What Does Jeremiah 20:10 Mean in the King James?
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.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The same root that names a keeper describes the people watching for your stumble: here, vigilance serves revenge rather than protection.
THE MEANING
Defaming voices surround you, and even those called “men of my peace” watch for the moment you falter, hoping to ensnare you and prevail. The verse names betrayal as focused attention: your vulnerability is treated as an opening for revenge.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie this undoes is that betrayal comes only from outsiders: the watchers are among the speaker’s familiar companions, the people of his peace.
THE ROOT
שֹׁמְרֵי
shomrei
GROWS FROM
שמר
shamar
To keep, guard, or watch over.
“watched” in this verse is shomrei. שֹׁמְרֵי (shomrei) means “watchers” or “keepers,” from שמר (shamar, to guard, keep, or watch). The root can describe protective keeping, but here the watchers fix their gaze on a person’s failure: the root remains the same while its purpose changes.
ALSO GROWS
shomer: Keeper, guardian, or watchman.
שֹׁמֵר
The word can name a protector; in this verse, the watchers use their attention to wait for a fall.
mishmeret: Guard duty, charge, or watch.
מִשְׁמֶרֶת
This branch names watchfulness as an assigned keeping, sharpening the contrast between guarding someone and watching for their weakness.
אִישׁ שְׁלוֹמִי
ish shelomi
GROWS FROM
שלם
To be whole or complete; wholeness.
“familiars” in this verse is ish shelomi. The Hebrew phrase אִישׁ שְׁלוֹמִי (ish shelomi) means “a man of my peace” or “a man of my wholeness.” Those named through closeness and wholeness are watching for the speaker to falter, so the verse locates betrayal inside a trusted bond.
ALSO GROWS
shalom: Wholeness.
שָׁלוֹם
The companions are called people of the speaker’s shalom, even as their actions threaten that wholeness.
shalem: Whole or complete.
שָׁלֵם
This branch makes the contrast plain: a relationship associated with wholeness becomes a place where the speaker’s weakness is watched for.
THE PATTERN
Hostile watchers turn another person’s vulnerable step into an opening for accusation, leverage, and revenge.
They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.THE THREAD
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.Jeremiah’s companions are שֹׁמְרֵי (shomrei, watchers), waiting for his stumble; Psalm 121 uses the same root, שמר (shamar, keep or guard), for the one who keeps your foot from moving. The shared root reveals two uses of attention: one waits for the fall, the other guards against it.
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