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Magormissabib

biblical_name_or_phrase theological_term standard

A prophetic name Jeremiah gave to Pashhur meaning roughly “terror on every side.” It is a symbolic judgment label, not a general theological term.

At a Glance

Magormissabib is a symbolic name in Jeremiah meaning “terror on every side.” Jeremiah applied it to Pashhur after Pashhur mistreated him, turning the name into a warning of coming judgment.

Key Points

Description

Magormissabib appears in Jeremiah 20:3 as the name Jeremiah gives to Pashhur after Pashhur had Jeremiah beaten and placed in the stocks. The expression is commonly understood to mean “terror on every side” or “dread all around.” In context, the name serves as a prophetic sign: the same fear and pressure that Pashhur tried to impose on Jeremiah would become the reality of Judah under God’s judgment. The phrase is not a broad doctrinal term but a specific biblical label tied to a historical event and a prophetic message.

Biblical Context

In Jeremiah 20, Pashhur the priest opposed Jeremiah and then suffered a divine judgment oracle in return. Jeremiah’s naming of Pashhur “Magormissabib” is part of that oracle and reinforces the book’s repeated theme that rebellion against God leads to fear, collapse, and exile. The phrase also resonates with Jeremiah’s wider language about terror and surrounding dread.

Historical Context

The setting is late preexilic Judah, when Jeremiah warned of Babylonian invasion and national collapse. In that context, a phrase like “terror on every side” would have been heard as a vivid picture of military threat, social panic, and the loss of security. The name captures the lived reality of a nation under covenant judgment.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In the Hebrew prophetic tradition, names and sign-actions often carried theological force. Jeremiah’s naming of Pashhur fits that pattern: a symbolic act that embodies the message being preached. The phrase itself uses ordinary Hebrew words, but in Jeremiah it becomes a fixed prophetic label of judgment.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

Hebrew: magôr missābîb (commonly rendered “terror on every side”). The phrase combines the idea of dread or terror with “all around” or “on every side.”

Theological Significance

Magormissabib underscores the seriousness of divine judgment, the reality of prophetic warning, and the danger of resisting God’s word. It illustrates that the Lord’s warnings are not empty threats but covenant speech meant to expose sin and call for repentance.

Philosophical Explanation

The phrase shows how language can function performatively in Scripture: a prophetic name does not merely describe reality but announces and interprets it under God’s authority. In Jeremiah, the word itself becomes part of the judgment message.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not treat Magormissabib as a broad theological doctrine or as a mystical formula. It is a specific prophetic name within Jeremiah’s historical setting. Also avoid over-reading every later occurrence of similar wording as identical references to the same event; in Jeremiah, the phrase can function as a recurring theme of dread as well as a direct naming act.

Major Views

Interpreters generally agree that the name means “terror on every side” and that it is a prophetic judgment label for Pashhur. Discussion usually centers on the exact nuance of the Hebrew phrase and how strongly later Jeremiah passages echo the same wording.

Doctrinal Boundaries

The entry should remain within the biblical text: a prophetic sign-name in Jeremiah. It should not be expanded into speculative symbolism, numerology, or detached devotional sloganizing.

Practical Significance

Magormissabib reminds readers that rejecting God’s word hardens into fear and collapse, while prophetic warning is meant to lead people back to the Lord. It also highlights the courage of faithful proclamation in the face of opposition.

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Data

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