Jeremiah 16:7

“Neither shall men tear themselves, etc.] Either their flesh, or their clothes: or, “stretch out”f336; that is, their hands, and clap them together, and wring them, as persons in great distress do: or “divide”, or “break”, or “deal unto them”f337; that is, bread, as at their funeral feasts. Thus the Septuagint version, neither shall bread be broken in their mourning; and to the same sense the Targum; so the word is used in (<236307>Isaiah 63:7), a practice that obtained among the Heathens; (see <052614>Deuteronomy 26:14) and now with the Jews, as it seems: which they did for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; they used to carry or send food to the surviving relations, and went…”

“tear themselves--rather, "break bread," namely, that eaten at the funeral-feast (Deu 26:14; Job 42:11; Eze 24:17; Hos 9:4). "Bread" is to be supplied, as in Lam 4:4; compare "take" (food) (Gen 42:33). give . . . cup of consolation . . . for . . . father--It was the Oriental custom for friends to send viands and wine (the "cup of consolation") to console relatives in mourning-feasts, for example, to children upon the death of a "father" or "mother."”

“Tear themselves - Better as in the margin; “break broad for them.” It was customary upon the death of a relative to fast, and for the friends and neighbors after a decent delay to come and comfort the mourner, and urge food upon him 2 Samuel 12:17; food was also distributed at funerals to the mourners, and to the poor. Cup of consolation - Marginal reference note. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Deal bread - It was a custom among them, when they had any friend, that had lost his relations, to send them some meat (for among the Hebrews all things they ate were called bread) and then to go and sup with them, and speak comfortably to them. The cup - They were also wont to send wine, that they might forget their sorrows; this is called, The cup of consolation. Jeremiah 16:8”

“tear themselves: or, break bread, Deu 26:14; Job 42:11; Eze 24:17; Hos 9:4 cup: Pro 31:6, Pro 31:7 Jeremiah 16:8”

“פּרס, as in Isa 58:7, for פּרשׂ, Lam 4:4, break, sc. the bread (cf. Isa. l.c.) for mourning, and to give to drink the cup of comfort, does not refer to the meals which were held in the house of mourning upon occasion of a death after the interment, for this custom cannot be proved of the Israelites in Old Testament times, and is not strictly demanded by the words of the verse. To break bread to any one does not mean to hold a feast with him, but to bestow a gift of bread upon him; cf. Isa 58:7. Correspondingly, to give to drink, does not here mean to drink to one's health at a feast, but only to present with wine to drink. The words refer to the custom of sending bread and wine for…”