Pashur

(freedom).

• One of the families of priests of the chief house of Malchijah. (1 Chronicles 9:12; 24:9; Nehemiah 11:12; Jeremiah 21:1; 38:1) In the time of Nehemiah this family appears to have become a chief house, and its head the head of a course. (Ezra 2:38; Nehemiah 7:41; 10:3) The individual from whom the family was named was probably Pushur the son of Malchiah, who in the reign of Zedekiah was one of the chief princes of the court. (Jeremiah 38:1) (B.C. 607.) He was sent, with others, by Zedekiah to Jeremiah at the time when Nebuchudnezzar was preparing his attack upon Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 21:1) ... Again somewhat later Pashur joined with several other chief men in petitioning the king that Jeremiah might be put to death as a traitor. (Jeremiah 38:4)
• Another person of this name, also a priest, and “chief governor of the house of the Lord,” is mentioned in (Jeremiah 20:1) He is described as “the son of Immer.” (1 Chronicles 24:14) probably the same as Amariah. (Nehemiah 10:3; 12:2) etc. In the reign of Jehoiakim he showed himself as hostile to Jeremiah as his namesake the son of Malchiah did afterward, and put him in the stocks by the gate of Benjamin. For this indignity to God’s prophet Pashur was told by Jeremiah that his name was changed to Magor-missabib (terror on every side) and that he and all his house should be carried captives to Babylon and there die. (Jeremiah 20:1-6) (B.C. 589.)