Jeremiah 16:1

JEREMIAH 16

FAMILY; FUNERALS; AND FESTIVITIES - FORBIDDEN TO JEREMIAH

The following chapter divisions were suggested by Henderson:[1] (1) Jeremiah forbidden to marry and have a family (Jeremiah 16:1-2); (2) God's explanation for this prohibition (Jeremiah 16:2-4); (3) funeral celebrations also forbidden (Jeremiah 16:5-7); (4) festival celebrations likewise prohibited (Jeremiah 16:8-9); (5) God's further elaboration of the reasons for such penalties (Jeremiah 16:10-13); (6) a prophecy of Israel's restoration (Jeremiah 16:14-15); (7) the metaphor of the hunters and the fishers (Jeremiah 16:16-18); (8) prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles (Jeremiah 16:19-20); (9) a reiteration of the certainty of impending doom for Judah (Jeremiah 16:21).

First, we wish to notice a classical example of the critical fembu which radical critics offer instead of an exposition of this chapter.

John Philip Hyatt wrote:

"The Deuteronomic editor of this chapter lived about 550 B.C.; he could look back upon the events which culminated in the Babylonian exile and interpret the prophet's celibacy and austerity as a sign to the people of the coming destruction. It is doubtful if this was the prophet's own motive for his manner of living. The true explanation is perhaps Jeremiah's wholehearted devotion to his prophetic mission that did not leave him room for devotion to wife and family.[2]

"There is not a single word of truth in such a comment. There was no Deuteronomic editor of this chapter; the introduction of such a fictitious, imaginative character is merely a convenient manner the radical critics have of saying that Jeremiah never wrote a word of the chapter, but that it was written a whole generation after Jeremiah died! If a scholar does not believe this is God's Word, why does he bother us with any comments on it? If it is not God's Word, it deserves no comment whatever.

"Note also the arrogant conceit of any person who will tell us what "the true" reason for Jeremiah's not having a family actually was, thus denying what the scriptures flatly declare, namely, that he refrained from having a family because Jehovah had so commanded him. Now, who should believe such a comment as that of Mount Hyatt? The unequivocal answer which we wish to give to that question is: "Only those who prefer to accept that writer as God's spokesman, instead of the sacred writers of the Holy Scriptures. This writer is unwilling to accept the Interpreter's Bible as a substitute for Jeremiah; and we would have to know a lot more about Mount Hyatt than we know, before we could credit him with any credibility whatever in such extravagant and untruthful remarks."

The date when Jeremiah wrote the chapter is not definitely known; but Payne Smith suggested that, "It probably was written near the end of the reign of Jehoiachim."[3]

Kuist mentioned the "patchwork construction of the chapter which puzzles readers and interpreters";[4] but this is no reflection whatever against the integrity and authenticity of what is written here. We have repeatedly noted that Biblical books are simply not organized after the patterns followed in our generation.

Jeremiah 16:1-2

GOD'S FORBIDDING MARRIAGE AND A FAMILY FOR JEREMIAH

"The word of Jehovah came also unto me, saying, Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place."

"Undoubtedly the Lord's command for Jeremiah not to marry was an emotional shock to him."[5] Note that this very recent scholar acknowledges the scriptural truth that the Lord did command Jeremiah to "Behave in an eccentric manner to illustrate his message."[6] This is exactly in keeping with God's orders for Hosea to take "a wife of whoredoms", and for Isaiah to name one of his sons, "a remnant shall return." Thus in all three instances, the prophet's life was enlisted as an additional proof of the truth of what he prophesied.

"Marriage was obligatory among the Jews; and the prohibition of it to Jeremiah was a sign that the impending calamity was so great as to override all ordinary duties."[7]

God at once gave the reasons for such an unusual order to Jeremiah.