Jeremiah 16:8
New International Version
“And do not enter a house where there is feasting and sit down to eat and drink.

New Living Translation
“And do not go to their feasts and parties. Do not eat and drink with them at all.

English Standard Version
You shall not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and drink.

Berean Standard Bible
You must not enter a house where there is feasting and sit down with them to eat and drink.

King James Bible
Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink.

New King James Version
Also you shall not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and drink.”

New American Standard Bible
Moreover, you shall not go into a house of feasting to sit with them to eat and drink.”

NASB 1995
“Moreover you shall not go into a house of feasting to sit with them to eat and drink.”

NASB 1977
“Moreover you shall not go into a house of feasting to sit with them to eat and drink.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Moreover you shall not go into a house of feasting to sit with them to eat and drink.”

Amplified Bible
And you [Jeremiah] shall not go into a house of feasting to sit with them to eat and drink.”

Christian Standard Bible
Do not enter the house where feasting is taking place to sit with them to eat and drink.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You must not enter the house where feasting is taking place to sit with them to eat and drink.

American Standard Version
And thou shalt not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and to drink.

Contemporary English Version
Don't even set foot in a house where there is eating and drinking and celebrating.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and to drink.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Don't even go into a home where there is a banquet. Don't sit with them to eat and drink.

Good News Translation
"Do not enter a house where people are feasting. Do not sit down with them to eat and drink.

International Standard Version
Don't go to a banquet to sit with people to eat and drink."

Majority Standard Bible
You must not enter a house where there is feasting and sit down with them to eat and drink.

NET Bible
"'Do not go to a house where people are feasting and sit down to eat and drink with them either.

New Heart English Bible
You shall not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and to drink.

Webster's Bible Translation
Also thou shalt not go into the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink.

World English Bible
“You shall not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and to drink.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
You do not enter a house of banqueting, "" To sit with them, to eat and to drink,”

Young's Literal Translation
A house of banqueting thou dost not enter, To sit with them, to eat and to drink,

Smith's Literal Translation
And to the house of drinking thou shalt not go in to sit with them to eat and to drink.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And do not thou go into the house of feasting, to sit with them, and to eat and drink.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so, you shall not enter the house of feasting, so as to sit with them, and to eat and drink.”

New American Bible
Do not enter a house of feasting to sit eating and drinking with them.

New Revised Standard Version
You shall not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and drink.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
You shall not go into the house of feasting to sit with them to eat and to drink.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And you shall not enter a house of feasting to dwell with them, to eat and to drink
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And thou shalt not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and to drink.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Thou shalt not enter into the banquet-house, to sit with them to eat and to drink.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Disaster Predicted
7No food will be offered to comfort those who mourn the dead; not even a cup of consolation will be given for the loss of a father or mother. 8You must not enter a house where there is feasting and sit down with them to eat and drink. 9For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am going to remove from this place, before your very eyes and in your days, the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom.…

Cross References
Isaiah 24:7-11
The new wine dries up, the vine withers. All the merrymakers now groan. / The joyful tambourines have ceased; the noise of revelers has stopped; the joyful harp is silent. / They no longer sing and drink wine; strong drink is bitter to those who consume it. ...

Ezekiel 26:13
So I will silence the sound of your songs, and the music of your lyres will no longer be heard.

Hosea 2:11
I will put an end to all her exultation: her feasts, New Moons, and Sabbaths—all her appointed feasts.

Amos 8:10
I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation. I will cause everyone to wear sackcloth and every head to be shaved. I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and its outcome like a bitter day.

Isaiah 5:11-12
Woe to those who rise early in the morning in pursuit of strong drink, who linger into the evening, to be inflamed by wine. / At their feasts are the lyre and harp, tambourines and flutes and wine. They disregard the actions of the LORD and fail to see the work of His hands.

Isaiah 22:12-13
On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts called for weeping and wailing, for shaven heads and the wearing of sackcloth. / But look, there is joy and gladness, butchering of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

Joel 1:12
The grapevine is dried up, and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, palm, and apple—all the trees of the orchard—are withered. Surely the joy of mankind has dried up.

Lamentations 5:15
Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.

Ezekiel 7:7
Doom has come to you, O inhabitants of the land. The time has come; the day is near; there is panic on the mountains instead of shouts of joy.

Zephaniah 1:12-13
And at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish the men settled in complacency, who say to themselves, ‘The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.’ / Their wealth will be plundered and their houses laid waste. They will build houses but not inhabit them, and plant vineyards but never drink their wine.

Matthew 24:38-39
For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. / And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.

Luke 17:27-30
People were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. / It was the same in the days of Lot: People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. / But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. ...

Revelation 18:22-23
And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again. / The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.”

1 Corinthians 7:29-31
What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; / those who weep, as if they did not; those who are joyful, as if they were not; those who make a purchase, as if they had nothing; / and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

1 Thessalonians 5:3
While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.


Treasury of Scripture

You shall not also go into the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink.

Jeremiah 15:17
I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

Psalm 26:4
I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.

Ecclesiastes 7:2-4
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart…

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Jeremiah 16
1. The prophet, under the types of abstaining from marriage,
8. from houses of mourning and feasting, foreshows the utter ruin of the Jews;
10. because they were worse than their fathers.
14. Their return from captivity shall be stranger than their deliverance out of Egypt.
16. God will doubly recompense their idolatry.














You must not enter a house where there is feasting
This command to Jeremiah reflects the broader context of divine judgment upon Judah. Feasting often symbolizes joy and celebration, but here it is contrasted with the impending disaster. In ancient Near Eastern culture, communal meals were significant for social and religious reasons, often involving covenantal fellowship. Jeremiah's abstention from such gatherings underscores the seriousness of God's message and the separation from normal societal activities due to impending judgment. This separation can be seen as a prophetic act, symbolizing the broken relationship between God and His people.

and sit down with them
Sitting down to eat was a sign of acceptance and fellowship. In biblical times, sharing a meal was an intimate act, often signifying peace and unity. By refraining from sitting with them, Jeremiah is demonstrating the breach between God and the people of Judah. This act of separation is reminiscent of other prophetic actions in the Bible, such as Ezekiel's symbolic acts (Ezekiel 4-5) that conveyed messages of judgment and warning.

to eat and drink.
Eating and drinking together was a central part of social life in ancient Israel. It was not merely about sustenance but about community and shared life. In the context of Jeremiah's ministry, abstaining from eating and drinking with others serves as a living parable of the coming desolation. This abstention can also be seen as a type of fasting, a common biblical practice for seeking God or expressing mourning. The prohibition against participating in feasting highlights the gravity of the situation and the need for repentance. This theme of separation and judgment is echoed in other scriptures, such as Amos 6:4-7, where indulgence is condemned in light of impending judgment.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver messages of warning and judgment to the people of Judah. His ministry was marked by personal sacrifice and suffering.

2. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, which was facing impending judgment due to its persistent idolatry and disobedience to God.

3. Feasting Houses
Social gatherings or celebrations, often associated with joy and community, but in this context, they symbolize a disregard for the impending judgment and a continuation of sinful practices.
Teaching Points
Awareness of Judgment
Jeremiah's instruction not to join in feasting serves as a reminder to be aware of God's impending judgment and to live with a sense of spiritual sobriety.

Separation from Worldly Practices
Believers are called to be distinct from the world, especially when societal norms conflict with God's commands. This separation is not about isolation but about maintaining holiness.

The Call to Repentance
The absence from feasting symbolizes a call to repentance. It is a time to turn away from sin and seek God's mercy, rather than indulging in temporary pleasures.

Living with Eternal Perspective
Christians are encouraged to live with an eternal perspective, prioritizing spiritual growth and readiness for Christ's return over earthly celebrations.(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 a 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 Ecclesiastes 7:2 come to our thoughts as teaching that it was better even so.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You must not
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

enter
תָב֖וֹא (ṯā·ḇō·w)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

a house
וּבֵית־ (ū·ḇêṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

where there is feasting
מִשְׁתֶּ֥ה (miš·teh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4960: Drink, drinking, a banquet, feast

and sit down
לָשֶׁ֣בֶת (lā·še·ḇeṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

with them
אוֹתָ֑ם (’ō·w·ṯām)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

to eat
לֶאֱכֹ֖ל (le·’ĕ·ḵōl)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 398: To eat

and drink.
וְלִשְׁתּֽוֹת׃ (wə·liš·tō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8354: To imbibe


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 16:8 You shall not go into the house (Jer.)
Jeremiah 16:7
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