Then Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin Gate of the house of the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What’s easily missed here is the specific location: the stocks weren't in some back alley, but at the "upper Benjamin Gate" in the house of the LORD. This wasn't just a random act of violence; it was a deeply symbolic one, placing God's prophet in a place of public humiliation right at the very temple, the center of worship.
Then Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin Gate of the house of the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah has just delivered a stark prophecy of impending destruction and exile. In response, Pashur, a temple official, violently retaliates against Jeremiah, beating him and imprisoning him in stocks at a prominent gate of the temple complex. This brutal act of silencing God's messenger sets the stage for Jeremiah's raw lament and Pashur's own grim prophetic judgment that follows.
Imagine being beaten and locked up for telling the truth. Jeremiah was more than just a messenger; he was God's chosen instrument, and this punishment was a direct assault on God's word.
This wasn't just a random act of violence. Pashur, a priest and an official in the temple, physically assaulted Jeremiah. This highlights the immense pressure and opposition faced by prophets who delivered God's challenging messages.
A Call to Stand Firm
The 'stocks' weren't just a prison cell; they were a public spectacle. Jeremiah was put on display right outside the very house of the Lord.
The location of Jeremiah's punishment – the 'upper Benjamin Gate' by the house of the Lord – is significant. This was a prominent, public space within the temple complex.
A Twisted Message
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Understand the original words
nābî’ · Hebrew Noun
In a biblical context, a prophet is a spokesperson for God, chosen and empowered by the Holy Spirit to communicate His divine message, warn of judgment, call for repentance, or foretell future events. A prophet's authority rests entirely on the inspiration of God's Word.
This incident occurs during a tumultuous period when Jerusalem is under increasing threat from Babylon. Pashur's violent reaction to Jeremiah highlights the fierce opposition prophets faced when delivering God's unpopular messages of judgment.
c. 627 BC
Jeremiah Begins Prophesying
Jeremiah receives his call from God to prophesy, marking the beginning of his ministry during the reign of King Josiah of Judah.
609 BC
Death of King Josiah
King Josiah, a reformer, is killed in battle, leading to a period of political instability and religious decline in Judah.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and deports a group of high-ranking Judeans, including Daniel, to Babylon. This event signals Judah's vassal status to Babylon.
c. 598-597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar again besieges Jerusalem and deports King Jehoiachin and many skilled workers to Babylon. This sets the stage for increasing pressure on Jerusalem.
c. 589-587 BC
Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
After a prolonged siege, Babylonians breach Jerusalem's walls, destroy the Temple, and deport the majority of the remaining population, marking the end of the Kingdom of Judah.
c. 587 BC— this verse
Pashur's Punishment and New Name
Pashur, the temple official who abused Jeremiah, is prophesied by Jeremiah to be punished by God and renamed 'Terror Everywhere'. This is the immediate context for Jeremiah's prophecy in chapter 20.
This passage describes Paul and Silas being thrown into prison and their feet fastened in the stocks, highlighting a similar form of severe punishment and confinement for proclaiming God's message.
2 Chronicles 16:10This verse shows King Asa imprisoning the prophet Hanani for his truthful rebuke, demonstrating a historical pattern of rulers punishing those who delivered unwelcome prophecies, much like Pashur did to Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 29:26Here, Jeremiah himself describes a similar instrument of confinement and punishment that was used on the false prophets, showing the stark contrast between how true and false prophets were treated.
1 Kings 22:24-28This narrative shows the prophet Micaiah being struck and imprisoned for his prophecy, illustrating the immediate danger and physical opposition faced by prophets who spoke God's word against popular opinion.
clarkeJeremiah 20:2: "Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD."
Put him in the stocks - Probably such a place near the gate as we term the lock-up, the coal-hole; or it may mean a sort of dungeon.
pulpitJeremiah 20:2: "Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD."
Verse 2. - Pashur, being charged with the police of the temple, smites Jeremiah, i.e. causes stripes to be given him (a legal punishment, Deuteronomy 25:3; comp. 2 Corinthians 11:24), and then orders him to be put into the stocks; literally, that which distorts - some instrument of punishment which held the body in a bent or crooked posit…
What’s easily missed here is the specific location: the stocks weren't in some back alley, but at the "upper Benjamin Gate" in the house of the LORD. This wasn't just a random act of violence; it was a deeply symbolic one, placing God's prophet in a place of public humiliation right at the very temple, the center of worship.
Jeremiah has just delivered a stark prophecy of impending destruction and exile. In response, Pashur, a temple official, violently retaliates against Jeremiah, beating him and imprisoning him in stocks at a prominent gate of the temple complex. This brutal act of silencing God's messenger sets the stage for Jeremiah's raw lament and Pashur's own grim prophetic judgment that follows.
Jeremiah has just delivered a stark prophecy of impending destruction and exile. In response, Pashur, a temple official, violently retaliates against Jeremiah, beating him and imprisoning him in stocks at a prominent gate of the temple complex. This brutal act of silencing God's messenger sets the stage for Jeremiah's raw lament and Pashur's own grim prophetic judgment that follows.
"Then Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin Gate of the house of the LORD." — What’s easily missed here is the specific location: the stocks weren't in some back alley, but at the "upper Benjamin Gate" in the house of the LORD. This wasn't just a random act of violence; it w…
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Last reviewed October 2026