Who was Pashhur in the Bible?

Pashhur was a priest and chief officer in the temple of Jerusalem during the reign of King Zedekiah. He is best known for opposing the prophet Jeremiah by having him beaten and put in stocks for prophesying Jerusalem's destruction (Jeremiah 20:1-2).

What did Pashhur do to the prophet Jeremiah?

Pashhur, angered by Jeremiah's prophecies, had the prophet publicly beaten and placed in the stocks at the Upper Benjamin Gate of the temple for a day (Jeremiah 20:2). In response, Jeremiah prophesied that Pashhur and his household would be exiled to Babylon, where he would die (Jeremiah 20:6).

Why is Pashhur significant in the Old Testament?

Pashhur represents the religious establishment that rejected God's message through His prophets. His confrontation with Jeremiah highlights the cost of faithful prophecy and serves as a warning against opposing God's word, as his fate was sealed by Jeremiah's pronouncement of judgment.

Pashhur

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon

Pashhur, the son of Gedaliah, one of the officials who opposed Jeremiah.

Pashhur

Biography

Pashhur, the son of Gedaliah, was one of the royal officials in King Zedekiah's court who vehemently opposed the prophet Jeremiah during the final years of the kingdom of Judah (Jeremiah 38:1-6). Along with other officials including Shephatiah, Jucal, and Gedaliah, Pashhur accused Jeremiah of treason for prophesying that Jerusalem would fall to the Babylonians and that those who surrendered would survive. These officials argued that Jeremiah's words weakened the morale of the soldiers and citizens defending the city. They successfully petitioned King Zedekiah for permission to silence the prophet, and Jeremiah was cast into a muddy cistern where he sank into the mire and was left to die. Only the intervention of Ebed-melech the Ethiopian saved Jeremiah's life. Pashhur's opposition to Jeremiah represented the broader institutional resistance to God's prophetic word in Judah's final days.

Significance

Pashhur son of Gedaliah embodies the tragic pattern of leaders who reject divine truth because it conflicts with their political agenda. His persecution of Jeremiah illustrates how institutional power can be marshaled against God's messengers when the prophetic word demands uncomfortable obedience. Pashhur chose national pride over prophetic wisdom, confusing patriotism with faithfulness. His actions contributed to the silencing of the one voice that could have guided Judah toward survival. Theologically, Pashhur stands as a warning against the danger of opposing God's revealed word, regardless of how unwelcome its message may be. The fall of Jerusalem that Jeremiah predicted vindicated the prophet and condemned the shortsightedness of officials like Pashhur who prioritized political expediency over divine truth.

Verse Appearances (2)

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 21:1 Jeremiah 38:1

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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