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.
I heard many people speaking against me and spreading lies about me. There was fear all around me. They said, 'Tell us what he's doing, and we'll spread the word about it.' All my close friends were watching for me to stumble or make a mistake, saying, 'Maybe we can trick him into doing something wrong, and then we can defeat him and get our revenge.'
The writer is describing how he feels surrounded by enemies and betrayed by his own friends, who are all looking for ways to bring him down and get revenge on him.
📚 Historical Context
Jeremiah was a prophet in ancient Judah during the 7th and 6th centuries BC, delivering God's warnings of judgment against the nation's idolatry and unfaithfulness amid rising threats from Babylon. In Jeremiah 20:10, he personally laments the slander and betrayal from his friends and acquaintances, who plotted against him hoping to exploit any mistake and exact revenge. This reflects the broader cultural context of social and political unrest, where prophets like Jeremiah faced hostility for speaking divine truth.
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