Jeremiah 31:13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men
and old together
Not any particular virgin, but all virgins, as Kimchi interprets it. The Targum is,
``then shall the congregation of Israel rejoice as in dances;''
it may very well be understood of the church of Christ, espoused to him as a chaste virgin, and of her spiritual joy in him, in allusion to the joy expressed by such persons in dancing, both upon civil and religious accounts; and it denotes that the joy should be very general and extensive, that persons of every age and sex should partake of it; see (
Zechariah 9:17 ) ;
for I will turn their mourning into joy:
their mourning for sin, and for want of the divine presence, into joy, on account of the goodness of the Lord to them, and the large provisions made for them; though they come weeping to Zion, yet, when come thither, sing in the height of it, (
Jeremiah 31:9 Jeremiah 31:12 ) ; their fasts, as elsewhere, are turned into festivals; sometimes the joy of the saints is suddenly turned into grief, and again their sorrow turned into joy; see (
Psalms 30:5-7 Psalms 30:11 Psalms 30:12 ) ;
and will comfort them;
with the discoveries of love, with the divine Presence, and views of pardoning grace:
and make them rejoice from their sorrow;
cause their sorrow to break off through joy: or, "after their sorrow"
F16; that being ended, joy shall succeed.