King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place.
Complete Jewish Bible:
"You are not to marry or have sons and daughters in this place.
Berean Standard Bible:
“You must not marry or have sons or daughters in this place.”
American Standard Version:
Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters, in this place.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Thou shalt not take{H3947} thee a wife{H802}, neither shalt thou have sons{H1121} or daughters{H1323} in this place{H4725}.
Cross-References (KJV):
1 Corinthians 7:26
- I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, [I say], that [it is] good for a man so to be.
1 Corinthians 7:27
- Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
Luke 21:23
- But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
Genesis 19:14
- And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
Luke 23:29
- For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed [are] the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Matthew 24:19
- And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Jeremiah 16:2
Jeremiah 16:2 is a part of the larger narrative of the prophetic book of Jeremiah, which is set during a tumultuous period in the history of Judah, around the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE. This period was marked by political instability, idolatry, and the looming threat of the Babylonian Empire. Jeremiah, often referred to as the "weeping prophet," was called by God to deliver messages of judgment and impending doom to the people of Judah due to their disobedience and apostasy.
In Jeremiah 16:2, God specifically instructs Jeremiah not to marry or have children. This command is symbolic and serves multiple purposes within the historical and prophetic context:
1. **Personal Sorrow**: By remaining unmarried and childless, Jeremiah's life would be a living parable of the desolation and sorrow that was to come upon the land. His personal circumstances would mirror the coming bereavement that the people of Judah would experience due to God's judgment.
2. **Prophetic Sign**: Jeremiah's celibacy and lack of offspring would serve as a tangible sign to the people, illustrating the severity of the impending disaster. The absence of family life, which was central to the social and religious fabric of Israelite society, would be a stark reminder of the broken covenant between God and His people.
3. **Imminent Judgment**: The command not to have a family underscored the immediacy and certainty of God's judgment. The normalcy of family life would have suggested stability and future hope, but Jeremiah's situation was a declaration that the normal patterns of life were about to be disrupted.
4. **Message of Hope withheld**: In the broader context of Jeremiah's messages, the command in 16:2 also reflects the temporary withholding of hope and restoration. While Jeremiah would later speak of a new covenant and restoration (Jeremiah 31:31-34), at this point, the focus was on repentance and the acknowledgment of sin.
In summary, Jeremiah 16:2 is a poignant directive from God to Jeremiah, setting him apart as a prophet whose life would embody the message of judgment against Judah. It highlights the gravity of the nation's spiritual condition and the inevitability of divine retribution, while also foreshadowing the personal isolation and emotional turmoil that Jeremiah would endure as he faithfully carried out his prophetic mission.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3947
There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לָקַח
Transliteration: lâqach
Pronunciation: law-kakh'
Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. - Strong's Number: H802
There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִשָּׁה
Transliteration: ʼishshâh
Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H1323
There are 499 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בַּת
Transliteration: bath
Pronunciation: bath
Description: from בָּנָה (as feminine of בֵּן); a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively); apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, [idiom] first, [idiom] old, [phrase] owl, town, village. - Strong's Number: H4725
There are 379 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מָקוֹם
Transliteration: mâqôwm
Pronunciation: maw-kome'
Description: or מָקֹם; also (feminine) מְקוֹמָה; or מְקֹמָה; from קוּם; properly, a standing, i.e. a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific); also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or mind); country, [idiom] home, [idiom] open, place, room, space, [idiom] whither(-soever).