Jeremiah 25:10
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The verse doesn't just list the absence of celebratory sounds like laughter and wedding songs; it also points to the silence of ordinary, daily life. The absence of millstones grinding and lamps being lit signifies the complete halt of basic household functions and routines, painting a picture of utter desolation where even the most common sounds of family life disappear.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God declares He will silence all joy and celebration in Judah, removing the sounds of weddings, parties, and even the daily rhythm of life like grinding grain and lighting lamps. This imagery paints a stark picture of utter desolation, signifying the complete destruction of their communities and the end of their everyday existence. This is part of God's judgment for their persistent disobedience, which will culminate in the Babylonian exile.
Imagine a world where all the sounds of happiness just... stop. Jeremiah paints a stark picture of what life would be like without the sounds that make life feel alive.
God declares He will remove the 'voice of mirth and the voice of gladness.' This isn't just about temporary sadness; it signifies a profound absence of joy, celebration, and the everyday contentment that fills a thriving community.
He continues, 'the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.' The sounds of weddings and new beginnings, the very pulse of a hopeful future, will be gone. This loss strikes at the heart of life's continuity and personal fulfillment.
This absence of happy sounds is a direct consequence of disobedience. When people turn away from God's word, the joy He intends for life is withdrawn, leading to a spiritual and physical desolation.
Beyond the big celebrations, what about the ordinary sounds that tell us life is going on? Jeremiah includes even these in his devastating prophecy.
The prophecy intensifies by mentioning 'the grinding of the millstones and the light of the lamp.' These aren't sounds of grand festivity, but the essential, everyday noises of domestic life.
The Grind of Necessity
The 'sound of the millstones' speaks of daily bread being prepared. In ancient times, this was a fundamental, often morning ritual. Its silence means no food is being made, no families are being sustained. It points to a complete halt in the basic activities of survival.
The Glow of Home
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The 'light of the lamp' signifies evening activity, the gathering of family, and the continuation of life after sunset. Its absence means empty homes, no one to work or gather. It paints a picture of utter desolation where households are abandoned.
Together, these two images powerfully convey the total collapse of normal, functioning life. It's not just the absence of parties; it's the absence of breakfast and bedtime routines.
Understand the original words
sason v'simchah · Hebrew Noun
The sound of joy and festivities; its removal serves as a powerful indicator of the cessation of normal life and God's withdrawal of favor.
Jeremiah's prophecy of utter desolation, stripping away even the sounds of daily life like grinding mills and lamplight, paints a grim picture of the aftermath of Jerusalem's destruction by Babylon. This wasn't just a political defeat, but a profound silencing of the life and joy that marked a thriving community.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting many citizens and scattering them, serving as a stark warning of foreign domination and divine judgment.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under Nebuchadnezzar II, Babylon conquers Judah, beginning a series of deportations. The prophet Daniel and other young nobles are taken to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and thousands more Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. Jerusalem's temple is plundered.
587/586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
The Babylonians lay siege to Jerusalem, eventually destroying the city and its sacred Temple. The remaining population is largely exiled to Babylon, fulfilling the prophecies of desolation.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
The Babylonian Empire is conquered by Cyrus the Great of Persia, marking the end of the exiles' subjugation under Babylonian rule.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus and Return of Exiles
Cyrus allows the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, though many choose to remain in Babylon.
This passage shares the same imagery of silenced joy and celebration, highlighting a consistent prophetic warning about the consequences of disobedience.
Jeremiah 16:9Echoing Jeremiah 25:10, this verse further emphasizes the complete removal of gladness and joy, painting a stark picture of utter desolation where even basic signs of life disappear.
Matthew 24:41Jesus references the grinding at the millstones as a sign of ordinary life continuing, making its cessation in Jeremiah 25:10 a powerful indicator of catastrophic disruption and emptiness.
Revelation 18:22This passage in Revelation directly echoes the imagery found in Jeremiah 25:10, applying the same signs of silenced mirth, wedding celebrations, and daily domestic life to the impending judgment of a great city.
Ezekiel 26:13Similar to Jeremiah's prophecy, Ezekiel foretells the silence of music and merriment in Tyre as a consequence of judgment, illustrating how divine judgment leads to the absence of human celebration.
gillJeremiah 25:10: "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."
Moreover, I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness,.... At their festivals, and nuptial solemnities: the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride; expressing their mutual love unto, and delight in, each other; so agreeable to one another and their fr…
clarkeJeremiah 25:10: "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."
I will take from them - See Jeremiah 7:34 , and Jeremiah 16:9 . The sound of the mill-stones, and the light of the candle - These two are conjoined, because they generally ground the corn before day, by the light of the candle. Sir J. Chardin has remarked, that every where in the morning…
The verse doesn't just list the absence of celebratory sounds like laughter and wedding songs; it also points to the silence of ordinary, daily life. The absence of millstones grinding and lamps being lit signifies the complete halt of basic household functions and routines, painting a picture of utter desolation where even the most common sounds of family life disappear.
God declares He will silence all joy and celebration in Judah, removing the sounds of weddings, parties, and even the daily rhythm of life like grinding grain and lighting lamps. This imagery paints a stark picture of utter desolation, signifying the complete destruction of their communities and the end of their everyday existence. This is part of God's judgment for their persistent disobedience, which will culminate in the Babylonian exile.
God declares He will silence all joy and celebration in Judah, removing the sounds of weddings, parties, and even the daily rhythm of life like grinding grain and lighting lamps. This imagery paints a stark picture of utter desolation, signifying the complete destruction of their communities and the end of their everyday existence. This is part of God's judgment for their persistent disobedience, which will culminate in the Babylonian exile.
"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." — The verse doesn't just list the absence of celebratory sounds like laughter and wedding songs; it also points to the silence of ordinary, daily life. The absence of millstones grinding and lamps bein…
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Last reviewed October 2026
