TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 16:1–9. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The prophet is here for a sign to the people. They would not regard what he said; let it be tried whether they will regard what he does. In general, he must conduct himself so, in every thing, as became one that expected to see his country in ruins very shortly. This he foretold, but few regarded the prediction; therefore he is to show that he is himself fully satisfied in the truth of it. Others go on in their usual course, but he, in the prospect of these sad times, is forbidden and therefore forbears marriage, mourning for the dead, and mirth. Note, Those that would convince others of and affect them with the word of God must make it appear, even in the most self-denying instances, that they do believe it themselves and are affected with it. If we would rouse others out of their security, and persuade them to sit loose to the world, we must ourselves be mortified to present things and show that we expect the dissolution of them.
I.Jeremiah must not marry, nor think of having a family and being a housekeeper (Jer 16:2):
Thou shalt not take thee a wife, nor think of having sons and daughters in this place, not in the land of Judah, not in Jerusalem, not in Anathoth. The Jews, more than any people, valued themselves on their early marriages and their numerous offspring. But Jeremiah must live a bachelor, not so much in honour of virginity as in diminution of it. By this it appears that it was advisable and seasonable only in calamitous times, and times of present distress, Co1 7:26. That it is so is a part of the calamity. There may be a time when it will be said, Blessed is the womb that bears not, Luk 23:29. When we see such times at hand it is wisdom for all, especially for prophets, to keep themselves as much as may be from being entangled with the affairs of this life and encumbered with that which, the dearer it is to them, the more it will be the matter of their care, and fear, and grief, at such a time. The reason here given is because the fathers and mothers, the sons and the daughters, shall die of grievous deaths, Jer 16:3, Jer 16:4. As for those that have wives and children,
1.They will have such a clog upon them that they cannot flee from those deaths. A single man may make his escape and shift for his own safety, when he that has a wife and children can neither find means to convey with them nor find in his heart to go and leave them behind him.
2.They will be in continual terror for fear of those deaths; and the more they have to lose by them the greater will the terror and consternation be when death appears every where in its triumphant pomp and power.
3.The death of every child, and the aggravating circumstances of it, will be a new death to the parent. Better have no children than have them brought forth and bred up for the murderer (Hos 9:13, Hos 9:14), than see them live and die in misery. Death is grievous, but some deaths are more grievous than others, both to those that die and to their relations that survive them; hence we read of so great a death, Co2 1:10. Two things are used a little to palliate and alleviate the terror of death as to this world, and to sugar the bitter pill - bewailing the dead and burying them; but, to make those deaths grievous indeed, these are denied: They shall not be lamented, but shall be carried off, as if all the world were weary of them; nay, they shall not be buried, but left exposed, as if they were designed to be monuments of justice. They shall be a dung upon the face of the earth, not only despicable, but detestable, as if they were good for nothing but to manure the ground; being consumed, some by the sword and some by famine, their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven and the beasts of the earth. Will not any one say, "Better be without children than live to see them come to this?" What reason have we to say,All is vanity and vexation of spirit, when those creatures that we expect to be our greatest comforts may prove not only our heaviest cares, but our sorest crosses!
II.Jeremiah must not go to the house of mourning upon occasion of the death of any of his neighbours or relations (Jer 16:5):
Enter thou not into the house of mourning. It was usual to condole with those whose relations were dead, to bemoan them, to cut themselves, and make themselves bald, which, it seems, was commonly practised as an expression of mourning, though forbidden by the law, Deu 14:1. Nay, sometimes, in a passion of grief, they did tear themselves for them (Jer 16:6, Jer 16:7), partly in honour of the deceased, thus signifying that they thought there was a great loss of them, and partly in compassion to the surviving relations, to whom the burden will be made the lighter by their having sharers with them in their grief. They used to mourn with them, and so to comfort them for the dead, as Job's friends with him and the Jews with Martha and Mary; and it was a friendly office to give them a cup of consolation to drink, to provide cordials for them and press them earnestly to drink of them for the support of their spirits, give wine to those that are of heavy heart for their father or mother, that it may be some comfort to them to find that, though they have lost their parents, yet they have some friends left that have a concern for them. Thus the usage stood, and it was a laudable usage. It is a good work to others, as well as of good use to ourselves, to go to the house of mourning. It seems, the prophet Jeremiah had been wont to abound in good offices of this kind, and it well became his character both as a pious man and as a prophet; and one would think it should have made him better beloved among his people than it should seem he was. But now God bids him not lament the death of his friends as usual, for 1. His sorrow for the destruction of his country in general must swallow up his sorrow for particular deaths. His tears must now be turned into another channel; and there is occasion enough for them all. 2. He had little reason to lament those who died now just before the judgments entered which he saw at the door, but rather to think those happy who were seasonable taken away from the evil to come. 3. This was to be a type of what was coming, when there should be such universal confusion that all neighbourly friendly offices should be neglected. Men shall be in deaths so often, and even dying daily, that they shall have no time, no room, no heart, for the ceremonies that used to attend death. The sorrows shall be so ponderous as not to admit relief, and every one so full of grief for his own troubles that he shall have no thought of his neighbours. All shall be mourners then, and no comforters; every one will find it enough to bear his own burden; for (Jer 16:5), "I have taken away my peace from this people, put a full period to their prosperity, deprived them of health, wealth, and quiet, and friends, and every thing wherewith they might comfort themselves and one another." Whatever peace we enjoy, it is God's peace; it is his gift, and, if he give quietness, who then can make trouble? But, if we make not a good use of his peace, he can and will take it away; and where are we then? Job 34:29. "I will take away my peace, even my loving-kindness and mercies;" these shall be shut up and restrained, which are the fresh springs from which all their fresh streams flow, and then farewell all good. Note, Those have cut themselves off from all true peace that have thrown themselves out of the favour of God. All is gone when God takes away from us his lovingkindness and his mercies. Then it follows (Jer 16:6), Both the great and the small shall die, even in this land, the land of Canaan, that used to be called the land of the living. God's favour is our life; take away that, and we die, we perish, we all perish.
III.Jeremiah must not go to the house of mirth, any more than to the house of mourning, Jer 16:8.
It had been his custom, and it was innocent enough, when any of his friends made entertainments at their houses and invited him to them, to go and sit with them, not merely to drink, but to eat and to drink, soberly and cheerfully. But now he must not take that liberty,
1.Because it was unseasonable, and inconsistent with the providences of God in reference to that land and nation. God called aloud to weeping, and mourning, and fasting; he was coming forth against them in his judgments; and it was time for them to humble themselves; and it well became the prophet who gave them the warning to give them an example of taking the warning, and complying with it, and so to make it appear that he did himself believe it. Ministers ought to be examples of self-denial and mortification, and to show themselves affected with those terrors of the Lord with which they desire to affect others. And it becomes all the sons of Zion to sympathize with her in her afflictions, and not to be merry when she is perplexed, Amo 6:6.
2.Because he must thus show the people what sad times were coming upon them. His friends wondered that he would not meet them, as he used to do, in the house of feasting. But he lets them know it was to intimate to them that all their feasting would be at an end shortly (Jer 16:9): "I will cause to cease the voice of mirth. You shall have nothing to feast on, nothing to rejoice in, but be surrounded with calamities that shall mar your mirth and cast a damp upon it." God can find ways to tame the most jovial. "This shall be done in this place, in Jerusalem, that used to be the joyous city and thought her joys were all secure to her. It shall be done in your eyes, in your sight, to be a vexation to you, who now look so haughty and so merry. It shall be done in your days; you yourselves shall live to see it." The voice of praise they had made to cease by their iniquities and idolatries, and therefore justly God made to cease among them the voice of mirth and gladness. The voice of God's prophets was not heard, was not heeded, among them, and therefore no longer shall the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride, of the songs that used to grace the nuptials, be heard among them. See Jer 7:34.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
(Verse 9 onwards) For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will remove from this place in your sight and in your days the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. And when you tell this people all these words, and they say to you, 'Why has the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us? What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?' You say to them: 'Because your fathers have forsaken me,' says the Lord, 'and have gone after foreign gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law. But you have done worse than your fathers. When the Church sins, all joy and gladness are taken away from it, of which the Apostle says: Rejoice, again I say, rejoice (Philippians 4:4): The voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, of which it is written: He who has the bride is the bridegroom (John 3:29).' But if, he says, the people question you, asking why these sufferings are allowed and seeking the reasons for their miseries, you shall reply to them: Because your fathers have forsaken me, says the Lord, who preside over you in the Churches, and have gone after foreign gods, whose god is their belly, and they serve them for the sake of greed and lust, and their glory is in their shame, and they have worshipped them. For whoever is overcome by someone, becomes their servant. And they worshipped them: For each one worships what they love. And they have forsaken me, and have not kept my law. It is the duty of the priests not only to teach, but also to follow the law: so that they may teach by example, not only by words, the people who are subject to them and the entrusted flock. And lest they should say that the judgment is unjust, it brings forward the saying: 'The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge' (Jeremiah 31), and 'The teeth of the sons shall not be set on edge' (Ezekiel 18). But you have done worse than your fathers; so that just punishments should be inflicted on those who have sinned worse than their fathers.
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Summary
Jeremiah 16:9 delivers a profound and imminent judgment from the Sovereign God of Israel upon Judah, declaring that within the lifetime of the current generation, all expressions of joy, celebration, and communal festivity will be utterly silenced in their land. This includes the cessation of general merriment and, specifically, the joyous sounds associated with weddings, symbolizing a complete societal breakdown, the end of normal life, and the devastating consequences of their persistent rebellion against God.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 16:9 is strategically placed within a section (chapters 15-20) that vividly portrays the severity and inevitability of God's judgment against Judah for their widespread idolatry and unfaithfulness. Immediately preceding this verse, the LORD had commanded Jeremiah not to marry or have children, nor to participate in mourning rites or celebratory feasts (Jeremiah 16:1-8). This divine instruction serves as a living parable, demonstrating the coming desolation where normal life, including family continuity, grief rituals, and joyous communal gatherings, would cease to exist. Verse 9 specifically elaborates on the nature of this cessation, detailing the precise sounds of joy that will vanish, reinforcing the comprehensive and devastating nature of the impending catastrophe. The verses immediately following (Jeremiah 16:10-13) explain why this judgment is coming—because the people have forsaken God and served other gods, rejecting His covenant.
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah ministered in Judah during the tumultuous late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, a period marked by profound political instability and spiritual decline that ultimately led to the Babylonian exile. The people of Judah had largely abandoned their covenant with Yahweh, engaging in widespread idolatry, social injustice, and moral corruption, despite repeated warnings from prophets. Weddings were profoundly significant cultural events in ancient Israel, symbolizing continuity, prosperity, and the future of the community. They were occasions of immense joy, feasting, music, and dancing, often lasting several days. The "voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride" (Jeremiah 16:9) were quintessential sounds of life, hope, and the perpetuation of family lines. The prophecy that these sounds would cease "in your eyes, and in your days" (Jeremiah 16:9) underscored the immediate and tangible nature of the judgment, indicating that the current generation would personally witness the complete collapse of their society and the cessation of all that signified life and blessing. This was a direct consequence of their covenant unfaithfulness, as warned in passages like the covenant curses in Deuteronomy.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes prevalent throughout the book of Jeremiah. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Divine Judgment and the Consequences of Sin. God's righteous wrath against Judah's persistent rebellion and idolatry is vividly portrayed, demonstrating that disobedience has severe, tangible repercussions, leading to national desolation. This aligns with Jeremiah's consistent message that Judah's suffering is a direct result of their forsaking the LORD (e.g., Jeremiah 2:13). Secondly, the verse highlights the Loss of Joy and Societal Collapse. The silencing of mirth and gladness, particularly the sounds of weddings, symbolizes the complete breakdown of communal life, family structures, and all forms of celebration. This imagery paints a vivid picture of a society stripped of hope and vitality, experiencing utter desolation. This theme is echoed in the lamentations over Jerusalem's fall (e.g., Lamentations 5:15). Thirdly, it emphasizes God's Sovereignty and the Imminence of His Word. The declaration "thus saith the LORD of hosts" (Jeremiah 16:9) asserts God's absolute authority and power to execute His decrees. The phrase "in your eyes, and in your days" (Jeremiah 16:9) stresses the immediacy and certainty of the prophecy, indicating that the judgment would unfold within the lifetime of Jeremiah's contemporaries, making God's word undeniably true and inescapable.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This refers to the covenant name of God, Jehovah (H3068), derived from a root meaning "to be," signifying "the self-Existent" or "the Eternal One." Its use here, combined with "of hosts," emphasizes the speaker's supreme authority, unchanging nature, and covenant fidelity, highlighting that this is not merely a human prediction but a divine decree from the ultimate sovereign God of Israel.
From a primitive root meaning "to repose" or "desist from exertion" (H7673). In this context, it signifies an active and deliberate termination or removal. God Himself will bring about the cessation of these sounds, indicating a complete and intentional end to the normal expressions of joy, rather than a gradual decline or a natural consequence. It implies a divine intervention to bring an end to a way of life.
From a root meaning "perfect" or "complete," referring to a bride (H3618). This word, paired implicitly with "bridegroom" in the context of wedding celebrations, is profoundly significant. Its inclusion underscores the complete breakdown of societal norms and the cessation of the most fundamental and joyous communal rites. The silencing of the bride's voice, along with the bridegroom's, symbolizes the profound disruption of family life, the end of procreation, and the extinguishing of hope for future generations within the land.
Verse Breakdown
"For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel;"
This opening clause unequivocally establishes the divine authority and unwavering certainty of the prophecy. It is not Jeremiah's personal opinion or a human prediction, but a direct, authoritative declaration from Yahweh, the God who commands heavenly armies ("LORD of hosts") and is the covenant God of Israel. This emphasizes His immense power and His unique, yet violated, relationship with His people, underscoring the gravity and inevitability of the pronouncement.
"Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days,"
The emphatic interjection "Behold" (Hebrew: hinnēh) draws immediate and urgent attention to the gravity of the impending action. God explicitly states His direct agency ("I will cause to cease") in bringing about this judgment, leaving no doubt about its divine origin. The phrase "out of this place" refers to Judah, specifically Jerusalem and its environs, indicating the geographical scope of the desolation. The temporal markers "in your eyes, and in your days" are crucial, signifying that the current generation—Jeremiah's contemporaries—will personally witness and experience this desolation, making the prophecy immediate, tangible, and inescapable.
"the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride."
This climactic phrase details the specific manifestations of joy that will be silenced. The powerful repetition of "the voice of" (Hebrew: qôwl) emphasizes the complete auditory absence that will fall upon the land. "Mirth" (Hebrew: sâsôwn) and "gladness" (Hebrew: simchâh) refer to general expressions of joy, festivity, and celebration. The specific mention of "the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride" is profoundly significant, as weddings were the quintessential celebrations of life, hope, and continuity in ancient Israelite society. Their cessation symbolizes the complete breakdown of societal order, the end of family lines, the cessation of new births, and the extinguishing of all hope for the future within the land, a stark picture of utter desolation.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 16:9 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its somber message with impactful clarity. The most prominent is Repetition, specifically anaphora, with the recurring phrase "the voice of" (Hebrew: qôwl). This creates a mournful, rhythmic emphasis, underscoring the comprehensive nature of the silence that will fall upon the land and building a sense of dread and finality. Metonymy is evident in the phrase "the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride," where the sounds themselves stand for the entire spectrum of joyous communal life and celebrations. The absence of these sounds signifies the absence of the events and the very conditions that produce them. The entire verse functions as a powerful prophetic oracle, delivering a direct divine message of impending judgment from the LORD Himself, underscored by the authoritative opening, "For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel." The specificity of the "bridegroom" and "bride" voices serves as potent symbolism for the cessation of new life, family continuity, and the future of the nation, as weddings were foundational to Israelite society. Finally, the phrase "in your eyes, and in your days" uses direct address to emphasize the immediacy and personal impact of the judgment on the current generation, making the prophecy particularly poignant and inescapable.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 16:9 serves as a stark theological declaration of God's unwavering justice against persistent disobedience. It reveals that while God is merciful and patient, there comes a point when His people's rebellion necessitates severe judgment to uphold His righteousness and the integrity of His covenant. The silencing of joy and the cessation of normal life, particularly the vital institution of marriage, underscore the profound consequences of forsaking the Living God for idols. This judgment is not arbitrary but a direct outcome of Judah's choices, demonstrating the principle that sin, left unrepented, leads to desolation and the loss of blessing. It also highlights God's absolute sovereignty over all aspects of human existence, including joy and sorrow, and His ability to bring about His decreed will, even when it involves severe national calamity.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 16:9 stands as a timeless warning that persistent rebellion against God's commands and a disregard for His covenant lead to profound and devastating consequences, including the loss of joy, community, and the very fabric of societal well-being. For believers today, this verse calls for a sober self-examination of our own hearts and lives. Are we, individually and corporately, truly prioritizing God and His will, or are we allowing spiritual apathy, idolatry (whether of possessions, power, or self), and unfaithfulness to erode our relationship with Him? The silencing of joy serves as a powerful reminder that true and lasting joy is not found in transient worldly pleasures or societal stability, but ultimately flows from a right relationship with God and obedience to His Word. It prompts us to consider what "voices of mirth and gladness" might be silenced in our own lives or communities if we drift from God's path, urging us to cultivate a life of faithful devotion and genuine worship, recognizing that God's justice is as real as His mercy, and His desire for our flourishing is tied to our faithfulness.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the "voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride" ceasing?
The cessation of the "voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride" (Jeremiah 16:9) holds profound significance in ancient Israelite culture. Weddings were the most joyous and foundational communal events, symbolizing new life, family continuity, prosperity, and the future of the community. Their absence signifies a complete breakdown of society, the end of normal life, the cessation of procreation, and the extinguishing of hope for future generations within the land. It represents total desolation and the death of the nation's future, a direct consequence of God's severe judgment. This imagery is also used in other prophetic books to denote utter ruin, such as in Revelation 18:23 when describing the fall of Babylon, underscoring its universal symbol of desolation.
Why does God declare this judgment will happen "in your eyes, and in your days"?
The phrase "in your eyes, and in your days" (Jeremiah 16:9) emphasizes the immediacy and certainty of the prophecy. It means that the judgment would occur within the lifetime of Jeremiah's contemporaries—the very generation he was addressing. This makes the prophecy incredibly impactful and inescapable, removing any possibility that the people could dismiss it as a distant threat or something that would affect only future generations. It underscores God's direct involvement and His commitment to executing His word, ensuring that those who had persistently rebelled would personally witness the devastating consequences of their actions. It served as a stark, tangible warning that the time for national repentance had passed, and judgment was at their doorstep, fulfilling the warnings of Deuteronomy 28 within their own lifetime.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Jeremiah 16:9 speaks of a severe judgment upon Israel, foreshadowing the silencing of joy and the desolation brought by unrepented sin, it ultimately points to the profound joy and restoration found in Christ. The cessation of the bridegroom's and bride's voices in Judah symbolizes a broken covenant and a people separated from God, leading to spiritual barrenness and the loss of future hope. However, in the New Testament, Jesus is presented as the ultimate Bridegroom (e.g., Matthew 9:15 and John 3:29). His coming inaugurates a new covenant, where the marriage feast, far from being silenced, is eternally celebrated. The Church is depicted as the Bride of Christ (e.g., Ephesians 5:25-27 and Revelation 21:2), redeemed and made holy by His sacrifice. The joy that was lost due to Israel's unfaithfulness is fully restored and surpassed in the presence of Christ. Where sin brought silence and sorrow, Christ brings the "fullness of joy" (e.g., Psalm 16:11) and the promise of eternal celebration. His atoning sacrifice on the cross (e.g., Romans 5:8) addressed the very sins that caused such desolation, offering reconciliation and a future filled with hope, where the voices of gladness and mirth, far from ceasing, will echo eternally in His presence. The ultimate fulfillment of joy, peace, and communal celebration is found in the eschatological marriage supper of the Lamb (e.g., Revelation 19:7-9), where the eternal Bridegroom reigns with His redeemed Bride.