Jeremiah 31:13
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This isn't just a picture of future happiness; it’s God promising to actively swap out sorrow for gladness, giving them joy in place of their grief, implying a joy so profound it outweighs their past pain. This profound, life-altering exchange isn't just a change of circumstances but a deep, internal transformation God orchestrates.
Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of a larger prophecy of restoration and hope following the devastation of exile. It immediately follows God's promise to gather His scattered people, turning their sorrowful return from captivity into a celebration, complete with dancing and widespread joy for all ages and both sexes. This imagery of unbridled gladness is a divine reversal of their deep mourning and suffering.
When you hear about dancing in the Bible, what comes to mind? Is it always about wild parties?
Jeremiah 31:13 paints a picture of vibrant celebration: 'Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry.' This isn't just random revelry. In ancient Israel, dancing was often a profound expression of joy, especially in religious contexts. Think of David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant! It could be a part of holy festivals, a way to worship God with their whole beings – bodies included. It was a 'chaste and modest joy,' even a 'sacred joy.' While civil celebrations also included dancing, the prophet uses this imagery to show the depth of God's promised restoration, a joy so profound it overflows into every part of life.
Have you ever felt like your sadness was too big for any comfort? This verse offers a powerful perspective.
The heart of this promise lies in God's transformative power: 'I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.' The scholars note that God's promise isn't just to replace sorrow with joy, but to give them more joy than they had sorrow. Imagine the deep grief of exile and loss – God says His comfort and joy will exceed it. This isn't about ignoring pain, but about God's ability to supernaturally heal, restore, and bring a gladness that overwhelms past suffering. It's a preview of the complete restoration that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ, where sorrow is indeed overcome by unending joy.
Understand the original words
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yagon · Hebrew Noun
The act of grieving, wailing, or expressing intense sorrow, often associated with judgment, loss, or repentance before God.
sason · Hebrew Noun
An elevated, state of being resulting from God’s salvation and favor; a spiritual gladness that transcends earthly circumstances.
This prophecy speaks powerfully to the profound grief of exile and the ecstatic joy of return. It promises a future restoration where sorrow is completely replaced by overwhelming gladness, extending even to civil and religious celebrations.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of the Temple
The Babylonians conquer Judah, destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, and deport many inhabitants to Babylon. This marks a period of immense national mourning and loss for the Judean people.
c. 586-538 BC
Babylonian Exile
The Judean people live in exile in Babylon, stripped of their homeland, king, and central place of worship. This is a time of deep sorrow, spiritual questioning, and longing for restoration.
538 BC
Cyrus the Great's Decree
The Persian king Cyrus allows the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. This marks the beginning of the return and the eventual end of the exile.
c. 537 BC onwards
Return from Exile and Temple Reconstruction
Groups of Jews begin returning to Jerusalem, facing significant challenges in rebuilding their city and the Temple. While a time of hope, it is also marked by hardship and a gradual process.
c. 516 BC
Dedication of the Second Temple
The Second Temple is completed and dedicated in Jerusalem. While a significant achievement, it does not fully recapture the glory of Solomon's Temple, and the exiles' joy is tempered by their difficult circumstances.
This passage echoes Jeremiah's promise, describing a future Jerusalem where 'old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with his staff in his hand because of old age. The streets of the city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.' It paints a similar picture of restored joy and peace across all ages.
Psalm 30:11This verse directly parallels Jeremiah's message of transforming sorrow into joy: 'You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness.' It's a powerful affirmation of God's ability to bring ultimate rejoicing after periods of deep grief.
Matthew 2:16-18This passage describes Herod's brutal massacre of the infants in Bethlehem, an event that fulfilled Jeremiah's prophecy of Rachel weeping for her children. While this is a dark fulfillment, it highlights the profound sorrow that God ultimately replaces with a greater joy, as promised in the fuller context of Jeremiah's prophecy.
Galatians 5:22-23Jeremiah speaks of the *outward* expression of joy in dance and merriment. This passage describes the *inner* fruit of the Spirit, including joy, love, and peace, which are the foundational elements that allow for such outward expressions of gladness and celebration.
pooleJeremiah 31:13: "Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow."
This verse containeth only a further variety of expressions, all signifying the same thing, viz. their happy state for some time after the captivity. We may understand the dancings here of all sorts of people, either of their religious rejoicing in their holy festivals, (for under the Old Testament…
calvinJeremiah 31:13: "Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow."
- Tunc laetabitur virgo (aut puella) in choro et adolescentes (vel, electi; sed signi,ficat proprie adolescentes) et senes pariter; et convertam luctum eorum in gaudium, et consolabor eos et exhilarabo a suo dolore.
This is a confirmation of the former verse; for he says that joy would be in com…
This isn't just a picture of future happiness; it’s God promising to actively swap out sorrow for gladness, giving them joy in place of their grief, implying a joy so profound it outweighs their past pain. This profound, life-altering exchange isn't just a change of circumstances but a deep, internal transformation God orchestrates.
This verse is part of a larger prophecy of restoration and hope following the devastation of exile. It immediately follows God's promise to gather His scattered people, turning their sorrowful return from captivity into a celebration, complete with dancing and widespread joy for all ages and both sexes. This imagery of unbridled gladness is a divine reversal of their deep mourning and suffering.
This verse is part of a larger prophecy of restoration and hope following the devastation of exile. It immediately follows God's promise to gather His scattered people, turning their sorrowful return from captivity into a celebration, complete with dancing and widespread joy for all ages and both sexes. This imagery of unbridled gladness is a divine reversal of their deep mourning and suffering.
"Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow." — This isn't just a picture of future happiness; it’s God promising to actively swap out sorrow for gladness, giving them joy in place of their grief, implying a joy so profound it outweighs their…
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Last reviewed October 2026
