Jeremiah 20:14Cursed is the day in which I was born: don't let the day in which my mother bore me be blessed.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~605-586 BC. Jeremiah sits alone after being beaten and put in stocks by Pashhur the priest. Modern-day Israel, East Jerusalem near Temple Mount.
The emotion here: physically tortured and emotionally shattered
The original word
qālal (קלל) — to make light of, curse, treat as worthless
Why it matters
This was written after Jeremiah spent a night in wooden stocks that twisted his body
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 20:14
This comes right after describing his torture — he's not just sad, he's in physical pain
Common misconceptionPeople think prophets were always bold and confident. Jeremiah spent most of his ministry wanting to quit and regretting his calling.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 20:14
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 20:14 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 20:14 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 20% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include despair, birth regret, existential crisis. Notable phrases: cursed is the day; in which I was born. 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 20:14 mean to you, today?
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