Jeremías 16:1-11

1 Entonces la palabra del SEÑOR vino a mí, diciendo:

2 No tomes para ti mujer ni tengas hijos ni hijas en este lugar.

3 Porque así dice el SEÑOR acerca de los hijos e hijas nacidos en este lugar, y acerca de las madres que los dieron a luz, y de los padres que los engendraron en esta tierra:

4 De muertes crueles morirán; no serán llorados ni sepultados; serán como estiércol sobre la faz de la tierra; a espada y por hambre serán acabados, y sus cadáveres servirán de comida para las aves del cielo y para las bestias de la tierra.

5 Porque así dice el SEÑOR: No entres en casa de duelo, ni vayas a lamentar, ni los consueles; pues he retirado mi paz de este pueblodeclara el SEÑORla misericordia y la compasión.

6 Morirán grandes y pequeños en esta tierra; no serán enterrados, ni llorados, y nadie se sajará ni se rapará por ellos;

7 no partirán el pan en el duelo para ellos, a fin de consolarlos por el muerto, ni les darán a beber la copa de consolación por su padre o por su madre.

8 Tampoco entres en casa de banquete para sentarte con ellos a comer y beber.

9 Porque así dice el SEÑOR de los ejércitos, el Dios de Israel: He aquí, voy a hacer que desaparezca de este lugar, ante vuestros ojos y en vuestros días, la voz de gozo y la voz de alegría, la voz del novio y la voz de la novia.

10 Y sucederá que cuando anuncies a este pueblo todas estas palabras, ellos te dirán: "¿Por qué el SEÑOR ha pronunciado toda esta gran calamidad contra nosotros? ¿Cuál es nuestra iniquidad y cuál es nuestro pecado que hemos cometido contra el SEÑOR nuestro Dios?"

11 Entonces les dirás: "Es porque vuestros padres me abandonaron"declara el SEÑOR"y siguieron a otros dioses y los sirvieron y se postraron ante ellos, pero a mí me abandonaron y no guardaron mi ley.

Jeremías 16:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 16

In this chapter the ruin and destruction of the Jews is set forth, and confirmed by the prophet's being forbid to be merry, or to go into the house of feasting or mourning, with the reasons thereof; also the sins of the people, the cause of it, are pointed at; and afterwards a promise of their restoration is made; and the chapter is concluded with a prayer of the prophet, pressing his faith in the divine protection, and in the calling of the Gentiles. After the preface or introduction, Jer 16:1, the prophet is forbid to take a wife, or have any children, with the reason of it; because that parents and children would die of grievous deaths unlamented, and not be buried, Jer 16:2-4 and he is also forbid to go into the house of mourning, because peace, lovingkindness, and mercy, were taken from the people, and both great and small would die, and no lamentation be made for them, nor have any burial also, Jer 16:5-7, nor might he go into the house of feasting, because the voice of joy and gladness would cease out of the land, Jer 16:8,9, and upon the people's inquiring the reason of all this, the prophet is bid to tell them, that it was for their forsaking the Lord and his worship, and for their idolatrous practices; of which they were more guilty than their forefathers, and therefore would be cast out of the land, and carried captive into a strange country, Jer 16:10-13 but, after all this, they should be restored again to their own land, and have a greater deliverance than that out of Egypt, as they themselves would own, Jer 16:14,15 but before this would be, fishers and hunters should be sent to distress them, and all because of their iniquities, which God's eye was upon, and would recompense, Jer 16:16-18, and the chapter is closed with the prophet's prayer, in which he expresses his faith in the Lord, and in the conversion of the Gentiles, who would be convinced of their idolatry, and made to know the power and name of the Lord, Jer 16:19,20.