Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 16:8
Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink.
8. Co. omits the v., but on inadequate grounds.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 8. Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting] Funeral banquets were made to commemorate the dead, and comfort the surviving relatives; and the cup of consolation, strong mingled wine, was given to those who were deepest in distress, to divert their minds and to soothe their sorrows. These kinds of ceremonies were common among almost all the nations of the world on funeral occasions. The Canaanites, the Jews, the Persians, Arabians, New Zealanders, Huns, &c., &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
God did not only forbade his prophet to go into houses of mourning, to eat and to drink according to their custom, to comfort those who had lost their friends; but he forbade him also to go into houses where they were wont to eat and to drink upon a more cheerful account.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. house of feastingjoyous:as distinguished from mourning-feasts. Have no more to do with thispeople whether in mourning or joyous feasts.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Thou shall not also go into the house of feasting,…. Which it was lawful to do, and which the prophet doubtless had done at other times; but now a time of calamity coming on, it was not proper he should; and the rather he was to abstain from such places, and from pleasant conversation with his friends, to assure them that such a time was coming, and this his conduct was a sign of it; for which reason he is forbid to attend any entertainment of his friends, on account of marriage, or any other circumstance of life, for which feasts were used:
to sit with them to eat and to drink: which not only expresses the position at table, but continuance there; for at feasts men not only eat and drink for necessity, or just to satisfy nature, but for pleasure, and unto and with cheerfulness; which may lawfully be done, provided that temperance and sobriety be preserved; but the prophet is not allowed to do that now, which at other times he might do, and did; and that on purpose that his friends might take notice of it, and inquire the reason of it, the distress that was coming upon them, as the words following show.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The prophet is to withdraw from all participation in mirthful meals and feasts, in token that God will take away all joy from the people. , house in which a feast is given. , for , refers, taken ad sensum , to the others who take part in the feast. On Jer 16:9, cf. Jer 7:34.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Here the Prophet refers to other feasts, where hilarity prevailed. The meaning then is, — that the people were given up to destruction, so that nothing was better than to depart from them as far as possible. So Jeremiah is prohibited from going at all to them, so that he might not be their associate either in joy or in sorrow; as though he had said, — ‘Have no more anything to do with this people; if they lament their dead, leave them, for they are unworthy of any act of kindness; and if they make joyful feasts, be far from them, for every intercourse with them is accursed.” We now then understand why the Prophet spoke of grief, lamentation and mourning, and then mentioned joy. He afterwards adds, —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) Into the house of feasting.Literally, the house of drinking, i.e., in this case, as interpreted by the next verse, of festive and mirthful gathering. This prohibition follows fortiori from the other. If it was unmeet for the prophet to enter into the house of mourning, much more was he to hold himself aloof from mirth. He was to stand apart, in the awful consciousness of his solitary mission. The words of Ecc. 7:2 come to our thoughts as teaching that it was better even so.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. Feasting Literally, drinking: showing that even in very ancient times drinking practices were prominent in such assemblies.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Third Sign – Non-Participation In Celebratory Feasts ( Jer 16:8-9 ).
The third sign was to absent himself from all celebratory feasts, as an indication that the future was so black that there was nothing to celebrate. It was a sign that soon all merriment would cease in the land. Nothing would attract attention more than someone who refused to partake in celebratory meals in a day when there was little other recreation and such feasts were the highlight of their lives. This above all would cause people to ask him questions.
Jer 16:8
“And you shall not go into the house of feasting,
To sit with them, to eat and to drink.”
Feasts were of many kinds but the aim of all of them was celebration and to have a good time. Thus Jeremiah’s refusal of all invitations would draw comment. Did he not believe in having a good time? And it would give him the opportunity to explain his reasons. His attitude was evidence of the fact that there would soon be nothing to celebrate.
Jer 16:9
For thus says YHWH of hosts,
The God of Israel,
Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place,
Before your eyes and in your days,
The voice of mirth and the voice of gladness,
The voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.”
When they questioned his behaviour he would be able to point out that soon God would be causing all mirth and merriment to cease, and that it was to happen before their very eyes and in their own day. Thus those who were questioning him would soon see it for themselves. And things would be so bad that even marriage celebrations would cease because of the vicissitudes of the times.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
As the Lord prohibited the prophet from mourning in Babylon, so, from feasting; both were alike unsuitable, while the Comforter was far away. I pray the Reader to notice in both views the preciousness of Jesus, the peace and consolation of his people, to sweeten and sanctify all states.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 16:8 Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink.
Ver. 8. Thou shall not also go into the house of feasting. ] Ministers may lawfully go to feasts, Joh 2:1-2 but not in times of common calamity. See Isa 22:12-14 . Pliny a telleth us that when in the time of the second Punic war, one Fulvius Argentarius was seen at Rome looking out at a window with a rose garland on his head, the senate sent for him, laid him in prison, and would not suffer him to come forth till the war was at an end.
a Lib. ii. cap. 7.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 15:17, Psa 26:4, Ecc 7:2-4, Isa 22:12-14, Amo 6:4-6, Mat 24:38, Luk 17:27-29, 1Co 5:11, Eph 5:11
Reciprocal: Mat 11:18 – John Luk 7:33 – came
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 16:8. Some of the people of Anathoth will be disposed to ignore all of the warnings uttered in their ears and will go on in their selfish enjoyments as long as they can. The prophet was to stay away from them even at the times of such mirth because they were unworthy of his company.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 16:8-9. Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting God not only forbade his prophet to go into houses of mourning, but forbade him also to go into houses where people were wont to eat and drink on joyful occasions, because it would be unseasonable, and would not agree with the afflictive dispensations of Providence that were coming on the land and nation. God called aloud for weeping, mourning, and fasting, because he was coming forth against them in his judgments, and it was time for them to humble themselves before him. And it well became the prophet, who gave them the warning, to give them an example of taking the warning himself, and complying with it; and so to make it appear that he did himself believe what he declared to them. For, behold I will cause to cease the voice of mirth, &c. In the approaching time of general desolation, all the solemn seasons of mirth and gladness shall cease, as well public as private. The solemn feasts, which were always observed with great expressions of joy, shall be no more celebrated, nor shall nuptial solemnities and other private occasions of rejoicing be any longer observed.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Neither was Jeremiah to attend joyful celebrations or eat and drink with merrymakers. This would have included participating in wedding celebrations (cf. Jer 7:34; Jer 25:10; Jer 33:11). Jeremiah’s failure to fulfill social obligations, such as attending weddings and funerals, would have made him even more an object of social disgrace.