Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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 bore them, and concerning their fathers that begot them in this land;
3. 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 Jer 16:4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The times were such that for the present distress it was wise for all to abstain from marriage 1Co 7:26; Mat 24:19.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Jer 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;
Ver. 3. For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons – born in this place,] i.e., At Anathoth, say some; but others better, at Jerusalem. So great and grievous shall be the calamity, that married people shall be ready to wish, as Augustus did for another cause, Utinam aut caelebs vixissem, aut orbus periissem, Oh that either I had lived single, or else died childless!
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
thus saith: Jer 16:5, Jer 16:9
Reciprocal: Jer 6:21 – fathers Jer 18:21 – let their wives Eze 24:21 – that which your soul pitieth Hos 9:12 – yet
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 16:3. This verse is on the same subject as the preceding, and goes into more details as to who would be affected were the prophet to start a family in the surroundings that existed there at that time.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
The reason for this command was that the people living in Judah then were soon going to die horrible deaths. The exile was imminent.
"Jeremiah married no one, signifying the end of the relationship between the people and the Lord, and had no children, signifying the resulting destitution." [Note: Kelley, p. 216.]
Perhaps the Lord also wanted to spare Jeremiah the sorrow of seeing his wife and children die horrible deaths. The sorrow and grief connected with the Babylonian invasion would be much greater than the joys of family life if he were to marry and father children.