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Jeremiah 16

21 verses

TL;DR

Jeremiah 16 contains a prophetic decree of judgment upon Israel for their idolatry and disobedience, accompanied by warnings of death and desolation, yet it also hints at eventual restoration.

Summary

The chapter opens with a divine command to Jeremiah that he must not take a wife or have children in this land, emphasizing a curse that those born there will die in miserable ways and will not be mourned. The Lord declares that both the great and the small will die without burial, and that people should neither mourn nor feast with the dead. He warns that the joyous sounds of marriage and celebration will cease in the eyes of the people. Jeremiah is instructed to explain the cause of this judgment: the fathers’ abandonment of God and worship of other gods. The chapter concludes with a promise that the Lord will bring Israel back from exile, restore them to their land, and reveal His power through the judgment of other nations.

Outline
  1. Divine decree of judgment and personal prohibition on marriage
  2. Description of death, mourning, and feasting customs
  3. Explanatory dialogue and promise of restoration
Themes
Judgment for idolatry and disobedienceSuffering and communal lossHope and restoration
Keywords
LordJeremiahIsraelmourningfeastingswordfaminerecompenserestorationidolatry
People
The LORDJeremiah
Places
IsraelEgyptthe norththe landthe ends of the earth
Things
mourningfeastingswordfaminefishermenhuntersdunginheritance
Key Verses
  • Jeremiah 16:3: Declares the grim fate of those born in the land, establishing the context of divine judgment.
  • Jeremiah 16:12: Explains why the people are being punished—failure to keep God’s law and worship of other gods.
  • Jeremiah 16:15: Promises restoration of Israel to their land, providing hope amid the judgment.
Questions
  • Why does the Lord forbid Jeremiah from marrying or having children in this land?
  • What does the imagery of people dying 'as dung on the face of the earth' convey about divine judgment?
  • How does the chapter link Israel’s past idolatry to the current suffering?
  • In what ways does Jeremiah’s prophetic role shift from warning to offering hope?
  • What significance does the promise of restoration have for contemporary readers?
Sentiment

mixed
The text presents severe warnings and judgment while also offering a future promise of restoration.