Jeremiah 20 · Verse 8

Jeremiah 20:8

For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.
Jeremiah 20:8, King James Version

Jeremiah 20:8 in other translations

BSBFor whenever I speak, I cry out; I proclaim violence and destruction. For the word of the LORD has become to me a reproach and derision all day long.
WEBFor as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, “Violence and destruction!” because the LORD’s word has been made a reproach to me, and a derision, all day.
ASVFor as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, Violence and destruction! because the word of Jehovah is made a reproach unto me, and a derision, all the day.
YLTBecause from the time I speak I cry out, ‘Violence and destruction,' I cry, For the word of Jehovah hath been to me For reproach and for derision all the day.
DARBYFor as oft as I speak, I cry out; I proclaim violence and spoil; for the word of Jehovah is become unto me a reproach and a derision all the day.
BBEFor every word I say is a cry for help; I say with a loud voice, Violent behaviour and wasting: because the word of the Lord is made a shame to me and a cause of laughing all the day.
WebsterFor since I spoke, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach to me, and a derision, daily.

What does Jeremiah 20:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. Rather, "Whenever I speak, I cry out. Concerning violence and spoil, I (am compelled to) cry out," that is, complain [Maurer]. English Version in the last clause is more graphic, "I cried violence and spoil" (Jr 6:7)! I could not speak in a calm tone; their desperate wickedness compelled me to "cry out." because--rather, "therefore," the apodosis of the previous sentence; because in discharging my prophetic functions, I not merely spake, but cried; and cried, violence ... ; therefore the word of the Lord was made a reproach to me (Jr 20:7).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 I cried violence and spoil - This was the burden of the message thou didst give me.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Jeremiah 20:7-13

The prophet complains of the insult and injury he experienced. But Jr 20:7 may be read, Thou hast persuaded me, and I was persuaded. Thou wast stronger than I; and didst overpower me by the influence of thy Spirit upon me. So long as we see ourselves in the way of God, and of duty, it is weakness and folly, when we meet with difficulties and discouragements, to wish we had never set out in it. The prophet found the…

Read the full comment on Jeremiah 20:7-13 →

Jeremiah 20:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
מִדֵּ֤יmi.Deias often asH1767
אֲדַבֵּר֙'a.da.BerI speakH1696
אֶזְעָ֔ק'ez.'AkI cry outH2199
חָמָ֥סcha.MasviolenceH2555
וָשֹׁ֖דva.Shodand havocH7701
אֶקְרָ֑א'ek.Ra'I proclaimH7121
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
הָיָ֨הha.Yahit has becomeH1961
דְבַר\־de.var-[the] word ofH1697
יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahwehH3068
לִ֛יlifor <the> me
לְחֶרְפָּ֥הle.cher.Pah<into> a reproachH2781
וּלְקֶ֖לֶסu.le.Ke.lesand <into> derisionH7047
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הַיּֽוֹם\׃hai.Yomthe dayH3117

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Jeremiah 20:8

  • 2 Chronicles 36:16

    But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

  • Jeremiah 6:10

    To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

  • Jeremiah 5:15-17

    Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the Lord: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say. Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.

  • Jeremiah 5:1

    Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.

  • Jeremiah 28:8

    The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.

  • Jeremiah 4:19-22

    My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment. How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

  • Jeremiah 15:1-4

    Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity. And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy. And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.

  • Jeremiah 5:6

    Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

  • Jeremiah 19:7-11

    And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth. And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof. And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them. Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee, …

  • Jeremiah 15:13-14

    Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders. And I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you.

  • Jeremiah 20:7

    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.

  • Jeremiah 13:13-14

    Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David’s throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I cried.
4:19-22; 5:1,6,15-17; 6:6,7; 7:9; 13:13,14; 15:1-4,13,14; 17:27
18:16,17; 19:7-11; 28:8
the word.
7; 6:10; 2Ch 36:16; La 3:61-63; Lu 11:45; Heb 11:26; 13:13; 1Pe 4:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Jeremiah 20:7

    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.

  • Jeremiah 20:8

    For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.

  • Jeremiah 20:9

    Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

Read all of Jeremiah 20

Jeremiah 20:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Porque desde que hablo, doy voces, grito, Violencia y destrucción: porque la palabra de Jehová me ha sido para afrenta y escarnio cada día.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Car toutes les fois que je parle, je crie, je proclame la violence et la dévastation; car la parole de l’ Éternel m’a été à opprobre et à moquerie tout le jour.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Denn so oft ich rede, muß ich schreien, Gewalttat und Zerstörung rufen; denn das Wort Jehovas ist mir zur Verhöhnung und zum Spott geworden den ganzen Tag.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Quia jam olim loquor, vociferans iniquitatem, et vastitatem clamito: et factus est mihi sermo Domini in opprobrium, et in derisum tota die.