Jeremiah 16:3

_FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD CONCERNING THE SONS AND CONCERNING THE DAUGHTERS THAT ARE BORN IN THIS PLACE, AND CONCERNING THEIR MOTHERS THAT BARE THEM, AND CONCERNING THEIR FATHERS THAT BEGAT THEM IN THIS LAND;_ No JFB commentary on this verse....

1-9 The prophet must conduct himself as one who expected to see his country ruined very shortly. In the prospect of sad times, he is to abstain from marriage, mourning for the dead, and pleasure. Those who would convince others of the truths of God, must make it appear by their self-denial, that they believe it themselves. Peace, inward and outward, family and public, is wholly the work of God, and from his loving-kindness and mercy. When He takes his peace from any people, distress must follow. There may be times when it is proper to avoid things otherwise our duty; and we should always sit loose to the pleasures and concerns of this life....

The times were such that for “the present distress” it was wise for all to abstain from marriage 1 Corinthians 7:26; Matthew 24:19....

EXPOSITION With this chapter should be taken the first eighteen verses of Jeremiah 17:1. The heading of the Authorized Version well expresses the contents of Jeremiah 17:1, provided that "the types" are understood to be typical actions of the prophet himself. "The prophet, under the types of abstaining from marriage, from houses of mourning and feasting, foreshoweth the utter ruin of the Jews." To the inquiry, why these calamities should come upon them, the old and well-known answer is to be given (Jeremiah 17:10), accompanied by a definite prediction of captivity (Jeremiah 17:13). Then, to relieve the p

FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD CONCERNING THE SONS AND CONCERNING THE DAUGHTERS THAT ARE BORN IN THIS PLACE,..... This is a reason given why the prophet should not have, and why he should not be desirous to have, sons and daughters in such a place and country, devoted to destruction: AND CONCERNING THEIR MOTHERS THAT BARE THEM, AND CONCERNING THEIR FATHERS THAT BEGAT THEM IN THIS LAND: the land of Judea; which shows what is meant by the place before mentioned; both the one and the other, parents and children, should die there; this is what was determined by the Lord concerning them; and therefore it could not be a desirable thing for a man to have wife and children, whom he must part with in such an uncomfortable manner, as is after described; and to show the certainty of which the prophet is forbid to do as above....

THE COMING CALAMITIES: RESTORATION PROMISED, RUIN IMMINENT ON ACCOUNT OF JUDAH'S SIN AND CONCERNING THE SABBATH (16-17) CHAPTER 16 _ 1. The coming calamities (Jeremiah 16:1) _ 2. The coming days of restoration and blessing (Jeremiah 16:14) Jeremiah 16:1. In view of the coming calamities Jeremiah is bidden to remain unmarried and not to raise a family. The verses which describe the coming calamities need no further annotations. Jeremiah 16:14. The great dispersion was announced by the Lord in the preceding verse: “Therefore will I cast you out of this land, into a land that ye know

JEREMIAH 16:1 TO JEREMIAH 17:18. THE COMING DISTRESS A PENALTY FOR SIN. The prophet is forbidden to found a family, because of the coming sorrows (_cf._ 1 Corinthians 7:29 ff.), in which death will be too common even for due mourning and burial. He is to stand aloof from the ordinary expressions of grief (Jeremiah 16:5) or social joy (Jeremiah 16:8 f.; _cf._ Jeremiah 7:34), as a sign that Yahweh will make both to cease in the universal dis

_and concerning their mothers … this land_ Possibly these words are a gloss, as being apparently irrelevant, but not (as Co.) the whole _v_., for then we should have no fitting reference for "they" of Jeremiah 16:4....

III. PROPHETIC CONDUCT Jeremiah 16:1-21 Jeremiah came through his personal crisis. He repented and God took him back. Now that the rebellious prophet was humble and contrite, God gives him further instructions concerning his personal conduct (Jeremiah 16:1-9) and his message (Jeremiah 16:10-13). God pulls back the curtain to reveal to His prophet the purpose and reason for the forthcoming judgment (Jeremiah 16:14-18). To all of this the prophet responds with a ringing affirmation of faith and vision ...

1-13. Selfdenial and an ascetic, life are to be the prophet's lot....