Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryJeremiah 16

Prohibitions Given to Jeremiah.In this chapter, Jeremiah is commanded to live as a sign to the people of Judah. His actions are meant to show that he fully believes in the coming destruction of the nation. While others continue their normal lives, Jeremiah is told to avoid marriage, mourning, and feasting. These prohibitions symbolize the seriousness of the judgment coming upon the land. By his example, Jeremiah warns the people to prepare for the calamities ahead and to turn away from their sins.

v. 2: God tells Jeremiah, Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place. Jeremiah is forbidden to marry or have children because of the terrible suffering that is coming. Families will face great sorrow, and having children will only increase the pain. This command reflects the wisdom of avoiding attachments that would bring more grief during times of disaster (1 Corinthians 7:26 ).

v. 3–4: God explains why Jeremiah must not marry. He says, The sons and daughters born in this place shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented, neither shall they be buried(Jeremiah 16:3–4 ). The coming judgment will bring death by sword and famine, and the dead will be left unburied, exposed to birds and wild animals. This shows the severity of God’s punishment and the hopelessness of the situation.

v. 5: Jeremiah is also told not to enter the house of mourning. God says, Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them: for I have taken away my peace from this people. God’s peace, loving-kindness, and mercy are removed from the people because of their sins. Without God’s favor, even the land of Canaan, once called the land of the living, becomes a place of death and despair.

v. 6–7: Both the great and the small will die, and there will be no one to mourn for them. God says, They shall not be buried, neither shall men lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them(Jeremiah 16:6 ). Traditional mourning practices will be abandoned because of the overwhelming number of deaths. People will be too consumed by their own grief and survival to comfort one another.

v. 8: Jeremiah is also forbidden to join in celebrations. God says, Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink. This prohibition reflects the seriousness of the times. While others continue to celebrate, Jeremiah must show by his actions that joy and feasting will soon come to an end.

v. 9: God declares that He will end all joy in the land. I will cause to cease out of this place...the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride. Weddings and celebrations will stop because of the calamities that will surround the people. Even Jerusalem, once a joyous city, will be filled with sorrow and silence.

Causes of Divine Judgments.This section explains why God is sending such severe judgments on the people of Judah. When Jeremiah tells the people about the coming disasters, they question why God would do this to them. Instead of admitting their guilt, many try to justify themselves and act as if God is being unfair. God responds by clearly listing their sins and the sins of their ancestors, showing that the punishment is deserved. The people have not only continued in the wrong ways of their fathers but have become even more stubborn and rebellious.v. 10: God tells Jeremiah that when he announces these judgments, the people will ask, Wherefore hath the Lord

v. 11: God answers that their ancestors turned away from Him. Your fathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord

v. 12: But God also says that the current generation is even worse. Ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me. Instead of learning from the past, they have become more stubborn and determined to follow their own desires, ignoring God’s voice.

v. 13: Because of this, God says, I will cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not show you favour. The people will be sent far away into exile, where they will be surrounded by idols and will not experience God’s kindness. Their punishment matches their sin: since they loved strange gods, they will live in a strange land, without God’s blessing or favor (Deuteronomy 32:17 ).

Judgment and Mercy; Restoration of the Jews; Deliverance from Babylon.This passage shows both God’s judgment and His mercy. The people of Judah will be punished for their idolatry, but God promises that, later, He will bring them back from exile. The coming judgment is certain, but hope remains because God will eventually restore His people. This restoration will be even greater than the deliverance from Egypt. The people will learn that idols are worthless and that only the Lord

v. 16: God says, I will send for many fishers...and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them. This means God will use different nations and people to find and bring judgment on the sinners, no matter where they hide. But it can also mean God will later use people to find and bring His people back from where they are scattered.

v. 17: God reminds them, My eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. God sees everything. No sin can be hidden from Him. He knows all their actions, even the ones they try to keep secret (Proverbs 5:21; Psalm 90:8 ).

v. 18: God says He will fully repay their sin. I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double. The people polluted God’s land with idols and detestable things, so now they must face the consequences. Their punishment will match their many sins.

v. 19: Jeremiah speaks, O Lord

v. 20: The people will finally see how foolish it is to make their own gods. Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?. They will understand that idols are useless and cannot help them.

v. 21: God promises to show His power and make His name known. Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know...that my name is the Lord