And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

JEREMIAH 15:20KJV
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Jeremiah 15:20 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 15:20 mean?

Jeremiah 15:20 promises that God will make Jeremiah as strong and unbreakable as a fortified bronze wall against the people who oppose him; even though others will fight against Jeremiah, they will not defeat him because God will be with him to save and deliver him. This verse is a reassurance of God’s protection and presence with Jeremiah in the face of opposition.

In this passage, God is speaking directly to Jeremiah, who has been facing hostility and rejection from his own people for delivering God’s messages. The image of a “fenced brasen wall” highlights how God will make Jeremiah resilient and secure, unable to be overcome by his adversaries. The verse emphasizes that Jeremiah’s safety and success do not depend on his own strength, but on God’s ongoing commitment to be with him and rescue him.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 15:20

  • “fenced” (בָּצוּר, batsur): This word means “fortified” or “enclosed,” suggesting a strong, protected barrier. It emphasizes that Jeremiah will be made secure, not just tough but also defended on all sides.
  • “brasen” (נְחֹשֶׁת, nechoshet): This word means “bronze” or “copper,” a metal known for its strength and durability in the ancient world. Calling Jeremiah a “bronze wall” underlines how unyielding and resilient God will make him.
  • “wall” (חוֹמָה, chomah): This term refers to a defensive wall, often around a city. The combination of “bronze” and “wall” paints a picture of something nearly impossible to break through, showing the extent of God’s protection.
  • “prevail” (יָכוֹל, yakhol): This verb means “to be able” or “to overcome.” God’s promise is that Jeremiah’s opponents will not be able to succeed against him, no matter how hard they try.

Why Jeremiah 15:20 matters

  • Jeremiah 15:20 clarifies that God’s protection does not mean the absence of conflict; Jeremiah will still face opposition, but God guarantees that the opposition will not succeed.
  • The verse connects to the broader context of Jeremiah’s struggles, showing that God’s calling comes with both hardship and divine support.
  • This reassurance helps the reader understand that God’s presence is the decisive factor in Jeremiah’s endurance, not Jeremiah’s own abilities or popularity.

Where else these words appear

“fenced” Hebrew H1219 · used in 38 verses

  • Genesis 11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
  • 2 Kings 18:13 Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.
  • Isaiah 27:10 Yet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof.

“brasen” Hebrew H5178 · used in 119 verses

  • Genesis 4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
  • Deuteronomy 8:9 A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
  • 1 Chronicles 22:16 Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.

“wall” Hebrew H2346 · used in 123 verses

  • Exodus 14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
  • Nehemiah 1:3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
  • Isaiah 30:13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.