Jeremiah 20:10
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Jeremiah’s enemies aren’t just slandering him; they’re actively plotting to trap him by tricking him into saying something treasonous, showing a sophisticated level of conspiracy rather than just public opposition. Even more chilling, those who were supposed to be his closest confidantes, the "men of his peace," are the very ones lying in wait to betray him.
For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my close friends, watching for my fall. “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is recounting the intense opposition he faces, revealing how his enemies are actively plotting against him. They whisper accusations and stir up fear, encouraging each other to report him to the authorities and to look for any misstep he might make. Even those he considered friends are now watching closely, hoping to trap him so they can finally see him fall and take revenge.
Ever felt like people are talking about you behind your back, plotting your downfall? Jeremiah knew this feeling intimately.
Jeremiah hears "the defaming of many" and "whispering." This wasn't just idle gossip; it was a calculated effort to undermine him.
The Enemies' Plan:
This verse paints a vivid picture of how lies and whispers can become powerful weapons against those who speak truth.
The sting of betrayal often comes not from enemies, but from those we thought were on our side. Jeremiah experienced this firsthand.
The phrase "all my familiars" is a translation of a Hebrew term literally meaning "the men of my peace." This is a deeply ironic and painful description.
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The Deep Cut of Treachery:
Jeremiah's pain here is amplified because the threat came from those who represented supposed security and friendship.
Understand the original words
māgôr · Hebrew Noun
Biblical 'terror' refers to extreme dread or fear, often in the context of divine judgment or the realization of surrounding hostility. It describes the psychological and spiritual state of one surrounded by danger.
Jeremiah's message was not delivered in a vacuum. He faced intense opposition from his own people, including those who were once his friends, who plotted to entrap him and seek revenge amidst the looming threat of Babylonian exile.
Late 7th - Early 6th century BC
Jeremiah prophesies during Judah's decline
Jeremiah delivers his prophetic messages during a turbulent period in Judah's history, warning of impending judgment from Babylon.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian deportation
Nebuchadnezzar deports some of Judah's elite, including Daniel, to Babylon, signaling the growing power of the Babylonian empire over the region.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian deportation
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, intensifying the pressure on Jerusalem.
c. 587-586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys the Temple, and deports the majority of the remaining population to Babylon, ending Judah as an independent kingdom.
During Jeremiah's ministry— this verse
Pashur imprisons and mistreats Jeremiah
The priest Pashur, fearing Jeremiah's prophecies, has him beaten and put in stocks, demonstrating the intense opposition Jeremiah faced from religious and political leaders.
This passage echoes Jeremiah's experience of slander and fear on every side, showing that this kind of betrayal and public condemnation wasn't new, but a recurring theme in the lives of God's faithful.
Psalm 41:9The phrase 'men of my peace' or 'familiar friends' directly parallels those who betrayed Jeremiah, highlighting how often betrayal comes from those closest to us, the very ones we should trust.
Matthew 12:14This shows how religious leaders plotted to trap Jesus with His own words, mirroring the tactic Jeremiah's enemies used to 'entice' him into saying something they could use against him.
Luke 6:16This verse lists Judas Iscariot among the apostles, illustrating how even those chosen and walked closely with Jesus could turn into betrayers, much like Jeremiah's 'close friends' who watched for his fall.
John 7:12The hushed whispers and differing opinions about Jesus' identity show a similar atmosphere of suspicion and plotting, where people spoke about Him in secret for fear of the authorities, reflecting the 'whispering' and 'fear on every side' Jeremiah experienced.
clarkeJeremiah 20:10: "For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him."
Report - and we will report it - Let us spread calumnies against him every where; or let us spread reports of dangers coming upon him, that we may intimidate him, and cause him to desist.
pulpitJeremiah 20:10: "For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him."
Verse 10. - For I heard, etc.; rather, For I have heard the whispering of many; there is terror on every side. Inform (say they), and let us inform against him. This gives us the reason for Ms momentary inclinations to silence. He w…
Jeremiah’s enemies aren’t just slandering him; they’re actively plotting to trap him by tricking him into saying something treasonous, showing a sophisticated level of conspiracy rather than just public opposition. Even more chilling, those who were supposed to be his closest confidantes, the "men of his peace," are the very ones lying in wait to betray him.
Jeremiah is recounting the intense opposition he faces, revealing how his enemies are actively plotting against him. They whisper accusations and stir up fear, encouraging each other to report him to the authorities and to look for any misstep he might make. Even those he considered friends are now watching closely, hoping to trap him so they can finally see him fall and take revenge.
Jeremiah is recounting the intense opposition he faces, revealing how his enemies are actively plotting against him. They whisper accusations and stir up fear, encouraging each other to report him to the authorities and to look for any misstep he might make. Even those he considered friends are now watching closely, hoping to trap him so they can finally see him fall and take revenge.
"For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my close friends, watching for my fall. “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him…" — Jeremiah’s enemies aren’t just slandering him; they’re actively plotting to trap him by tricking him into saying something treasonous, showing a sophisticated level of conspiracy rather than just pub…
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Last reviewed October 2026
