one.' How can honest complaint and trust coexist? What does this teach us about prayer?
- If someone in your small group confessed they felt 'deceived' by God over a difficult situation, how would you respond? What does this passage suggest about helping each other lament?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 5:22 | Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me? |
| Exodus 5:23 | For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people. You have not rescued your people at all!” |
| Numbers 11:11 | Moses said to Yahweh, “Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why haven’t I found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? |
| Numbers 11:15 | If you treat me this way, please kill me right now, if I have found favor in your sight; and don’t let me see my wretchedness.” |
| II Kings 2:23 | He went up from there to Bethel. As he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldy! Go up, you baldy!” |
| Psalms 22:6 | But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. |
| Psalms 22:7 | All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying, |
| Psalms 35:15 | But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it. They tore at me, and didn’t cease. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that the Hebrew word behind this verse means "persuaded," not "deceived." He finds the common translation highly irreverent, since God persuaded Jeremiah to prophesy. The same Hebrew root appears in Genesis, where God enlarges or persuades Japheth.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes sees Jeremiah's anguish not as a reaction to physical abuse but as the crushing weight of believing his ministry had failed. This despair effectively ended his prophetic work, since from this point onward he could only soften an unavoidable punishment rather than avert it.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that Jeremiah's cry of being deceived is not a real confession but an ironical adoption of his enemies' accusation. The prophet is fully convinced of his calling; he speaks as if wearing his opponents' voice to show that resisting his message means warring against God himself.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible for Schools sees this passage as revealing the prophet's deepest emotions, swinging between despair and confident hope. It argues the final verses belong to the later days of Zedekiah, while the earlier ones fit Jehoiakim's reign. The commentator also notes that the similar lament in Job likely derives from Jeremiah's more spontaneous expression.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note explains
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that Jeremiah is not accusing God of deception but saying God persuaded him into the prophetic role against his will. The Hebrew word means "persuaded," not "deceived," so Jeremiah admits God's stronger persuasion, even though it brought him constant mockery.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that Jeremiah misunderstood God's promise, which guaranteed deliverance out of suffering, not freedom from suffering itself. They also highlight that the word translated "deceived" can mean "persuaded" — God persuaded Jeremiah to undertake his prophetic role, a burden he now finds overwhelming.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch insist that God "persuaded" Jeremiah, not deceived or overpowered him. The prophet kept trying to stop speaking, but God's word burned like fire locked in his bones, forcing him to continue. This intense inner conflict erupted because Pashur had just beaten and publicly humiliated him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that even the best of men are still human, and Jeremiah's bitter complaint reveals the real struggle inside him between grace and corruption. God does not harshly judge such honest outbursts, and Henry draws comfort from this: believers can bring even their confusion and anger to God without fear of rejection.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that "prevailed" refers to God overruling Jeremiah’s own inclinations. When Jeremiah first excused himself, God answered by commanding him to go and speak. God’s persuasive power overcame Jeremiah’s reluctance, compelling him to obey despite his personal wishes.