TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 18:18–23. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The prophet here, as sometimes before, brings in his own affairs, but very much for instruction to us.
I.See here what are the common methods of the persecutors. We may see this in Jeremiah's enemies, Jer 18:18.
1.They laid their heads together to consult what they should do against him, both to be revenged on him for what he had said and to stop his mouth for the future: They said, Come and let us devise devices against Jeremiah. The enemies of God's people and ministers have been often very crafty themselves, and confederate with one another, to do them mischief. What they cannot act to the prejudice of religion separately they will try to do in concert. The wicked plots against the just. Caiaphas, and the chief priests and elders, did so against our blessed Saviour himself. The opposition which the gates of hell give to the kingdom of heaven is carried on with a great deal of cursed policy. God had said (Jer 18:11), I devise a device against you; and now, as if they resolved to be quits with him and to outwit Infinite Wisdom itself, they resolve to devise devices against God's prophet, not only against his person, but against the word he delivered to them, which they thought by their subtle management to defeat. O the prodigious madness of those that hope to disannul God's counsel!
2.Herein they pretended a mighty zeal for the church, which, they suggested, was in danger if Jeremiah was tolerated to preach as he did: "Come," say they, "let us silence and crush him, for the law shall not perish from the priest; the law of truth is in their mouths (Mal 2:6) and there we will seek it; the administration of ordinances according to the law is in their hands, and neither the one nor the other shall be wrested from them. Counsel shall not perish from the wise; the administration of public affairs shall always be lodged with the privy-counsellors and ministers of state, to whom it belongs; nor shall the word perish from the prophets" - they mean those of their own choosing, who prophesied to them smooth things, and flattered them with visions of peace. Two things they insinuated: - (1.) That Jeremiah could not be himself a true prophet, but was a pretender and a usurper, because he neither was commissioned by the priests, nor concurred with the other prophets, whose authority therefore will be despised if he be suffered to go on. "If Jeremiah be regarded as an oracle, farewell the reputation of our priests, our wise men, and prophets; but that must be supported, which is reason enough why he must be suppressed." (2.) That the matter of his prophecies could not be from God, because it reflected sometimes upon the prophets and priests; he had charged them with being the ringleaders of all the mischief (Jer 5:31) and deceiving the people (Jer 14:14); he had foretold that their heart should perish, and be astonished (Jer 4:9), that the wise men should be dismayed (Jer 8:9, Jer 8:10), that the priests and prophets should be intoxicated, Jer 13:13. Now this galled them more than any thing else. Presuming upon the promise of God's presence with their priests and prophets, they could not believe that he would ever leave them. The guides of the church must needs be infallible, and therefore he who foretold their being infatuated must be condemned as a false prophet. Thus, under colour of zeal for the church, have its best friends been run down.
3.They agreed to do all they could to blast his reputation: "Come, let us smite him with the tongue, put him into an ill name, fasten a bad character upon him, represent him to some as despicable and fit to be prosecuted, to all as odious and not fit to be tolerated." This was their device, fortiter calumniari, aliquid adhaerebit - to throw the vilest calumnies at him, in hopes that some would adhere to him. to dress him up in bearskins, otherwise they could not bait him. Those who projected this, it is likely, were men of figure, whose tongue was no small slander, whose representations, though ever so false, would be credited both by princes and people, to make him obnoxious to the justice of the one and the fury of the other. The scourge of such tongues will give not only smart lashes, but deep wounds; it is a great mercy therefore to be hidden from it, Job 5:21.
4.To set others an example, they resolved that they would not themselves regard any thing he said, though it appeared ever so weighty and ever so well confirmed as a message from God: Let us not give heed to any of his words; for, right or wrong, they will look upon them to be his words, and not the words of God. What good can be done with those who hear the word of God with a resolution not to heed it or believe it? Nay,
5.That they may effectually silence him, they resolve to be the death of him (Jer 18:23): All their counsel against me is to slay me. They hunt for the precious life; and a precious life indeed it was that they hunted for. Long was this Jerusalem's wretched character, Thou that killedst many of the prophets, and wouldst have killed them all.
II.See here what is the common relief of the persecuted.
This we may see in the course that Jeremiah took when he met with this hard usage. He immediately applied to his God by prayer, and so gave himself ease.
1.He referred himself and his cause to God's cognizance, Jer 18:19. They would not regard a word he said, would not admit his complaints, nor take any notice of his grievances; but, Lord (says he), do thou give heed to me. It is matter of comfort to faithful ministers that, if men will not give heed to their praying. He appeals to God as an impartial Judge, that will hear both sides, as every judge ought to do. "Do not only give heed to me, but hearken to the voice of those that contend with me; hear what they have to say against me and for themselves, and then make it to appear that thou sittest in the throne, judging right. Hear the voice of my contenders, how noisy and clamorous they are, how false and malicious all they say is, and let them be judged out of their own mouth; cause their own tongues to fall upon them."
2.He complains of their base ingratitude to him (Jer 18:20): "Shall evil be recompensed for good, and shall it go unpunished? Wilt not thou recompense me good for that evil?" Sa2 16:12. To render good for good is human, evil for evil is brutish, good for evil is Christian, but evil for good is devilish; it is so very absurd and wicked a thing that we cannot think but God will avenge it. See how great the evil was that they did against him: They have dug a pit for my soul; they aimed to take away his life (no less would satisfy them), and that not in a generous way, by an open assault, against which he might have an opportunity of defending himself, but in a base, cowardly, clandestine way: they dug pits for him, which there was no fence against, Psa 119:85. But see how great the good was which he had done for them: Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them; he had been an intercessor with God for them, had used his interest in heaven on their behalf, which was the greatest kindness they could expect from one of his character. He is a prophet and he shall pray for thee, Gen 20:7. Moses often did this for Israel, and yet they quarrelled with him, and sometimes spoke of stoning him. He did them this kindness when they were in imminent danger of destruction and most needed it. They had themselves provoked God's wrath against them, and it was ready to break in upon them, but he stood in the gap (as Moses, Psa 106:23) and turned away that wrath. Now,
(1.)This was very base in them. Call a man ungrateful and you can call him no worse. But it was not strange that those who had forgotten their God did not know their best friends.
(2.)It was very grievous to him, as the like was to David. Psa 35:13; Psa 109:4, For my love they are my adversaries. Thus disingenuously do sinners deal with the great intercessor, crucifying him afresh, and speaking against him on earth, while his blood is speaking for them in heaven. See Joh 10:32. But,
(3.)It was a comfort to the prophet that, when they were so spiteful against him, he had the testimony of his conscience for him that he had done his duty to them; and the same will be our rejoicing in such a day of evil. The blood-thirsty hate the upright, but the just seek his soul, Pro 29:10.
3.He imprecates the judgments of God upon them, not from a revengeful disposition, but in a prophetical indignation against their horrid wickedness, Jer 18:21-23. He prays, (1.) That their families might be starved for want of bread: "Deliver up the children to the famine, to the famine in the country for want of rain, and that in the city through the straitness of the siege. Thus let this iniquity of the fathers be visited upon the children." (2.) That they might be cut off by the sword of war, which, whatever it was in the enemy's hand, would be, in God's hand, a sword of justice: "Pour them out (so the word is) by the hands of the sword; let their blood be shed as profusely as water, that their wives may be left childless and widows, their husbands being taken away by death" (some think that the prophet refers to pestilence); let their young men, that are the strength of this generation and the hope of the next, be slain by the sword in battle. (3.) That the terrors and desolations of war might seize them suddenly and by surprise, that thus their punishment might answer to their sin (Jer 18:22): "Let a cry be heard from their houses, loud shrieks, when thou shalt bring a troop of the Chaldeans suddenly upon them, to seize them and all they have, to make them prisoners and their estates a prey;" for thus they would have done by Jeremiah; they aimed to ruin him at once ere he was aware: "They have dug a pit for me, as for a wild beast, and have hid snares for me, as for some ravenous noxious fowl." Note, Those that think to ensnare others will justly be themselves ensnared in an evil time. (4.) That they might be dealt with according to the desert of this sin, which was without excuse: "Forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight; that is, let them not escape the just punishment of it; let them lie under all the miseries of those whose sins are unpardoned." (5.) That God's wrath against them might be their ruin: Let them be overthrown before thee. This intimates that justice was in pursuit of them, that they endeavoured to make their escape from it, but in vain; "they shall be made to stumble in their flight, and being overthrown they will certainly be overtaken." And then, Lord, in the time of thy anger, do to them (he does not say what he would have done to them, but) do to them as thou thinkest fit, as thou usest to do with those whom thou art angry with - deal thus with them. Now this is not written for our imitation. Jeremiah was a prophet, and by the impulse of the spirit of prophecy, in the foresight of the ruin certainly coming upon his persecutors, might pray such prayers as we may not; and, if we think by this example to justify ourselves in such imprecations, we know not what manner of spirit we are of; our Master has taught us, by his precept and pattern, to bless those that curse us and pray for those that despitefully use us. Yet it is written for our instruction, and is of use to teach us, [1.] That those who have forfeited the benefit of the prayers of God's prophets for them may justly expect to have their prayers against them. [2.] That persecution is a sin that fills the measure of a people's iniquity very fast, and will bring as sure and sore a destruction upon them as any thing. [3.] Those who will not be won upon by the kindness of God and his prophets will certainly at length feel the just resentments of both.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
(Verse 19 and following) Attend, O Lord, to me: and hear the voice of my adversaries. Is evil repaid for good, because they have dug a pit for my soul? Remember that I stood in your presence, to speak good for them, and to turn away your wrath from them. Therefore, let their children become a byword, and let them be led into the hands of the sword. May their wives be without children and widows, and may their husbands be killed by death, may their young men be pierced by the sword in battle, may the cry be heard from their houses. Indeed, these things were suffered by the people of Judah under the type of the Savior, which were subsequently fulfilled more fully and perfectly in Christ. And after the coming of the Babylonians, they were devastated. But they were completely fulfilled in Christ, and after the city was destroyed by the Roman sword, they were put to death, not because of idolatry, which was not present at that time, but because of the killing of the Son of God, when the whole people cried out together: Take him away, take him away; we have no king but Caesar (John 19:15). And their curse is a complete eternal damnation; His blood is upon us, and upon our children (Matthew 27:25). For they dug a pit for Christ, and said: Let us remove him from the land of the living (Isaiah 53:8). He showed them such great mercy, that while standing in the presence of the Father, he spoke good things for them, to turn away his anger from them, even saying on the cross: Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34). We hasten through the obscure, in order to dwell in the clearer things, by no means interpreting the delusions of certain individuals or the captivity of the celestial Jerusalem, but rather pursuing a clear history and a most evident prophecy, with every confidence in words and meanings.
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Summary
Jeremiah 18:20 captures the prophet's profound anguish and sense of betrayal, as he laments the stark injustice of receiving evil in return for his tireless efforts to intercede on behalf of his people. Despite his faithful ministry of speaking good and seeking to avert divine wrath from Judah, he faces malicious plots and attempts on his life, vividly expressed through the imagery of a "dug pit." This verse serves as a heartfelt plea to God for justice and a poignant reflection on the suffering of the righteous in the face of deep ingratitude and hostility.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 18:20 is situated within a pivotal section of Jeremiah's prophecy that begins with the powerful analogy of the potter and the clay in Jeremiah 18:1-12. This divine object lesson illustrates God's sovereign right to shape nations according to their responsiveness to His word, highlighting His prerogative to change His plans for blessing or judgment based on a people's repentance or persistent rebellion. Following this, Jeremiah delivers a direct message of impending judgment to Judah, which is met with defiant rejection from the people who declare their intent to follow their own sinful devices (Jeremiah 18:12). The immediate preceding verses, Jeremiah 18:18-19, reveal a direct and sinister conspiracy against Jeremiah himself. His adversaries conspire to destroy his prophetic word, his reputation, and his very life. Verse 20, therefore, is Jeremiah's deeply personal lament, an anguished prayer to God that responds directly to this profound betrayal and the malicious plots against him, emphasizing the stark contrast between his benevolent actions and their malevolent intentions.
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah ministered during the tumultuous final decades of the Kingdom of Judah (late 7th to early 6th century BCE), a period marked by severe political instability, widespread spiritual apostasy, and the looming threat of the Babylonian Empire. The people of Judah, including their leaders, priests, and false prophets, had largely abandoned their covenant with Yahweh, engaging in pervasive idolatry, social injustice, and moral corruption. Jeremiah's prophetic message consistently called for national repentance and warned of the inevitable judgment if they persisted in their rebellion. This message was deeply unpopular, as it challenged the prevailing false sense of security and religious nationalism. Culturally, the concept of "digging a pit" was a common and potent metaphor for setting a trap or devising a malicious plot, often with fatal intent, reflecting the treachery and underhanded tactics employed by Jeremiah's enemies. The prophet's suffering was thus not merely personal but indicative of the broader societal rejection of God's truth and His faithful messengers.
Key Themes
Jeremiah 18:20 powerfully articulates several key themes pervasive in the book of Jeremiah and broader biblical theology. Foremost is the theme of Betrayal and Ingratitude, as Jeremiah questions the profound injustice of receiving evil in return for his selfless intercession. This highlights the Suffering of the Righteous, a recurring motif where those who faithfully serve God face persecution and hostility, often from their own people. Jeremiah's unwavering commitment to his Intercessory Role is evident as he reminds God of his efforts to "speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them," mirroring the role of other great intercessors like Moses (Exodus 32:11-14). The verse also underscores the theme of Divine Justice, as Jeremiah's rhetorical question, "Shall evil be recompensed for good?", is a fervent appeal to God's righteous character, seeking vindication against those who "have digged a pit for my soul." This plea for God to remember and act reflects a deep trust in God's ultimate sovereignty and His commitment to upholding righteousness, even when human justice fails, as seen in Jeremiah's earlier prayer for vengeance in Jeremiah 11:20.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term encompasses a wide range of negative connotations, including badness, calamity, distress, harm, mischief, and moral wickedness. In this context, it refers to the malicious plots, persecution, and attempts on Jeremiah's life by his adversaries, contrasting sharply with the "good" he performed. It signifies both the moral depravity of their actions and the harmful, destructive consequences intended for Jeremiah.
This word signifies that which is excellent, pleasant, prosperous, and morally upright. Here, it describes Jeremiah's actions: his faithful intercession, his speaking of truth for their benefit, and his efforts to avert God's wrath from the people. It emphasizes the benevolent and righteous nature of his ministry, making the recompense of "evil" all the more shocking and unjust.
This word is broadly used to denote a breathing creature, vitality, or the very essence of a person—their life, self, mind, or desire. When Jeremiah states "they have digged a pit for my soul," it indicates that the plot was aimed at his very life, his being, or his spiritual and emotional well-being. It highlights the profound personal threat and the existential nature of the danger he faced, targeting his core existence.
Verse Breakdown
"Shall evil be recompensed for good?"
This is a powerful rhetorical question expressing profound shock, indignation, and a fervent plea for divine justice. Jeremiah is questioning the fundamental moral order, highlighting the egregious injustice of receiving harm and malice in return for his selfless and beneficial actions towards his people. It implies a deep sense of betrayal and a challenge to God's righteous governance if such an inversion of justice were to stand.
"for they have digged a pit for my soul."
This clause provides the immediate justification for Jeremiah's lament and rhetorical question. The phrase "digged a pit" is a common biblical idiom for setting a treacherous trap or devising a malicious, often deadly, plot. "For my soul" emphasizes that the plot is aimed at his very life, his well-being, or his complete destruction. It reveals the treacherous and underhanded nature of his enemies' intentions, who seek to ensnare and destroy him.
"Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them,"
Jeremiah appeals to God's memory and justice, reminding Him of his faithful intercessory ministry. "Stood before thee" signifies his role as a mediator or advocate, standing in God's presence on behalf of the people. "To speak good for them" refers to his prophetic messages that, despite their warnings of judgment, were ultimately intended for the people's repentance, restoration, and welfare. He consistently sought their true good, even when delivering difficult truths.
"and to turn away thy wrath from them."
This further elaborates on Jeremiah's intercessory role. His ministry was not only to speak for their good but actively to plead with God to avert the impending divine judgment and anger that their sins deserved. This highlights his compassion and tireless efforts to mediate between a holy God and a rebellious people, making the subsequent plots against him all the more heinous and unjust in his eyes.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 18:20 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the prophet's deep anguish and the profound injustice he experiences. The most prominent is the Rhetorical Question, "Shall evil be recompensed for good?" This question is not posed to elicit information but to express the prophet's shock, outrage, and impassioned appeal to God's inherent justice. It underscores the moral absurdity of the situation and serves as a direct challenge to the divine order if such an inversion of recompense were allowed to stand. Furthermore, the phrase "they have digged a pit for my soul" is a vivid Metaphor and a common Idiom in biblical literature. It vividly portrays a malicious and treacherous plot, implying a hidden trap designed for destruction, often with fatal intent. This imagery emphasizes the underhanded and life-threatening nature of the opposition Jeremiah faces. The verse also utilizes Juxtaposition, sharply contrasting Jeremiah's benevolent actions ("speak good for them," "turn away thy wrath") with the malevolent intentions of his adversaries ("digged a pit for my soul," "evil be recompensed"). This sharp contrast heightens the sense of betrayal and injustice, amplifying the prophet's cry.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah's lament in this verse resonates deeply with the broader biblical narrative of righteous suffering and the tension between divine justice and human wickedness. It underscores the profound moral inversion that occurs when good is repaid with evil, a theme that challenges our understanding of fairness and divine intervention. The prophet's appeal to God to "remember" his intercessory work highlights the covenantal relationship and the expectation that God, as the righteous judge, will ultimately vindicate His faithful servants. This verse positions Jeremiah as a prototype of the suffering servant, whose selfless actions for the benefit of others are met with hostility, foreshadowing a greater intercessor to come. The "pit" symbolizes the insidious schemes of the wicked, a recurring motif that anticipates God's judgment upon those who plot against the innocent.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 18:20 offers a profound mirror for believers navigating a world where goodness is often met with ingratitude, betrayal, or even active malice. The prophet's raw, honest cry to God models a vital aspect of spiritual life: bringing our deepest hurts, confusion, and sense of injustice directly before the Lord. It reminds us that faithfulness to God and selfless service to others do not guarantee an easy path; indeed, they can often invite opposition, just as they did for Jeremiah and ultimately for Christ. When we experience the pain of being wronged despite our good intentions, this verse encourages us not to despair but to trust in God's perfect justice and His unwavering commitment to righteousness. Our vindication is not found in human retaliation but in surrendering our grievances to the One who sees all and judges righteously. It calls us to persist in doing good, even when it is costly, knowing that our ultimate reward and justice come from God, who promises to recompense according to His perfect will.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "digged a pit for my soul" mean in this context?
The phrase "digged a pit for my soul" is a vivid biblical idiom signifying a malicious plot or trap designed to ensnare and destroy someone, often with fatal intent. "For my soul" emphasizes that the plot is aimed at Jeremiah's very life, his well-being, or his complete ruin. It highlights the treacherous, underhanded, and potentially deadly nature of the conspiracy against him by his adversaries, who sought to silence or eliminate him because of his prophetic message. This imagery is common in the Psalms, where the psalmist often cries out against those who lay traps for the righteous, as seen in Psalm 35:7.
Why is Jeremiah complaining to God if God is sovereign?
Jeremiah's lament is not a complaint in the sense of questioning God's sovereignty or power, but rather a fervent appeal to God's righteous character and justice. As a prophet, Jeremiah had a unique and intimate relationship with God, allowing him to express his raw emotions, pain, and confusion directly. His question, "Shall evil be recompensed for good?", is a plea for God to act according to His just nature and to vindicate His faithful servant. It's an expression of trust that God is a God of justice who sees the hidden plots and will ultimately set things right. This kind of honest, impassioned prayer is characteristic of many biblical figures, demonstrating that faith allows for wrestling with difficult realities in God's presence, as seen in the laments throughout the book of Psalms.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Jeremiah 18:20 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet," faithfully interceded for a rebellious people, speaking good for them and seeking to turn away God's wrath, only to be met with betrayal, plots, and attempts on his life. This experience perfectly foreshadows the ultimate suffering of the true and greater Prophet, Jesus, who likewise "came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11). Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, continually spoke words of life and truth, performed countless acts of "good," and ultimately offered Himself as the supreme intercessor, bearing the wrath of God for humanity's sin (Romans 5:8). Yet, in return for His unparalleled good, He was met with the deepest evil: rejection, false accusations, a "pit" dug for His soul by those He came to save, culminating in His crucifixion (Matthew 26:59-60). Just as Jeremiah appealed to God for justice, Jesus entrusted Himself to the One who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:23). His suffering, however, was not in vain; through His ultimate act of good—His atoning sacrifice—He definitively turned away God's wrath from all who believe, establishing an eternal peace and fulfilling the very intercession Jeremiah longed for (Colossians 1:20).