King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 20:6 Mean?

Jeremiah 20:6 in the King James Version says “And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there t...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 20 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.”

Jeremiah 20:6 · KJV

Context

4

For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

5

Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.

6

And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.

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. was deceived: or, was enticed

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.

Read Jeremiah 20 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The judgment returns to Pashur personally with devastating specificity. The pronoun 'thou' (atah, אַתָּה) is emphatic—Pashur himself, not just others. 'All that dwell in thine house' extends judgment to his household, reflecting ancient corporate solidarity and the far-reaching effects of sin. The phrase 'shall go into captivity' (yavo bashshevi, יָבוֹא בַּשֶּׁבִי) describes forced deportation. The destination is specified: 'thou shalt come to Babylon'—the very place and fate Pashur had dismissed as impossible. The finality is emphatic: 'there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there'—no return to Jerusalem, no burial in ancestral tomb (extremely important in Hebrew culture). The indictment concludes: 'thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies' (naba sheqer, נָבָא שֶׁקֶר, prophesied falsehood). Pashur hadn't merely enforced temple policy; he had actively promoted false theology, prophesying peace when God promised judgment. This made him complicit with the false prophets. The phrase 'thy friends' suggests a network of like-minded officials who suppressed God's true word. All would share Pashur's fate. This demonstrates that religious leaders bear special accountability for teaching error—they mislead others and share responsibility for the consequences (James 3:1).

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Historical & Cultural Context

Burial in one's ancestral land was deeply important to ancient Israelites, representing covenant continuity and hope of resurrection in the promised land. To die and be buried in Babylon—enemy territory, place of exile, land of idols—was considered particularly tragic. Archaeological evidence shows Judean exiles did settle in communities in Babylon, some achieving prosperity, but they never forgot their identity as exiles. The Book of Lamentations expresses the profound grief of this generation. Pashur's specific fate isn't recorded in Scripture, but as a prominent priest opposed to Jeremiah, he was likely among those executed or exiled in 586 BC. The phrase 'thou hast prophesied lies' indicates Pashur had actively taught that God would protect Jerusalem regardless of their sin—the dominant theology Jeremiah opposed. History proved Jeremiah right: Jerusalem fell, the temple burned, the people were exiled. Those who believed false prophets like Pashur were unprepared for judgment and missed opportunities for repentance that might have mitigated consequences (see Jeremiah 38:17-23).

Reflection Questions

  1. What does Pashur's fate—dying in exile in the very place he said was no threat—teach about the danger of opposing God's revealed word?
  2. How does the accountability for "prophesying lies" to friends warn religious leaders about their responsibility for what they teach?
  3. In what ways does the comprehensive nature of this judgment (affecting Pashur's household and friends) illustrate the far-reaching consequences of false teaching?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 20 words
וְאַתָּ֣ה1 of 20
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

פַשְׁח֗וּר2 of 20

“And thou Pashur”

H6583

pashchur, the name of four israelites

וְכֹל֙3 of 20
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

יֹשְׁבֵ֣י4 of 20

“and all that dwell”

H3427

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

בֵיתֶ֔ךָ5 of 20

“in thine house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

תֵּלְכ֖וּ6 of 20
H1980

to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

בַּשֶּׁ֑בִי7 of 20

“into captivity”

H7628

exiled; captured; as noun, exile (abstractly or concretely and collectively); by extension, booty

וּבָבֶ֣ל8 of 20

“to Babylon”

H894

babel (i.e., babylon), including babylonia and the babylonian empire

תָּב֗וֹא9 of 20

“and thou shalt come”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

וְשָׁ֤ם10 of 20
H8033

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence

תָּמוּת֙11 of 20

“and there thou shalt die”

H4191

to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill

וְשָׁ֣ם12 of 20
H8033

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence

תִּקָּבֵ֔ר13 of 20

“and shalt be buried”

H6912

to inter

אַתָּה֙14 of 20
H859

thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you

וְכָל15 of 20
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

אֹ֣הֲבֶ֔יךָ16 of 20

“there thou and all thy friends”

H157

to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)

אֲשֶׁר17 of 20
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

נִבֵּ֥אתָ18 of 20

“to whom thou hast prophesied”

H5012

to prophesy, i.e., speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)

לָהֶ֖ם19 of 20
H1992

they (only used when emphatic)

בַּשָּֽׁקֶר׃20 of 20

“lies”

H8267

an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial)

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 20:6 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 20:6 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 14:14-15Lamentations 2:14Ezekiel 22:28Jeremiah 20:4Ezekiel 13:4-16Deuteronomy 28:25

Places in This Verse

Babylon 1Settlement · Modern: Babylon · 32.54°N, 44.42°E296 verses across 15 books
View all places in Jeremiah 20 →

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