Lamentations 1
Expanded Bible
Jerusalem Cries over Her Loss
1 How lonely sits the city [C Jerusalem],
once so full of people.
She is like a widow,
once great among the nations [Ps. 122:3].
She was like a queen ·of all the other cities [L among the provinces],
but now she is a ·slave [forced laborer; vassal].
2 She [C Jerusalem pictured as a widow] cries loudly at night,
and tears are on her cheeks.
There is no one to comfort her;
·all who loved her are gone [L among all her lovers; C referring to other nations to whom she unfaithfully turned for help].
All her friends have ·turned against [betrayed] her
and are now her enemies.
3 Judah has gone into ·captivity [exile; C to Babylon; 2 Kin. 25:8–21; 2 Chr. 36:17–21; Jer. 39:1–10; 51:12–30]
where she ·suffers [is oppressed/afflicted] ·and works hard [under slavery/harsh servitude].
She lives among other nations,
but she has found no rest.
Those who ·chased [pursued; persecuted] her caught her
·when she was in trouble [L between her distresses].
4 The roads to ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple] ·are sad [mourn],
because no one comes for the feasts [C Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles].
·No one passes through her gates [L All her gates are desolate].
Her priests groan,
her young women are ·suffering [afflicted],
and ·Jerusalem suffers terribly [L she is bitter].
5 Her foes are now her masters.
Her enemies ·enjoy the wealth they have taken [prosper].
The Lord is ·punishing [tormenting; afflicting] her
for her many ·sins [transgressions].
Her ·children [little ones] have gone away
as captives of the ·enemy [foe].
6 The ·beauty [splendor; majesty] of ·Jerusalem [L the daughter of Zion; C the location of the Temple; Ps. 48:1–3]
has gone away.
Her rulers are like deer
that cannot find ·food [L pasture].
They ·are weak [L go without strength]
·and run from the hunters [L before those who pursue/chase/persecute them].
7 Jerusalem ·is suffering and homeless.
She [L …in the days of her affliction and homelessness] remembers all the ·good [desirable; coveted] things
from the ·past [L former days].
But her people ·were defeated by the enemy [L fell to the power/hand of the foe],
and there was no one to help her.
When her ·enemies [foes] saw her,
they laughed ·to see her ruined [at her downfall].
8 Jerusalem sinned terribly,
so she has become ·unclean [or an object of mockery].
Those who honored her now ·hate [despise] her,
because they have seen her nakedness.
She groans
and turns away.
9 She made herself ·dirty [defiled] ·by her sins [L in her skirts; C Jerusalem is pictured as a defiled woman; Lev. 15:19–30]
and did not think about what would happen to her.
Her ·defeat [downfall] was surprising,
and no one could comfort her.
She says, “Lord, see how I ·suffer [am afflicted],
because the enemy has won.”
10 The ·enemy [foe] ·reached out and took [spread his hands on]
all her ·precious [desired; coveted] things.
She even saw ·foreigners [nations]
enter her ·Temple [L holy place; Ps. 74:4–8].
·The Lord had commanded foreigners [L …those you commanded]
never to enter the meeting place of ·his [L your] people.
11 All of ·Jerusalem’s [L its] people groan,
·looking for [seeking] bread.
They ·are trading [L give] their ·precious [desired; coveted] things for food
so they can stay alive.
The city says, “Look, Lord, and see.
I am ·hated [despised].”
12 Jerusalem says, “You who pass by on the road ·don’t seem to care [is it nothing to you…?; L No, to you].
Come, look at me and see:
Is there any ·pain [sorrow] like ·mine [L my pain/sorrow]?
·Is there any pain like that he has caused me […which has come upon me]?
The Lord has ·punished [afflicted; tormented] me
on the day of his great anger.
13 “He sent fire from above
that went ·down [deep] into my bones.
He ·stretched [spread] out a net for my feet
and turned me back.
He made me so ·sad and lonely [desolate]
that I am ·weak [faint; sick] all day.
14 “He ·has noticed my sins [or bound my transgressions into a yoke];
they are ·tied together [intertwined] by his hands;
they hang around my neck.
·He has turned my strength into weakness [L My strength falters].
The Lord has handed me over
to those who ·are stronger than I [L I cannot stand against].
15 “The Lord has rejected
all my mighty men ·inside my walls [L in my midst].
He ·brought an army [or proclaimed a time] against me
to ·destroy [break] my young men.
As if in a winepress, the Lord has ·crushed [trampled]
the ·capital city [L virgin daughter] of Judah [Is. 63:1–6].
16 “I cry about these things;
my eyes overflow with tears.
·There is no one near to comfort me [L A comforter is far from me],
no one who can ·give me strength again [L restore my soul].
My children are ·left sad and lonely [desolate],
because the enemy has ·won [prevailed].”
17 ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple] ·reaches [spreads] out her hands,
but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord commanded the people of Jacob
to be surrounded by their ·enemies [foes].
Jerusalem is now unclean [1:8–9]
·like [L among] those around her.
18 Jerusalem says, “The Lord is ·right [righteous],
but I ·refused to obey him [L have rebelled against his mouth].
Listen, all you people,
and look at my ·pain [sorrow].
My young women and men
have gone into captivity [1:3].
19 “I called out to my ·friends [L lovers; 1:2],
but they ·turned against [deceived] me.
My priests and my elders
have died in the city
while ·looking for [seeking] food
to ·stay alive [revive their strength].
20 “Look at me, Lord. I am ·upset [distressed]
and ·greatly troubled [L my innards/stomach/bowels are agitated].
My heart is ·troubled [L overturned within me],
because I have been so ·stubborn [rebellious].
Out in the streets, the sword ·kills [bereaves];
inside the houses, ·death destroys [L it is like death].
21 “People have heard my groaning,
and there is no one to comfort me.
All my enemies have heard of my trouble,
and they are happy you have done this to me.
Now bring that day you have announced
so that ·my enemies [L they] will be like me.
22 “·Look at all their evil [L Let all their evil come before you].
Do to them what you have done to me
because of all my ·sins [transgressions].
I groan over and over again,
and ·I am afraid [L my heart is sick/faint/weak].”
Lamentations 1
Amplified Bible
The Sorrows of Zion
1 [a]How solitary and lonely sits the city [Jerusalem]
That was [once] full of people!
How like a widow she has become.
She who was great among the nations!
The princess among the provinces,
Has become a forced laborer!
2
She weeps bitterly in the night
And her tears are [constantly] on her cheeks;
Among all her lovers (political allies)
She has no one to comfort her.
All her friends have dealt treacherously with her;
They have become her enemies.(A)
3
Judah has gone into exile under affliction
And under harsh servitude;
She dwells among the [pagan] nations,
But she has found no rest;
All her pursuers have overtaken her
In the midst of [her] distress.
4
The roads to Zion are in mourning
Because no one comes to the appointed feasts.
All her gates are desolate;
Her priests are groaning,
Her virgins are grieved and suffering,
And she suffers bitterly.
5
Her adversaries have become her masters,
Her enemies prosper;
For the Lord has caused her grief
Because of the multitude of her transgressions;
Her young children have gone
Into captivity before the enemy.(B)
6
All her beauty and majesty
Have departed from the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem).
Her princes have become like deer
That have found no pasture;
They have fled without strength
Before the pursuer.
7
In the days of her affliction and homelessness
Jerusalem remembers all her precious things
That she had from the days of old,
When her people fell into the hand of the adversary,
And no one helped her,
The enemy saw her,
They mocked at her downfall.
8
Jerusalem sinned greatly;
Therefore she has become an unclean thing [and has been removed].
All who honored her [now] despise her
Because they have seen her nakedness;
Even she herself groans and turns [her face] away.
9
Her (ceremonial) uncleanness was on her skirts;
She did not [seriously] consider her future.
Therefore she has come down [from throne to slavery] in an astonishing manner;
She has no comforter.
“O Lord” [cries Jerusalem], “look at my affliction,
For the enemy has magnified himself [in triumph]!”
10
The adversary has spread out his hand
Over all her precious and desirable things;
For she has seen the [Gentile] nations enter her sanctuary (the Jerusalem temple)—
[b]The ones whom You commanded
That they should not enter into Your congregation [not even in the outer courts].(C)
11
All her people groan, seeking bread;
They have exchanged their desirable and precious things for food
To restore their lives.
“See, O Lord, and consider
How despised and repulsive I have become!”
12
“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass this way?
Look and see if there is any pain like my pain
Which was severely dealt out to me,
Which the Lord has inflicted [on me] on the day of His fierce anger.
13
“From on high He sent fire into my bones,
And it prevailed over them.
He has spread a net for my feet;
He has turned me back.
He has made me desolate and hopelessly miserable,
Faint all the day long.
14
“The yoke of my transgressions is bound;
By His hand they are knit and woven together.
They have come upon my neck.
He has made my strength fail;
The Lord has put me into the hand
Of those against whom I cannot stand.(D)
15
“The Lord has rejected all the strong men
In my midst;
He has proclaimed an established time against me
To crush my young men.
The Lord has trampled down as in a wine press
The Virgin Daughter of Judah.
16
“I weep for these things;
My eyes overflow with tears,
Because a comforter,
One who could restore my soul, is far away from me.
My children are desolate and perishing,
For the enemy has prevailed.”(E)
17
Zion stretches out her hands,
But there is no comforter for her.
The Lord has commanded concerning Jacob
That his neighbors should be his enemies;
Jerusalem has become a filthy thing [an object of contempt] among them.
18
“The Lord is righteous and just;
For I have rebelled against His commandment (His word).
Hear now, all you peoples,
And look at my pain;
My virgins and my young men
Have gone into captivity.
19
“I [Jerusalem] called to my lovers (political allies), but they deceived me.
My priests and my elders perished in the city
While they looked for food to restore their strength.
20
“See, O Lord, how distressed I am!
My spirit is deeply disturbed;
My heart is overturned within me and cannot rest,
For I have been very rebellious.
In the street the sword kills and bereaves;
In the house there is [famine, disease and] death!
21
“People have heard that I groan,
That I have no comforter [in You].
All my enemies have heard of my desperation;
They are delighted [O Lord] that You have done it.
Oh, that You would bring the day [of judgment] which You have proclaimed
So that they will become like me.(F)
22
“Let all their wickedness come before You;
And deal with them as You have dealt with me
Because of all my transgressions;
For my groans are many and my heart is faint.”
Footnotes
- Lamentations 1:1 The writings of the prophets are not only valuable contributions to Old Testament history, but the reader is also enriched by familiarity with the forecasts of events which have been fulfilled, thus revealing the divine inspiration of the books and the wisdom and power of the God who prompted their writings.
- Lamentations 1:10 The Ammonites and Moabites, descendants of Lot and related to Israel, were forbidden to enter the congregation of the Lord, “even to their tenth generation,” because they refused to assist the sons of Israel when they were escaping from Egypt, and because they hired Balaam to curse Israel (Deut 23:3, 4). The Israelites never assembled any closer to the sanctuary of the temple than in the court outside its door. No Jew, not even David was authorized to enter the sanctuary proper except for certain Levites to whom such service was assigned. But now, Jeremiah says, the forbidden pagan nations enter the Holy of Holies to vandalize.
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