Jeremiah 7:34 kjv
Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.
Jeremiah 7:34 nkjv
Then I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. For the land shall be desolate.
Jeremiah 7:34 niv
I will bring an end to the sounds of joy and gladness and to the voices of bride and bridegroom in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem, for the land will become desolate.
Jeremiah 7:34 esv
And I will silence in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, for the land shall become a waste.
Jeremiah 7:34 nlt
I will put an end to the happy singing and laughter in the streets of Jerusalem. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard in the towns of Judah. The land will lie in complete desolation.
Jeremiah 7 34 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 16:9 | "For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will make to cease from this place… the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.'" | Echoes the exact phrase, reinforcing judgment. |
| Jer 25:10 | "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 sound of the millstones and the light of a lamp." | Similar judgment, adds economic/daily life loss. |
| Rev 18:23 | "…the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth…" | Ultimate judgment on Babylon, universal principle. |
| Jer 33:10-11 | "Thus says the Lord: '…in the cities of Judah… there shall be heard again the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing…'" | Prophecy of future restoration and joy, contrasting the judgment. |
| Hos 2:11 | "And I will make all her mirth to cease, her feasts, her new moons, her Sabbaths, and all her appointed feasts." | God's judgment leading to cessation of all celebration. |
| Isa 24:7-9 | "The new wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh. The mirth of the tambourines is stilled… Wine is bitter to those who drink it." | Desolation extends to joy, music, and feasting. |
| Isa 1:7 | "Your country is a desolation; your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence foreigners devour your land…" | Visual of a land laid waste, consequences of sin. |
| Lev 26:33 | "And I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste." | Covenant curses fulfilled in national judgment. |
| Deut 28:51-53 | "They shall eat the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your land… until they destroy you… until it makes your fortified cities fall…" | Details of the siege leading to desolation and suffering. |
| Lam 5:15 | "The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning." | Lament over the very desolation Jeremiah foretold. |
| Eze 26:13 | "And I will silence the sound of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more." | Similar prophetic judgment targeting sounds of joy. |
| Zeph 1:3 | "I will sweep away man and beast; I will sweep away the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked. I will cut off mankind from the face of the earth, declares the Lord." | Comprehensive destruction impacting all life. |
| Mal 4:1 | "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." | Complete and utter destruction of the wicked. |
| Joel 1:16 | "Has not food been cut off before our eyes, joy and gladness from the house of our God?" | Loss of joy and sustenance due to judgment. |
| Ecc 12:4 | "...and the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low—" | Describes the decline of life and cessation of celebration in old age/death. |
| Jer 9:11 | "I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a den of jackals, and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant." | Direct prophecy of urban desolation. |
| Isa 5:6 | "I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and briers and thorns shall grow up; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it." | Agricultural and environmental desolation. |
| Amos 8:10 | "I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation…" | Transformation of celebration into grief due to judgment. |
| Zeph 3:14 | "Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!" | Contrast: Future call to rejoice in restoration. |
| Zech 8:5 | "And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets." | Contrast: Future return of innocent life and joy. |
| Isa 62:5 | "For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your Builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you." | Contrast: Future joy between God and His people, often in marriage imagery. |
Jeremiah 7 verses
Jeremiah 7 34 Meaning
Jeremiah 7:34 declares that the Lord will completely remove all sounds of joy and celebration from Judah's cities and Jerusalem's streets. This includes the joyous sounds associated with general rejoicing, wedding feasts, and the voices of newly married couples. This total cessation of societal life and hopeful future is the direct result of divine judgment, leaving the entire land in desolate waste. It signifies a profound reversal of all covenant blessings due to the people's persistent idolatry and sin.
Jeremiah 7 34 Context
Jeremiah 7:34 is part of the prophet Jeremiah's Temple Sermon (Jeremiah 7:1-15), a scathing condemnation of the people of Judah for their superficial reliance on the Temple while engaging in widespread idolatry, injustice, and moral decay. Jeremiah confronted them for believing that the mere presence of God's house would protect them, even as they profaned it through their actions. The prophet explicitly condemned the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice in the Valley of Ben Hinnom (Topheth), immediately outside Jerusalem, which directly precedes this verse (Jer 7:31-33). The judgment described in verse 34 – the total cessation of joy and life – is the natural, inevitable consequence of their persistent sin and rejection of the Lord's covenant. Having polluted the place of worship and corrupted the fabric of society, God's severe and comprehensive judgment would sweep away everything that signified life, prosperity, and the continuity of a thriving community. It paints a picture of complete societal breakdown and the removal of God's blessing.
Jeremiah 7 34 Word analysis
- Then I will make to cease (וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי֙ - vehishbattī): This is a strong declaration of divine agency. The Hebrew verb is from the root shavat (שָׁבַת), meaning "to cease," "to stop," "to rest," or "to cause to cease." Here, it's in the Hiphil conjugation, making it causative: "I will cause to cease." It emphasizes that God Himself is the one actively bringing about this end to joy, not merely observing it. It denotes a deliberate, powerful act of judgment.
- from the cities of Judah (מֵעָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה - mēʿārê yhûḏâ): This signifies the broad geographic scope of the judgment. It is not limited to Jerusalem but encompasses all the settled areas of the kingdom of Judah.
- and from the streets of Jerusalem (וּמֵחוּצ֥וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם - ûmēḥûṣōṯ yərûšālim): This focuses on the capital city and its public spaces. "Streets" (חוצות - ḥūṣōṯ) are where public life, commerce, and celebrations occurred. Their silence is a profound indicator of death and desolation.
- the voice of mirth (ק֣וֹל שָׂשׂוֹן֮ - qōl śāśōn): Qōl (קול) means "voice," "sound," or "noise." Śāśōn (ששון) refers to strong rejoicing, gladness, or exultation. It describes general public festivities and jubilant noises. The absence of this "voice" implies the utter suppression of any public joy.
- and the voice of gladness (וְק֣וֹל שִׂמְחָ֔ה - veqōl śimḥâ): Śimḥâ (שמחה) is closely synonymous with śāśōn, also meaning joy or gladness, often with a celebratory connotation. The pairing emphasizes the complete cessation of all forms of joy and festive sounds.
- the voice of the bridegroom (ק֤וֹל חָתָן֙ - qōl ḥātān): The bridegroom (ḥātān - חתן) represents future generations, new families, and the continuation of the community. His voice, traditionally one of triumph, singing, and joy at his wedding feast, being silenced is a devastating symbol.
- and the voice of the bride (וְק֣וֹל כַּלָּ֔ה - veqōl kallâ): The bride (kallâ - כלה) similarly signifies new beginnings, life, and the bedrock of a thriving society. Her joyful exclamations or responses, essential to the celebratory atmosphere of a wedding, being silenced highlights the complete halt to societal life and hope.
- for the land shall become a waste (כִּי־הָאָ֖רֶץ תִּהְיֶ֥ה חָרְבָּֽה - kî-hāʾāreṣ tihyeh ḥārbâ): "For" (kî - כי) indicates the reason or consequence. Hāʾāreṣ (הארץ) refers to "the land" of Judah. Tihyeh (תהיה) is "it shall become." Ḥārᵉbâ (חרבה) means "desolation," "ruin," or "waste." It signifies complete barrenness and destruction, rendering it uninhabited and unproductive. This is the ultimate physical manifestation of the judgment, mirroring the spiritual barrenness of the people.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Then I will make to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem": This phrase highlights God's sovereignty and the comprehensive geographical scope of His judgment. It signifies that the devastation will be thorough and public, affecting every populated area and every aspect of daily urban life.
- "the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride": This quartet of "voices" represents the sum total of human celebration, hope, and community life. The absence of these particular sounds symbolizes the death of society itself – the end of all festivities, joy, and the foundational institution of marriage which assures future generations. It underscores a spiritual death impacting the social fabric.
Jeremiah 7 34 Bonus section
- The emphasis on "voice" (קול - qōl) being silenced is powerful. Sound signifies life, activity, and community. The absence of these specific sounds (celebration, marriage) makes the desolation even more tangible and impactful, reflecting a complete spiritual and social breakdown, a haunting silence where there should be vibrant life.
- The parallel prophecy in Jeremiah 33:10-11 directly reverses this curse, promising the return of these very sounds as a sign of restoration and renewed covenant blessing after the exile, highlighting the stark contrast between judgment and grace.
- This judgment reflects the curse side of the Deuteronomic covenant, where covenant disobedience would lead to the loss of all blessings, including peace, prosperity, and the joy of family life.
- The concept of the land becoming "waste" (חרבה - ḥārᵉbâ) is rooted in Genesis (תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ - tohu wabohu, formless and empty), a reversal of creation. Human sin, in essence, leads to a reversal of God's good creation into chaos.
Jeremiah 7 34 Commentary
Jeremiah 7:34 provides a vivid and devastating summary of the coming divine judgment against Judah. It's not just a prediction of physical destruction but a profound declaration of the erasure of joy, hope, and the very sounds of human existence from the land. By silencing the "voice of mirth and gladness," God is turning vibrant public life into solemn stillness. The explicit mention of the "voice of the bridegroom and bride" is particularly poignant; in ancient Near Eastern culture, weddings were pivotal celebrations symbolizing community continuity, new life, and God's blessing. Their silence represents a radical break in the generational chain, an end to the very hope of a future. This verse underscores the complete and pervasive nature of God's wrath, a direct consequence of Judah's unrepentant idolatry and covenant breach. The promise that "the land shall become a waste" solidifies the picture of ultimate desolation, where life has been drained out of every facet, both socially and ecologically. It serves as a dire warning against presumption and hypocritical worship.