Jer 20:17 | KingComments | STEP | In the verses before this ( ), the LORD stands before the eye of the prophet’s faith. In the verses that now follow, He no longer sees the LORD. He sees only the circumstances and himself. The result is that he sinks into a sudden depression. What he utters is reminiscent of what Job utters in the face of all the misery that has befallen him: “Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his [birth]” ( ). We get the impression that Jeremiah was familiar with the book of Job in which we see the ways of the LORD that He goes with Job. When we compare Job 3 with these five verses of Jeremiah, we see how much the complaints of these dedicated men are similar. After the flare-up of confidence in the preceding verses, Jeremiah is again assailed by a feeling of hopeless misery ( ). From the heights of faith confidence, Jeremiah falls into deep despair. This despair is so strong that he curses the day of his birth. The day his mother gave birth to him, he denies the blessing. He finds the blessing of the birth of a child misplaced as far as his own birth is concerned. Even the bringer of the good news of his birth to his father is cursed by him ( ). The birth of a son is the best news a man can receive. It means continuation of the family name. But Jeremiah says that his birth is no cause for rejoicing. He would be given a service not of bringing good news, but of bad news. The man who announced the news of his birth must suffer the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah ( ; ). That man must be put in such great distress that he cries out all day with misery instead of being in a jubilant mood about his birth. Actually, it is the LORD’s fault, because He allowed him to be born. After all, He could have killed him in the womb ( ). Then he would have it wonderfully peaceful now, because he would be dead in his mother’s womb. His mother would be his grave and there he would always have been. Things turned out differently. He came out of the womb ( ). But why? Is it really to see only trouble and sorrow and to end his days in shame? What a life and what a fate! It is the last ‘why-question’. There is no answer given to this question. The LORD gives His servant time to think about it for himself and come to an answer. What we can say is that God holds the believer even though he feels alone and abandoned.

‏ Jeremiah 20:17

Jeremiah Curses His Day of Birth

In the verses before this (Jer 20:11-13), the LORD stands before the eye of the prophet’s faith. In the verses that now follow, He no longer sees the LORD. He sees only the circumstances and himself. The result is that he sinks into a sudden depression. What he utters is reminiscent of what Job utters in the face of all the misery that has befallen him: “Afterward Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his [birth]” (Job 3:1). We get the impression that Jeremiah was familiar with the book of Job in which we see the ways of the LORD that He goes with Job. When we compare Job 3 with these five verses of Jeremiah, we see how much the complaints of these dedicated men are similar.

After the flare-up of confidence in the preceding verses, Jeremiah is again assailed by a feeling of hopeless misery (Jer 20:14). From the heights of faith confidence, Jeremiah falls into deep despair. This despair is so strong that he curses the day of his birth. The day his mother gave birth to him, he denies the blessing. He finds the blessing of the birth of a child misplaced as far as his own birth is concerned.

Even the bringer of the good news of his birth to his father is cursed by him (Jer 20:15). The birth of a son is the best news a man can receive. It means continuation of the family name. But Jeremiah says that his birth is no cause for rejoicing. He would be given a service not of bringing good news, but of bad news. The man who announced the news of his birth must suffer the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah (Jer 20:16; Gen 19:25). That man must be put in such great distress that he cries out all day with misery instead of being in a jubilant mood about his birth.

Actually, it is the LORD’s fault, because He allowed him to be born. After all, He could have killed him in the womb (Jer 20:17). Then he would have it wonderfully peaceful now, because he would be dead in his mother’s womb. His mother would be his grave and there he would always have been. Things turned out differently. He came out of the womb (Jer 20:18). But why? Is it really to see only trouble and sorrow and to end his days in shame? What a life and what a fate!

It is the last ‘why-question’. There is no answer given to this question. The LORD gives His servant time to think about it for himself and come to an answer. What we can say is that God holds the believer even though he feels alone and abandoned.