Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 20:3
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magor-missabib.
3. Magor-missabib ] meaning, terror on every side. The LXX wrongly render, foreigner, obtaining this sense from the fact that the Hebrew roots for terror and sojourn in a foreign country are identical in form. The name is to be significant of his fate, which doubtless was to go into exile with Jehoiachin, as well as of the consternation of himself and his friends at the failure of their policy of reliance on Egypt against Chaldaea. For the expression cp. Jer 20:10, Jer 6:25, Jer 46:5, Jer 49:29; Lam 2:22, and for the protest on the part of the prophet cp. Isa 22:15 ff.; Amo 7:10 ff; Act 16:37.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Magor-missabib – See Jer 6:25 note. Jeremiah uses it no less than five times, having probably adopted it as his watchword from Psa 31:13.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur] Security on all sides. This name thou hast had, but not by Divine appointment.
But Magor-missabib – Fear on every side. This name hath God given thee; because, in the course of his providence, thou shalt be placed in the circumstances signified by it: thou shalt be a terror to thyself.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Possibly by this time the mad-brained priest thought he had done more than he could justify by law, for if he were a false prophet, the judgment of him belonged not to him, but to the sanhedrim; he had nothing to do to smite him. Possibly he brought him forth in order to his bringing him before the sanhedrim; but it doth not appear that he did so, though Jeremiahs following words to him might reasonably be thought provocative enough, if he had designed any formal charge against him. He had it seemeth no more to say to Jeremiah, but Jeremiah (to whom God had appeared in the prison that night, while he was separated from communion with men, and revealed to him what end this hot-headed priest should come to) had something to say to him. Gods meaning was, not that he should by men be no longer called Pashur, (for doubtless after this he was called by the same name he had before,) but his state and condition should not answer the name Pashur, which signifies, as some say, a noble, flourishing priest; or, as others, one who by his authority maketh others to tremble; but
Magor-missabib, that is, fear and terror on all sides.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. Pashurcompounded of tworoots, meaning “largeness (and so ‘security’) on every side“;in antithesis to Magor-missabib, “terror round about“(Jer 20:10; Jer 6:25;Jer 46:5; Jer 49:29;Psa 31:13).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And it came to pass on the morrow,…. After the prophet was put into the stocks; so that he was there all night:
that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks; either to bring him before the priests, or the sanhedrim, to be examined; or in order to dismiss him, being either admonished by his friends, or convicted in his own conscience that he had done a wrong thing;
then said Jeremiah unto him; when he had brought him out, not being at all intimidated by him, and having a word from the Lord for him:
the Lord hath not called thy name Pashur; which, according to Jerom, signifies “blackness of mouth”; and, according to others, “diffusing paleness”; one that terrified others, and made their faces look pale; but now it should be otherwise, and he himself should be filled with terror, and have paleness of thee: but, according to a late etymologist, it signifies one abounding or “increased in liberty” x, who in a little time would become a captive; for it is not suggested hereby that he should no more be called by this name, but that he should be in a condition which would not answer to it, but to another, as follows:
but Magormissabib; or, “fear round about”; signifying that terrors should be all around him, and he in the utmost fright and consternation. The Septuagint version renders it “one removing”; changing from place to place; that is, going into captivity; a stranger and wanderer, as the Syriac version. The Targum is,
“but there shall be gathered together against thee those that kill with the sword round about;”
meaning the Chaldeans, which would make him a “Magormissabib”.
x “abundantiam” , & liberum sonat”, Hiller. Onomast. Sacr. p. 302. Paschchur, “auctus libertate”, ib. p. 904.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
No doubt Pashur called other priests to examine the case. It was, indeed, a specious pretense, for he seemed as though he did not wish to condemn the holy Prophet hastily, or without hearing his defense. But Jeremiah only says briefly that he was brought out of prison: we at the same time gather that he was not dismissed, for he was summoned before Pashur to give a reason for his prophecy.
But here the Prophet shews that he was not cast down or disheartened, though he had been most contemptuously treated; he bore patiently the buffetings and stripes he had received, and also his incarceration. We know that such outrages are so bitter to ingenuous minds, that they can hardly sustain them. But Jeremiah teaches us, by his own example, that our constancy and firmness ought not to be weakened though the whole world loaded or almost overwhelmed us with reproaches. We ought, then, to understand that courage of mind ought not to fail or be weakened in God’s servants, however wickedly and contumeliously they may be treated by the world. For Jeremiah, when he came out of prison, spoke more boldly than before; nor was he beyond the reach of danger. Courage increases when one obtains the victory, and he can then safely and securely insult his enemies; but Jeremiah was yet a captive, though he had been brought out of prison, and he might have been afterwards cast there again and treated more cruelly than before. But neither the wrong he had received, nor the fear of new contumely, deterred him from denouncing God’s judgment on the ungodly priest. Such magnanimity becomes all God’s servants, so that they ought not to feel shame, nor grow soft, nor be disheartened, when the world treats them with indignity and reproach; nor ought they to fear any dangers, but advance courageously in the discharge of their office.
It must in the second place be noticed, — that God’s Prophet here closes his eyes to the splendor of the priestly office, which otherwise might have hindered him to denounce God’s judgment,. And this ought to be carefully observed; for we know the ungodly he hid under masks, as the case is in the present day with the Pope and all his filthy clergy: for what do they allege but the name of Catholic Church and perpetual priesthood and apostolical dignity? Doubtless, Pashur was of the priestly order; but what the Papacy is, the Scripture neither mentions nor teaches, except that it condemns it as altogether filthy and abominable. And the Levitical priesthood, as I have said, was founded on God’s Law; and yet Jeremiah, guided by the command of God, hesitated not severely to reprove the priest and to treat him as he deserved. It is, therefore, then only that we tightly and faithfully discharge the prophetic office, when we shew no respect of persons, and disregard those external masks by which the ungodly deceive the simple, and are haughty towards God while they falsely pretend his name. (6)
Now he says, Jehovah has called thy name not Pashur, but terror on every side Some render the words, “Because there will be terror to thee on every side; ” but incorrectly, for in the next verse a reason is given which explains what the Prophet means. Jeremiah no doubt had a regard to the meaning of the word Pashur, otherwise it would have been unmeaning and even foolish to say, “Thy name shall be called not Pashur, but terror on every side.” Interpreters have expounded the word Pashur as meaning an increasing prince, or one who extends power, deriving it from פשה, peshe, to increase, and transitively, to extend; and they add to it the word שר, sher, which means a prince; and so they render it, a prince extending power, or a prince who increases. But as there is some doubt as to the points, I know not whether this etymology can be maintained. I am more inclined to derive the word from פשח, peshech, to cut or break. It is indeed but once found in this sense in Scripture, but often in the Chaldee language. However this may be, it is taken in this sense once by Jeremiah in the third Chapter of Lamentations. (7) And hence by a metaphor it means to open; and א, aleph, may be deemed quiescent in the second word, so that it means one who breaks or opens the light. The words which follow — “terror on every side” — induce and compel me to give this interpretation. He does not say that he would be a terror on every side; but that terrors surrounded him, מסביב, mesabib, so that there was no escape. As then the name of Pashur was honorable, signifying to open light, he mentions this, (it is indeed a metaphor, by which breaking means opening:) as then he had this name, which means to bring forth light, Jeremiah says, “Thou shalt be called a terror on every side;” that is, a terror that so surrounds all that no escape is possible. (8) We see that the contrast is most suitable between the opening of light and that terror which spread on every side, so that there is no opening and no escape; and the explanation follows:
(6) I would render the verse thus: —
3. And it happened on the morrow that Pashur brought out Jeremiah from the stocks; and Jeremiah said to him, — Not Pashur does Jehovah call thy name, But, Terror on every side.
I take קרא to be a participle, and not a verb in the past tense. — Ed
(7) The word is not spelt with ה, but with ח; it is “Pashchur.” Therefore, the former derivation cannot be admitted. Venema derives it from פוש, to be proud, or ferocious, and חור, which means “white,” or splendid; then the meaning is, “splendid prince.” Gataker seems to prefer the opinion of those who derive the word from פש, diffusion, and חור, paleness, because he diffused, or spread fear, which produces paleness to all around. Instead of this, a terror, the cause of paleness, would be to him and to all his friends, as stated in the following verse. — Ed
(8) The Vulg. alone gives this meaning to the phrase; the Sept. has “ μέτοικον — emigrant,” and the Syr. “stranger and wanderer.” And then in the fourth verse both these versions give a correspondent meaning. “I will deliver thee into emigration (or captivity) with all thy friends.” That this word, rendered “terror,” may be derived from גור, which means to sojourn, to peregrinate, is undeniable; as a participle noun from Hiphil, it may mean a sojourner, or an emigrant. The word in this sense is found often in the plural number. See Gen 47:9; Exo 6:4. But the phrase, as found here, occurs four times in this book, where it can have no other meaning than “terror (or fear) on every side,” Jer 6:25; Jer 20:10; Jer 46:5; Jer 49:29; and it occurs once elsewhere, in Psa 31:13; where also its meaning is evident from the context. — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) Magor-missabib.The words are a quotation from Psa. 31:13, and are rightly rendered, Fear is round about; they had already been used by the prophet in Jer. 6:25. We may venture to think that the Psalm had been his comfort in those night-watches of suffering, and that he now uttered the words which described the bitterness of the Psalmists sorrow, as at last feeling sure that they belonged to his persecutor rather than to himself. It is scarcely necessary to seek a special significance in the name of Pashur as contrasted with this new nomen et omen; but Hebrew scholars, according to various, and it must be owned, conjectural etymologies, have found in it the ideas of wide-spread joy, joy round about, or else of freedom and deliverance. The prophet repeats the combination in Jer. 46:5; Jer. 49:29; Lam. 2:22, and it had evidently become a kind of burden in both senses of the word, weighing on the prophets thoughts and finding frequent utterance. The word that stands for fear is a rare one, and outside the passages now referred to is found only in Isa. 31:9.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Pashur All is uncertain as to the etymology, and so the meaning, of this name. As it is set over against the one which follows, it is probably opposite to it in sense, but just how we do not know.
Magor-missabib Fear round about, as the margin correctly translates. It seems to have originated from Psa 31:13. It is a rather common phrase with Jeremiah, being used besides in Jer 6:25; Jer 20:10; Jer 46:5; Jer 49:29; and in Lam 2:22. The general significance of this phrase has been indicated, but its precise application is less evident. Probably it is used to intimate that the course adopted and carried out under his instigation would involve in calamity not only himself but all those about him.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 20:3. Magor-missabib That is, Terror to all around, as the name is explained, according to the usual method in the next verse.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Observe, what holy and becoming boldness in the man of God. Observe what an awful judgment Pashur is doomed to suffer. Magor-missabib, means, being encompassed with fear round about, as a girdle. It is worthy remark, that Jeremiah did not prophesy this of Pashur, when under the punishment, but after he was delivered from it. Probably, the Prophet did not receive from the Lord until then, authority so to do. It is always blessed to wait the Lord’s time, for executing the Lord’s purposes.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 20:3 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib.
Ver. 3. Pashur brought forth Jeremiah. ] To be judged, say some; but why then did he first smite him? An officer should retain the majesty of the law, and not do anything passionately. To set him at liberty, say others; as perceiving that the “word of God could not be bound,” nor a prophet’s mouth stopped by a prison, as Pashur also shall well perceive ere Jeremiah hath done with him. Bonner said to Hawkes the martyr, A faggot will make you believe the sacrament of the altar. He answered, No, no, a point for your faggot; God will meet with you one day. a So true is that of the poet,
“ Pressa sub ingenti ceu pondere palms virescit,
Sub cruce sic florent debita corda Deo. ”
The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur.
Magormissabib,
a Acts and Mon.
b Junius.
c q.d., Non Augustus, sed augustus; non nobilis, sed mobilis futurus es. Non tumor sed timer.
d Daniel; Thuan.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
not called thy name Pashur. Pashhur is the foreign Aramaic name, given by his parents. Jeremiah takes this Aramaic name and interprets it in Hebrew (as Isaiah had done in Jer 8:1, Jer 8:3). Pash = to stay (or remain on), gur = to sojourn or wander about in a strange land. Aramaean sehor = Hebrew. sabib. Hence, “Thy name is not staying on, but wandering about. “Compare Jer 20:3 with Jer 20:6. The opposite of Isa 8:1, Isa 8:3.
Magor-missabib. Hebrew. Magor- missabib = terror-round about, or fear on every side. Compare Jer 20:10; Jer 6:25; Jer 46:5, &c.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Magormissabib
i.e. Terror on every side.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Pashur: Act 4:5-7, Act 16:30, Act 16:35-39
hath: Jer 7:32, Jer 19:2, Jer 19:6, Gen 17:5, Gen 17:15, Gen 32:28, Isa 8:3, Hos 1:4-9
Magormissabib: this is, Fear round about, Jer 20:10, Jer 6:25, Jer 46:5, Jer 29:29, Psa 31:13, Lam 2:22
Reciprocal: Gen 4:12 – a fugitive 2Ki 7:6 – the Lord 2Ch 18:26 – Put Job 18:11 – Terrors Job 20:25 – terrors Jer 49:29 – Fear Eze 13:9 – mine Act 5:20 – stand
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 20:3. Human nature might have prompted Jeremiah to manifest some personal resentment over the way he was treated by Pashur. However, he only delivered to him the message which the Lord had authorized concerning this wicked man. The long name to be applied to him is defined “affright from around in the lexicon. Many proper nouns in the Bible have significant meanings and one such was used here.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 20:3-5. Jeremiah said, The Lord hath not called Rather, doth not call thy name Pashur; but Magor-missabib That is, Terror on every side, or, Terror to all around, as the name is explained in the next verse. Gods giving him this name: signifies his changing the circumstances or condition of the person so named, agreeably to the meaning of the name given him, or that he would render him such as he called him. So when God called Abram by the new name of Abraham, he assigns the reason, For a father of many nations have I made thee, Gen 17:5. I will deliver all the strength of this city All its wealth, the word , here used, being frequently translated treasures: see Pro 15:6; Eze 22:25. It may also include whatever strengthened and defended it, especially the men of war; and all the labours thereof Or, all the workmanship thereof; that is, all the fruit of the peoples labours; all their fine buildings, or whatever its artificers had erected with labour and cost; and all the precious things thereof Whatever was valuable in the eyes of the greatest persons among them; will I give into the hands of their enemies The Babylonians shall spoil and make a prey of them all.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jeremiah’s confinement only lasted one day. Following his release, the prophet gave Pashhur a new name that had prophetic significance: Magomassibib, meaning "terror on every side" (cf. Jer 6:25; Psa 31:13). His old name means either "ease" or "tranquility." Perhaps this name reflected his natural disposition.