Jeremías 16:12-21

12 y vosotros habéis hecho peor que vuestros padres; porque he aquí que vosotros camináis cada uno tras la imaginación de su malvado corazón, no oyéndome a mí

13 Por tanto, yo os haré echar de esta tierra a tierra que ni vosotros ni vuestros padres habéis conocido, y allá serviréis a dioses ajenos de día y de noche; porque no os daré misericordia

14 Pero he aquí, vienen días, dijo el SEÑOR, que no se dirá más: Vive el SEÑOR, que hizo subir a los hijos de Israel de tierra de Egipto

15 sino: Vive el SEÑOR, que hizo subir a los hijos de Israel de la tierra del aquilón, y de todas las tierras adonde los había arrojado; y los volveré a su tierra, la cual di a sus padres

16 He aquí que yo envío muchos pescadores, dice el SEÑOR, y los pescarán; y después enviaré muchos cazadores, y los cazarán de todo monte, y de todo collado, y de las cavernas de los peñascos

17 Porque mis ojos están puestos sobre todos sus caminos, los cuales no se me ocultaron, ni su iniquidad se esconde de la presencia de mis ojos

18 Mas primero pagaré al doble su iniquidad y su pecado; porque contaminaron mi tierra con los cuerpos muertos de sus abominaciones, y de sus abominaciones llenaron mi heredad

19 Oh SEÑOR, fortaleza mía, y fuerza mía, y refugio mío en el tiempo de la aflicción; a ti vendrán gentiles desde los extremos de la tierra, y dirán: Ciertamente mentira poseyeron nuestros padres, vanidad, y no hay en ellos provecho

20 ¿Hará por ventura el hombre dioses para sí? Mas ellos no serán dioses

21 Por tanto, he aquí, les enseñaré esta vez, les enseñaré mi mano y mi fortaleza, y sabrán que mi Nombre es el SEÑOR

Jeremías 16:12-21 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.