Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet"
Text: Jeremiah 20:2
A STRONG RESISTANCE
Jeremiah’s message to the two groups of people met with strong resistance. This was a personal blow to Jeremiah.
“Now Pashhur the son of Immer,
the priest who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD,
heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.
Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet,
and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin,
which was by the house of the LORD.”
Jeremiah 20:1-2
1. “Now Pashhur the son of Immer, the priest who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD”
a) He was one of the priests who served in the Temple, called “the house of the LORD”.
b) He was also the “chief governor”.
2. “Heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things”
a) He was not in either of the two groups.
b) He had only heard reports of what Jeremiah preached.
c) He was not just one of the elders; he was the “chief governor” and may have felt that he need not be present when Jeremiah spoke.
d) He had heard that Jeremiah had prophesied strongly against Jerusalem and against all the towns.
3. “Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet”
a) This could have been a public flogging of Jeremiah.
b) It was intended to hurt Jeremiah.
i) Personally
ii) Physically
iii) Publicly
4. “And put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD”
a) The word “stock”:
i) It literally means to “distort”.
ii) It was a place of confinement that was so small it would cause the prisoner great discomfort.
iii) It may be likened to the “Hanoi Hilton”.
(A small and cramped prison that tall people cannot fully stretch their
limbs).
b) The stocks were close to the house of the LORD.
c) The high gate of Benjamin.
i) This gate was mentioned also in Jeremiah 37:13.
ii) It led to the city of Anathoth.
iii) Little is known about this gate.