Pashur

1Pashur was a priest, a man who served God at the temple. He was also the chief officer in the LORD's house. He heard Jeremiah telling people these things from God.

Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.

NoteThe LORD's house means the temple in Jerusalem. The temple was a big building where people came to worship God. Pashur was the chief officer there, so he kept order in it.

2So Pashur hit Jeremiah, who was a prophet, a person who told people what God said. Then Pashur shut him in the stocks at the high Benjamin Gate, next to the LORD's house.

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.

NoteStocks were a wooden frame that locked around a person's arms and legs. It held the person bent over and still, and it hurt. Anyone walking past could stop and laugh at them.

3The next day Pashur let Jeremiah out of the stocks. Jeremiah said to him, "The LORD does not call you Pashur. He calls you Magor-missabib."

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib.

NoteMagor-missabib is a name that means "scary things all around." Back then a name often said something true about a person. Jeremiah is saying that fear is what Pashur's life will be.

4"The LORD says this: I will make you full of fear. Your friends will be afraid too. Enemies will kill them with swords, and you will watch it happen. I will hand all of Judah to the king of Babylon. He will take the people away to Babylon and kill them with the sword."

For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

NoteJudah was the small land where Jeremiah lived. Babylon was a strong country far away to the east. Its army took people from their homes and marched them to Babylon to live.

5"I will give away everything strong and rich in this city. All its goods, all its fine things, and all the treasure of Judah's kings will go to their enemies. The enemies will grab it all and carry it to Babylon."

Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.

NoteKings kept gold, silver, and other rich things stored up in the city. When an army won, it carried all of that home with it.

6"And you, Pashur, and everyone in your house will be taken away. You will go to Babylon. You will die there, and you will be buried there. So will all your friends, the ones you told lies to while saying the words came from God."

And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.

NoteBeing buried far away was a very sad thing to these people. Families wanted to be buried close together in their own land.