Lamentations1
King James Version · Public Domain
1How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
2She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
3Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
4The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
5Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
6And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
7Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.
8Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
9Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.
10The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
11All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile.
12Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
13From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
14The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.
15The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
16For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
17Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
18The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
19I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
20Behold, O Lord; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
21They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.
22Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Lamentations 1.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The miserable state of Jerusalem, the just consequences of its sins. (1-11). Jerusalem represented as a captive female, lamenting, and seeking the mercy of God. (12-22).
vv1-11
The prophet sometimes speaks in his own person; at other times Jerusalem, as a distressed female, is the speaker, or some of the Jews. The description shows the miseries of the Jewish nation. Jerusalem became a captive and a slave, by reason of the greatness of her sins; and had no rest from suffering. If we allow sin, our greatest adversary, to have dominion over us, justly will other enemies also be suffered to have dominion. The people endured the extremities of famine and distress. In this sad condition Jerusalem acknowledged her sin, and entreated the Lord to look upon her case. This is the only way to make ourselves easy under our burdens; for it is the just anger of the Lord for man's transgressions, that has filled the earth with sorrows, lamentations, sickness, and death.
vv12-22
Jerusalem, sitting dejected on the ground, calls on those that passed by, to consider whether her example did not concern them. Her outward sufferings were great, but her inward sufferings were harder to bear, through the sense of guilt. Sorrow for sin must be great sorrow, and must affect the soul. Here we see the evil of sin, and may take warning to flee from the wrath to come. Whatever may be learned from the sufferings of Jerusalem, far more may be learned from the sufferings of Christ. Does he not from the cross speak to every one of us? Does he not say, Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Let all our sorrows lead us to the cross of Christ, lead us to mark his example, and cheerfully to follow him.
Key Words
בָּדָד: separate; adverb, separately
יָשַׁב: properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
עִיר: a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
רַב: abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
אַלְמָנָה: a widow; also a desolate place
גּוֹי: a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
שָׂרָה: a mistress, i.e. female noble
מְדִינָה: properly, a judgeship, i.e. jurisdiction; by implication, a district (as ruled by a judge); generally, a region
מַס: properly, a burden (as causing to faint), i.e. a tax in the form of forced labor
Cross References
Lamentations 1Directly fulfills covenant curse of Deuteronomy 28:43; adversaries rise above Israel and become the chief.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Judah dwelling among the heathen finding no rest fulfills Moses' warning in Deuteronomy.
Supported by JFB
Alludes to the exclusion of Ammonites/Moabites from entering God's congregation, now violated by invaders.
Supported by JFB
Refers to the illegal retention of Hebrew slaves as a cause of judgment/captivity.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Affirms that God Himself delivered Judah because of her manifold sins and transgressions.
Supported by JFB
Reflects Solomon's prophetic warning of captivity because of Israel's inevitable sins.
Supported by JFB
Jerusalem compared to a legally unclean, menstruous woman, signifying her moral and ceremonial impurity.
Supported by JFB
Matches Deuteronomy's lament that Israel would fail to consider her latter/last end.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts Jerusalem's current tributary status with her former dominion under David and Solomon.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts God's promise of eternal rest in Jerusalem with her actual desolation.
Supported by John Calvin
Parallels Jeremiah's secret weeping day and night for the Lord's captive flock.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Judah's political allies (lovers) have abandoned and betrayed her in her distress.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Points to the overarching fulfillment of the Levitical and Deuteronomic covenant curses.
Supported by John Calvin
Illustrates the posture of sitting on the ground as a sign of deep mourning.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the extreme, desperate measures taken to secure physical sustenance during famine.
Supported by JFB