For thus saith the LORD, Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them: for I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the LORD, even lovingkindness and mercies.

JEREMIAH 16:5KJV
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Jeremiah 16:5 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 16:5 mean?

Jeremiah 16:5 records God telling Jeremiah not to enter a house where people are mourning or to take part in grieving rituals, because God has removed His peace, lovingkindness, and mercies from the people. This means God’s favor and comfort have been withdrawn, so there is no point in traditional mourning for the dead.

God is speaking directly to Jeremiah, instructing him how to behave among his fellow Israelites during a time of coming judgment. The verse signals a severe moment: God’s relationship with the people has changed, and even normal expressions of sympathy are not appropriate. This command highlights the seriousness of the situation and the depth of God’s displeasure with the nation.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 16:5

  • The word for "peace" is שָׁלוֹם (shalom), which means more than just the absence of conflict; it often refers to wholeness, well-being, and blessing. Its removal signals a total withdrawal of God’s protection and blessing.
  • "Lovingkindness" is חֶסֶד (chesed), a word that carries the sense of steadfast love or covenant loyalty. God’s removal of chesed means the people are no longer experiencing His faithful, committed love.
  • "Mercies" is רַחֲמִים (rachamim), which refers to compassion or tender mercy. Without rachamim, the people are left without God’s pity or gentle care.

Why Jeremiah 16:5 matters

  • Jeremiah 16:5 clarifies that God’s judgment is so complete that even mourning customs are interrupted, showing the seriousness of the situation.
  • The verse emphasizes that God’s blessings—shalom, chesed, and rachamim—are not automatic but can be withdrawn if the relationship is broken.
  • This command to Jeremiah sets the tone for the surrounding passage, where God’s coming judgment is described as unavoidable and deeply sorrowful.

Where else these words appear

“bemoan” Hebrew H5110 · used in 24 verses

  • Genesis 4:12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
  • Psalms 36:11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
  • Jeremiah 22:10 Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.

“lament” Hebrew H5594 · used in 29 verses

  • Genesis 23:2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
  • 1 Kings 14:13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
  • Jeremiah 25:33 And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.

“mercies” Hebrew H7356 · used in 44 verses

  • Genesis 43:14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
  • Nehemiah 9:31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.
  • Isaiah 46:3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: