Jeremiah continues: Let them be put to shame, those who persecute me, but let me not be put to shame; let them be terrified, but let me not be terrified; bring upon them the day of disaster, and destroy them with double destruction. The prophet prays for vindication against his persecutors, asking that they experience the judgment and destruction that he has announced. Theologically, this verse represents the prophet's appeal for justice against those who oppose him, asking that his persecutors experience the consequences of their opposition. The request for double destruction emphasizes the severity of the judgment sought against those who persecute the prophet. The contrast between the shame and terror that should come on persecutors and the protection sought for the prophet establishes a distinction between those who accept the prophet's word and those who reject it. Theologically, this verse establishes that there are ultimate consequences for rejecting the authentic prophet, suggesting that opposition to God's word through opposition to God's prophet brings judgment. The prayer demonstrates that the prophet's personal vindication is bound up with the vindication of God's word: those who reject the prophet reject God, and their judgment is part of the execution of God's justice. The request for double destruction parallels the language used elsewhere in Jeremiah regarding the severity of God's judgment, suggesting that those who persecute the prophet will face judgment equal to that pronounced against those who break covenant. Theologically, this verse establishes that opposition to authentic prophecy is a form of opposition to God and brings divine judgment. The prophet's prayer for vindication and the destruction of his persecutors reflects the prophet's faith that God will ultimately establish justice and demonstrate the truth of the prophetic word. This verse demonstrates that the prophet's personal struggle is interconnected with the people's struggle against God's word: the outcome of the prophet's conflict with his persecutors will be the same as the outcome of the people's conflict with God's word.

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