Jeremiah 25 10

Jeremiah 25:10 kjv

Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.

Jeremiah 25:10 nkjv

Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp.

Jeremiah 25:10 niv

I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp.

Jeremiah 25:10 esv

Moreover, I will banish from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the grinding of the millstones and the light of the lamp.

Jeremiah 25:10 nlt

I will take away your happy singing and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard. Your millstones will fall silent, and the lights in your homes will go out.

Jeremiah 25 verses

Jeremiah 25 10 meaning

Jeremiah 25:10 declares God's severe judgment upon Judah and the surrounding nations, indicating a complete cessation of normal life, joy, and societal activity. It prophesies the removal of all sounds of celebration and domestic peace – from festive music and marriage rites to the daily grind of preparing food and the comforting glow of a lamp at night. This signifies a profound desolation, a period of silence, darkness, and barrenness resulting from divine wrath over their disobedience.

Jeremiah 25 10 Context

Jeremiah 25 falls within a major prophetic section (chapters 25-45) where Jeremiah pronounces judgment not only on Judah but also on surrounding nations. This particular verse is part of a dire prophecy delivered in the fourth year of Jehoiakim (605 BC), detailing Judah's impending subjugation to Babylon for seventy years (Jer 25:11). The immediate verses prior (25:8-9) declare that because Judah has not listened to the prophets, God will send Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, to utterly destroy the land and its inhabitants, making them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations. Verse 10 specifically describes the type of desolation – the stripping away of all elements that make life worth living, both public celebration and private domesticity. This judgment serves as a stern warning against spiritual idolatry, social injustice, and defiance of God's revealed will through His prophets.

Jeremiah 25 10 Word analysis

• Moreover I will take from them:
  • Gam gānōnāṯî mēhem (גַּם גָּרָֽוֹתִ֙י מֵהֶ֤ם). "Gam" (also/moreover) intensifies the coming action, linking it to the previous severe declaration of utter destruction. "Gānōnāṯî" (take/cause to cease) signifies a deliberate, divine act of removal. This is not a natural decline, but God's judgment actively removing these elements.
• the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness:
  • Qol śaśon wᵉqol śimchāh (ק֣וֹל שָׂשׂ֔וֹן וְק֖וֹל שִׂמְחָ֑ה). "Qol" (קול) means voice or sound. "Śaśon" (שָׂשׂוֹן) refers to joy, exhilaration, and often public rejoicing. "Śimchāh" (שִׂמְחָה) denotes gladness, cheerfulness, a deeper happiness often associated with feasts and festivals. These two terms are frequently paired in the Old Testament, representing all forms of communal celebration, festivity, and heartfelt joy. Their removal implies the end of public holidays, festivals, music, and all forms of joyful human interaction, replacing them with silence and sorrow.
• the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride:
  • Qol ḥāṭān wᵉqol kalāh (ק֣וֹל חָתָ֔ן וְק֖וֹל כַּלָּֽה). "Ḥāṭān" (חתן) is bridegroom, and "kalāh" (כלה) is bride. The cessation of their voices signifies the absolute end of marriage ceremonies. In ancient societies, marriage was central to family continuity, social structure, and population growth. Its absence points to a society without new beginnings, without the formation of new households, and ultimately, without a future generation, suggesting widespread death or exile leading to societal collapse and a demographic void.
• the sound of the millstones:
  • Qol reḥayim (ק֣וֹל רֵחַ֔יִם). "Qol" (sound) combined with "reḥayim" (רֵחַיִם), referring to millstones used for grinding grain. The sound of millstones was an integral part of daily life in an agrarian society, heard from nearly every home, indicating the production of flour for daily bread. Its absence signifies that food preparation has ceased, likely due to a lack of people (desolation, exile), lack of grain (famine), or the destruction of homes and basic infrastructure. It points to a profound disruption of basic sustenance and daily existence.
• and the light of the lamp:
  • Wᵉ’ōr nēr (וְא֣וֹר נֵ֑ר). "Ōr" (אור) means light, and "nēr" (נר) means lamp, specifically the small oil lamps used for domestic lighting at night. A burning lamp signified life, activity, and continuity within a household, representing the presence of people, warmth, and hope, extending the day's work and providing comfort during the dark hours. Its extinction implies an absence of life, households empty and abandoned, utter darkness, despair, and an end to domestic tranquility.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride": This sequence lists aspects of celebration and communal future. It emphasizes public joy, festivity, and the continuation of family lines through marriage. Their silencing underscores a society plunged into sorrow and stripped of its generational future, where the fundamental sources of human joy and continuity are utterly removed.
• "the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp": This pair describes the basic rhythms of daily domestic life and sustenance. The millstone signifies the labor for daily food and the very basis of existence, while the lamp represents household activity, presence, and security, especially at night. Their removal points to the end of everyday routines, the abandonment of homes, and the loss of basic provision and safety, portraying a silent, dark, and empty land where life has entirely ceased to function. These six elements collectively form a powerful merism, encompassing all public and private manifestations of human life and blessing.

Jeremiah 25 10 Bonus section

The specific items chosen by Jeremiah in this verse (mirth, marriage, millstones, lamps) are universally understood symbols of a thriving, functional society across various cultures, particularly in the ancient Near East. Their collective removal signifies an absolute reversal of blessings and prosperity into curse and emptiness. This echoes earlier covenant curses found in Deuteronomy, where God warned of such desolation if His people disobeyed. The use of specific, sensory details makes the prophecy intensely relatable and impactful, painting a picture not just of what will happen, but how it will feel to live in such a cursed land—silent, dark, and devoid of hope or future. This comprehensive obliteration of signs of life would have underscored the total triumph of Babylon and the utter abjection of Judah.

Jeremiah 25 10 Commentary

Jeremiah 25:10 is a poignant prophetic statement illustrating the comprehensive nature of divine judgment. Through the removal of specific sounds and sights, God paints a vivid picture of utter desolation that will befall Judah. The verse is structured around two categories: sounds of joy and continuity, and indicators of daily life and presence.

Firstly, the cessation of "the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness" signifies the end of all celebrations – feasts, festivals, music, and public rejoicing. This implies a spiritual famine where the joy derived from covenant relationship with God and community life is absent, replaced by lament. Following this, the absence of "the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride" highlights the stopping of procreation and family continuity. Marriage is a foundation of human society, and its cessation points to a demographic collapse, an end to future generations, and the very structure of society disintegrating. These elements together emphasize a complete absence of public and communal vitality, joy, and hope for the future.

Secondly, the prophet points to the more mundane, yet fundamentally essential, "sound of the millstones" and "the light of the lamp." The grinding of millstones was the daily ritual producing bread, a sign of sustenance and basic economic activity. Its silence denotes famine, destruction of homes, and an overall absence of human labor necessary for survival. The extinguishing of "the light of the lamp" at night signifies utter darkness, not just literal, but spiritual and emotional. A lamp represents human presence, security, and the continuity of life in a dwelling. Its absence means homes are abandoned, lives are gone, and a profound sense of hopelessness and death pervades the land.

This judgment reveals God's sovereignty over every aspect of human life, from the grand celebrations to the most basic domestic routines. It serves as a dire warning against persistent disobedience, demonstrating that without God's blessing, even the most fundamental aspects of human flourishing and existence can be systematically stripped away, leaving only silence and desolation.