Because he slew me not from the womb,.... As soon as he came out of it; that is, as soon as he was born; either because God slew him not so soon, as Kimchi; or the angel of death, as Jarchi: or rather the man that carried the tidings of his birth to his father, who is all along spoken of in the two former verses; he curses him for not doing that, which, had he done, would have been exceeding criminal in him indeed; for not committing murder, even for not murdering an innocent babe;or that my mother might have been my grave; he wishes he had died in her womb, and had never been brought forth; and so that had been his grave, where he should have been at ease and safety:and her womb [to be] always great [with me]; or, "her womb an everlasting conception" ; his wish was, that she had been always conceiving, or ever big with child of him, but never bring forth; which was a more cruel and unnatural wish than the former concerning the man, the carrier of the tidings of his birth; since this was wishing a perpetual, painful, and intolerable evil to his own mother.
Bible Commentary
Jeremiah 20:17
Jeremiah 20:17
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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Jeremiah 20 — OverviewJeremiah 20 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleSuch plain dealing as Jeremiah used in the foregoing chapter, one might
easily foresee, if it did not convince and humble men, would provoke
and exasperate them; and so it did; for here we find, I. Jeremiah…Jeremiah 20 — OverviewJeremiah 20 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeJeremiah 20:1, Pashur, smiting Jeremiah, receives a new name, and a fearful doom; Jeremiah 20:7, Jeremiah complains of contempt; Jeremiah 20:10, of treachery; Jeremiah 20:14, and of his birth.Jeremiah 20 — OverviewJeremiah 20 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThis chapter gives an account of the usage that Jeremiah met with from many for his prophecies, and the effect it had upon him. He was smitten and put in the stocks by Pashur the priest, who released him the next day,…Jeremiah 20:1-18Jeremiah 20:1-18 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITIONJeremiah 20:7-18Jeremiah 20:7-18 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe sorrow and joy of God's servant.
There are many such photographs of the inner heart-life of God's people. It is the touch of nature which brings them near to us. The words and work of Jeremiah become more living…Jeremiah 20:14-18Jeremiah 20:14-18 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleWhat is the meaning of this? Does there proceed out of the same mouth
blessing and cursing? Could he that said so cheerfully (v. 13), Sing
unto the Lord, praise you the Lord, say so passionately (v. 14), Cursed…
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