Jeremiah 18:20Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~605 BC. Jeremiah recalls standing before God interceding for the very people now plotting his death. He had literally prevented God's judgment multiple times. Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: heartbroken by the irony of being attacked for loving
The original word
šûḥâh (שׁוּחָה) — a deep pit, specifically dug as a trap for wild animals
Why it matters
Jeremiah had successfully interceded for Jerusalem at least three times, delaying God's judgment by decades
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 18:20
The 'pit' isn't metaphorical - they literally planned to throw him into a cistern to die (which happens in chapter 38)
Common misconceptionThis seems vindictive, but Jeremiah is actually showing restraint - he's asking God to remember his good deeds, not immediately cursing his enemies like he does in the next verse.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 18:20
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 18:20 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 18:20 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Jeremiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 50% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include betrayal, injustice. Notable phrases: shall evil be recompensed for good; dug a pit for my soul. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 18:20 mean to you, today?
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