Jeremiah 20:14

KJV

¶ Cursed [be] the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

KJV (with Strong's)

Cursed {H779} be the day {H3117} wherein I was born {H3205}: let not the day {H3117} wherein my mother {H517} bare {H3205} me be blessed {H1288}.

Complete Jewish Bible

A curse on the day I was born! The day my mother gave birth to me - let it not be blessed!

Berean Standard Bible

Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me never be blessed.

American Standard Version

Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 20:14 captures a raw and profound moment of despair from the prophet Jeremiah, often called the "weeping prophet." Following intense persecution and deep emotional distress over his prophetic ministry, Jeremiah curses the day of his birth, expressing a fervent wish that he had never come into existence. This verse is a powerful outpouring of human anguish, revealing the immense personal cost of faithfully proclaiming God's truth in a resistant world and highlighting the prophet's deep identification with the suffering of his people.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Jeremiah 20:14 is situated within a series of personal laments and confessions by the prophet, often referred to as "Jeremiah's Confessions" (Jeremiah 11-20). Specifically, this verse immediately follows Jeremiah's arrest, beating, and placement in the stocks by Pashhur, a chief priest and temple official, due to his unwelcome prophecies of judgment against Jerusalem and Judah ([Jeremiah 20:1-3](/jeremiah/20-1 "Jeremiah 20:1-3 - Pashhur's Persecution of Jeremiah")). Despite his suffering, Jeremiah felt an irresistible divine compulsion to speak God's word, describing it as a "burning fire, shut up in my bones" that he could not hold back ([Jeremiah 20:9](/jeremiah/20-9 "Jeremiah 20:9 - Jeremiah's Irresistible Call")). His lament in verse 14, therefore, is not a rejection of God but an honest and agonizing outpouring of extreme human suffering, a deeply personal cry against the overwhelming burden of his divine calling, which brought him only ridicule, pain, and isolation. It stands in stark contrast to his earlier declaration of trust in God's vindication ([Jeremiah 20:11-13](/jeremiah/20-11 "Jeremiah 20:11-13 - Jeremiah's Trust in God's Vindication")), showcasing the fluctuating emotional landscape of a prophet under duress.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Jeremiah prophesied during a tumultuous period in Judah's history, spanning the reigns of the last five kings before the Babylonian exile (late 7th to early 6th century BCE). This era was characterized by political instability, spiritual apostasy, and the looming threat of foreign invasion. Jeremiah's message of impending judgment and the call to repentance was largely rejected by the people, the false prophets, and the ruling elite, who preferred messages of peace and prosperity. In this cultural setting, a person's birth was generally seen as a blessing and a cause for celebration, often accompanied by rituals and expressions of joy. To curse one's birth, as Jeremiah does, was an extreme expression of despair, indicating a wish for non-existence—a sentiment deeply unsettling in a society that valued lineage and continuity. Such a lament would have been understood as a profound reversal of natural order and a desperate cry from the depths of suffering, echoing ancient Near Eastern laments and curses, though rarely directed at one's own beginning.
* **Key Themes:** Jeremiah 20:14 profoundly contributes to several key themes within the book of Jeremiah and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights the **profound despair and anguish** experienced by the prophet, vividly portraying the emotional toll of his prophetic burden. This raw honesty underscores the **humanity of the prophet**, demonstrating that even God's chosen servants are not immune to intense frustration, sorrow, and even thoughts of non-existence. Secondly, it emphasizes the **burden and cost of prophetic ministry**, especially when delivering unpopular messages of judgment, which consistently led to opposition and persecution for Jeremiah. This verse resonates with other biblical figures who experienced deep suffering, such as Job, who similarly cursed the day of his birth amidst his trials ([Job 3:1-10](/job/3-10 "Job 3:1-10 - Job's Lament on His Birth")). Finally, it speaks to the theme of **lament as a legitimate expression of faith**, demonstrating that authentic faith allows for the full spectrum of human emotion, even profound despair, to be brought before God.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Cursed (Hebrew, _ʼârar'_):** This primitive root (H779) means "to execrate" or "bitterly curse." It implies a strong, fervent wish for something to be deprived of blessing, subjected to misfortune, or even brought to ruin. When applied to a day, as here, it signifies a desire for that day to be utterly devoid of any good, marked instead by the deepest negativity and divine disfavor. Jeremiah's use of this word for his own birth-day is an extreme expression of his desire to undo his very existence, reflecting an overwhelming sense of suffering and regret.
* **day (Hebrew, _yôwm'_):** From an unused root meaning "to be hot," this word (H3117) refers to a day, either literal (from sunrise to sunset) or figurative (a defined space of time). In this context, "the day wherein I was born" refers to the specific moment of his entry into the world. The repetition of "day" emphasizes the target of his curse—not just his life, but the very beginning of it, the moment that initiated his existence and, consequently, his suffering. It symbolizes the origin point of all his subsequent pain.
* **blessed (Hebrew, _bârak'_):** This primitive root (H1288) primarily means "to kneel," and by implication, "to bless God (as an act of adoration)" or "man (as a benefit)." Interestingly, it can also be used euphemistically to "curse" (God or the king, as treason). In Jeremiah 20:14, the negative construction "let not... be blessed" is a direct antithesis to "cursed." It reinforces the complete absence of any good or divine favor upon the day of his birth. It's not merely a wish for a neutral state, but for an active withholding of all that is good, highlighting the depth of his desire for the day to be marked by misfortune.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Cursed be the day wherein I was born:"** This opening clause is a direct and forceful imprecation. Jeremiah invokes a curse upon the specific calendar day of his birth, wishing for it to be deprived of all blessing and to be marked by misfortune. This is not a casual complaint but a deep, visceral cry of anguish, expressing a profound regret for his very existence. The intensity of this statement reveals the overwhelming burden of his prophetic calling and the severe persecution he endured, leading him to wish for non-being as an escape from his suffering.
* **"let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed."** This second clause functions as a parallel intensification of the first, employing negative parallelism. While the first clause actively curses, this one passively wishes for the absence of blessing. The reference to his "mother" adds a deeply personal and intimate dimension to his lament, acknowledging the physical act of his birth and extending the desire for its unblessed state. The combined effect of both clauses is a comprehensive rejection of his birth, a desperate plea for the reversal of his beginning, underscoring the depth of his emotional pain and the feeling that his life has brought him nothing but sorrow.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 20:14 is rich in literary devices that amplify the prophet's profound despair. The most prominent is **Parallelism**, specifically **Negative Parallelism**, where the second line reiterates the sentiment of the first but in an antithetical or negative form ("Cursed be... let not... be blessed"). This structure emphasizes the absolute nature of Jeremiah's wish for his birth-day to be devoid of any good. **Hyperbole** is also evident, as cursing one's birth is an extreme exaggeration of distress, conveying an overwhelming sense of suffering that transcends normal expression. It's a rhetorical device to communicate the prophet's utter brokenness. Furthermore, the verse functions as a **Lament** or **Dirge**, a form of poetic expression common in the Psalms and prophetic literature, designed to give voice to deep sorrow, pain, and complaint before God. The "day" of his birth can also be seen as **Symbolism**, representing not just a specific date but the entire trajectory of his life, which he perceives as cursed due to the suffering his prophetic calling has entailed.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah's lament in 20:14 offers profound theological insights into the nature of human suffering, the cost of divine calling, and the legitimacy of honest lament before God. It reveals that even the most faithful servants of God can experience depths of despair that lead them to question their very existence. This verse assures believers that expressing raw, even seemingly unholy, emotions to God is not a sign of weak faith but an authentic engagement with the divine. God is big enough to handle our darkest thoughts and deepest anguish. Jeremiah's experience validates the reality that faithfulness does not guarantee an easy life; sometimes, it leads to profound hardship and isolation, yet God remains present in the midst of it. The prophet's cry echoes the universal human experience of pain and the longing for relief, demonstrating that suffering can be so intense that non-existence appears preferable.

* [Job 3:1-10](/job/3-10 "Job 3:1-10 - Job Curses the Day of His Birth")
* [Psalm 88:1-18](/psalms/88 "Psalm 88 - A Psalm of Deepest Despair")
* [Lamentations 3:1-20](/lamentations/3-1 "Lamentations 3:1-20 - The Prophet's Deep Affliction")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 20:14 provides a powerful and comforting validation for those experiencing profound despair or overwhelming challenges. It reminds us that it is not only permissible but, at times, necessary to voice our deepest anguish and darkest thoughts to God. The Bible does not shy away from the raw realities of human suffering, and Jeremiah's lament serves as a divine permission slip for us to bring our unvarnished emotions—frustration, sorrow, anger, and even suicidal ideation—before our Creator. This verse teaches us that faith does not eliminate pain or guarantee an easy life; indeed, faithfulness can sometimes lead to greater hardship and opposition. However, it also underscores that God understands our anguish and remains present even when we feel utterly broken and abandoned. Our honest cries, even those that seem to question His ways, are recorded in Scripture, demonstrating God's acceptance and empathy. This truth can be a profound source of comfort, reminding us that we are not alone in our feelings and that God meets us in our lowest valleys.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways do you find it difficult to express your deepest pain or despair to God?**
* **How does Jeremiah's raw honesty challenge your understanding of what "faith" looks like in suffering?**
* **Can you identify a time in your life when you felt a similar level of despair, and how did you cope with it?**
* **What comfort can you draw from the fact that God allowed such a lament to be included in His inspired Word?**

### FAQ
**Is it wrong for a prophet or a believer to curse the day of their birth or express such deep despair?**

Answer: Jeremiah 20:14, along with similar laments from Job ([Job 3:1-10](/job/3-10 "Job 3:1-10 - Job's Lament on His Birth")), demonstrates that it is not necessarily "wrong" in the sense of being sinful to express profound despair, even to the point of cursing one's existence. These passages reveal the raw, unvarnished reality of human suffering and the freedom given to God's faithful servants to voice their deepest anguish directly to Him. While such expressions are extreme and reflect immense pain, they are presented within the context of a relationship with God, not as a rejection of Him. They highlight the prophet's humanity and the intensity of his burden, validating the experience of deep emotional distress for all believers. God's inclusion of these laments in Scripture indicates His understanding and acceptance of our authentic, even agonizing, cries.

**Does Jeremiah's lament indicate a lack of faith or trust in God?**

Answer: While Jeremiah's lament expresses extreme despair, it does not necessarily indicate a fundamental lack of faith or trust in God. Instead, it reveals the profound tension between his unwavering calling and the overwhelming suffering it brought. Immediately preceding this verse, Jeremiah affirms his trust in God's vindication ([Jeremiah 20:11-13](/jeremiah/20-11 "Jeremiah 20:11-13 - Jeremiah's Trust in God's Vindication")). His lament is an honest outpouring of human emotion under immense pressure, a wrestling with God in the crucible of pain, rather than a definitive renunciation of faith. Many Psalms of lament also demonstrate this dynamic, where deep anguish and questioning coexist with an underlying trust in God's ultimate faithfulness ([Psalm 22](/psalms/22 "Psalm 22 - A Cry of Anguish and Praise")). It shows that faith is not the absence of doubt or pain, but the willingness to bring all of one's experience, even the darkest parts, into God's presence.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah's profound lament in 20:14, a cry for non-existence amidst overwhelming suffering, finds its ultimate echo and redemptive fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Jeremiah cursed the day of his birth, Jesus, though "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" ([Isaiah 53:3](/isaiah/53-3 "Isaiah 53:3 - The Suffering Servant")), embraced His birth and life, knowing it led to the cross. His suffering was not merely the consequence of an unpopular message, but the very purpose of His incarnation—to bear the curse of humanity. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus expressed an anguish far deeper than Jeremiah's, praying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" ([Matthew 26:39](/matthew/26-39 "Matthew 26:39 - Jesus' Prayer in Gethsemane")). Here, we see profound human agony, yet coupled with perfect submission to the Father's will, a stark contrast to Jeremiah's wish for non-being. On the cross, Jesus became the ultimate "cursed one" for our sake, taking upon Himself the very curse that Jeremiah wished upon his birth-day, so that we might receive blessing. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree'" ([Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeems Us from the Curse")). Thus, Jeremiah's lament, while intensely human, foreshadows the divine suffering of the Lamb of God, who fully entered into human pain, conquered the curse, and transformed the deepest anguish into the source of eternal blessing and life.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Jeremiah 15:10

¶ Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; [yet] every one of them doth curse me.

Job 3:3

Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night [in which] it was said, There is a man child conceived.

Job 3:16

Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants [which] never saw light.