Jeremiah 20:10For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, say all my familiar friends, those who watch for my fall; perhaps he will be persuaded, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~605 BC. Jeremiah overhears his closest friends whispering about how to trap him in his words and destroy his reputation. Modern-day East Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: devastated by betrayal from people he trusted most
The original word
magor (מָגוֹר) — terror that surrounds you on all sides, like being trapped in a circle of enemies
Why it matters
Jeremiah actually named one of his enemies 'Magor-missabib' meaning 'Terror-on-every-side'
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 20:10
These weren't strangers plotting against him — these were his 'familiar friends' who watched for his downfall
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about persecution from enemies, but Jeremiah's deepest pain came from friends who pretended to care while plotting his downfall. The betrayal hurt more than the opposition.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 20:10
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 20:10 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 20:10 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 lonely, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the prayer genre of biblical literature. Key themes include persecution, betrayal, isolation. Notable phrases: terror on every side; familiar friends. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same lonely
“At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is, being interpreted, "My God, my God, why h…”
— Mark 15:34
“Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house."”
— Mark 6:4
“About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?" That is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me…”
— Matthew 27:46
“Yahweh God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."”
— Genesis 2:18
“I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.”
— Job 30:29
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 20:10 mean to you, today?
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