Jeremías 16:5-9

5 Así dice el SEÑOR: «No entres en una casa donde estén de luto, ni vayas a llorar, ni los consueles, porque a este pueblo le he retirado mi paz, mi amor y mi compasión —afirma el SEÑOR—.

6 En este país morirán grandes y pequeños; nadie llorará por ellos, ni los sepultará; nadie se hará heridas en el cuerpo ni se rapará la cabeza por ellos.

7 Nadie ofrecerá un banquete fúnebre a los que estén de duelo, para consolarlos por el muerto, ni a nadie se le dará a beber la copa del consuelo, aun cuando quien haya muerto sea su padre o su madre.

8 »No entres en una casa donde haya una celebración, ni te sientes con ellos a comer y beber.

9 Porque así dice el SEÑORTodopoderoso, el Dios de Israel: Voy a poner fin en este lugar a toda expresión de alegría y de regocijo, y al cántico del novio y de la novia. Esto sucederá en sus propios días, y ustedes lo verán.

Jeremías 16:5-9 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.