Original Word: מַרְזֵחַ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: marzeach
Pronunciation: mar-ZAY-akh
Phonetic Spelling: (mar-zay'-akh)
KJV: mourning
NASB: banqueting, mourning
Word Origin: [formed like H4797 (מִרזַח - Banquet)]

1. a cry, i.e. (of grief) a lamentation

mourning

Formed like mirzach; a cry, i.e. (of grief) a lamentation -- mourning.

see HEBREW mirzach

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a cry
NASB Translation
banqueting (1), mourning (1).

Cultural Background

In the Ancient Near East, the death of a family member set in motion a series of communal rituals. Food and drink were provided in the “house of mourning” and neighbors gathered to lament, console, and share a funeral meal. Such gatherings reinforced kinship bonds and acknowledged the sovereignty of God over life and death (Genesis 50:10; 2 Samuel 3:31). The term מַרְזֵחַ points to that setting—an indoor space where the bereaved received visitors and where a ritual meal was consumed.

Biblical Context

Jeremiah 16:5 is the sole occurrence:

“Do not enter a house where there is a funeral meal; do not go to mourn or express sympathy, for I have withdrawn My blessing, My loving devotion, and My compassion from this people, declares the LORD.”

By forbidding the prophet to attend a מַרְזֵחַ, the LORD marked Judah’s judgment as so decisive that normal expressions of covenant solidarity were suspended. The “house of mourning” was ordinarily a place of mercy, yet here it became a sign of divine rejection. The command stands in stark contrast to passages where comforting the bereaved is commended (Job 2:11; Romans 12:15), emphasizing the severity of Judah’s apostasy.

Theological Significance

1. Withdrawal of Covenant Blessing. The absence of God’s hesed and compassion (Jeremiah 16:5) indicates covenant curses in operation (Deuteronomy 28:15–68).
2. Prophetic Sign-Act. Jeremiah’s abstention served as a visible sermon. Just as Ezekiel was told not to mourn openly for his wife (Ezekiel 24:15–17), so Jeremiah’s silence proclaimed impending doom.
3. Holiness of God. Even compassionate traditions become void when holiness is persistently violated. The LORD reserves the right to interrupt social customs to communicate His righteousness.
4. Eschatological Warning. The image anticipates the ultimate separation of the righteous and the wicked (Matthew 25:31–46). A time comes when intercession ceases and judgment proceeds (Revelation 22:11).

Historical Insight

Archaeological data from Judean domestic structures shows interior rooms large enough for communal meals, often with benches along the walls. Clay vessels inscribed with “lmlk” (belonging to the king) from late Iron II suggest that royal administration could provision such gatherings in times of crisis. Jeremiah’s exclusion from these events undercuts any hope the people placed in political alliances or royal largesse.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

• Discernment in Participation. While Christians are called to “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15), there are moments when participation may imply approval of sin.
• Prophetic Witness. The Church must sometimes adopt counter-cultural stances that expose complacency (James 4:4).
• Corporate Repentance. The loss of communal consolation in Jeremiah 16 underscores that true comfort is inseparable from repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10).
• Hope in Christ. Even when human mourning customs fail, believers possess an unfailing Comforter (John 14:16). The messianic banquet (Isaiah 25:6; Revelation 19:9) reverses the broken fellowship signified by the prohibited מַרְזֵחַ.

Christological Fulfillment

Jesus entered houses of mourning (Mark 5:38–40; John 11:30–44) and transformed them into arenas of resurrection power. Where Jeremiah could not offer comfort, Christ embodies the Comfort promised in Isaiah 40:1. His death and resurrection secure a future where “death will be no more” (Revelation 21:4), rendering the earthly מַרְזֵחַ obsolete.

Summary

מַרְזֵחַ serves as both a cultural window into Israelite mourning practices and a theological signal of divine judgment. Jeremiah’s divinely mandated abstention underscores the seriousness of covenant infidelity, while also pointing forward to the greater consolation found in the gospel, where the final “house of mourning” gives way to everlasting joy in the presence of the Lord.

מַרְזֵ֔חַ מרזח mar·zê·aḥ marZeach marzêaḥInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts