Lamentations 1
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
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.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- כֹּלkôlH360516× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- כִּיkîyH358814× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- הָיָהhâyâhH196111× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- עַלʻalH59219× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72008× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâhH30687× in this chapter
Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
- לֹאlôʼH38087× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- צַרtsarH68627× in this chapter
narrow; (as a noun) a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble ; (transitive) an opponent (as crowding)
- יָדyâdH30275× in this chapter
a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
- יוֹםyôwmH31175× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- אֹיֵבʼôyêbH3415× in this chapter
hating; an adversary
- אַיִןʼayinH3695× in this chapter
a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle
- נָחַםnâchamH51625× in this chapter
properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself)
- שׁוּבshûwbH77255× in this chapter
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH8345× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- בּוֹאbôwʼH9355× in this chapter
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
- הוּאhûwʼH19314× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- אָנַחʼânachH5844× in this chapter
to sigh
- עַםʻamH59714× in this chapter
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
- בָּכָהbâkâhH10583× in this chapter
to weep; generally to bemoan
- בְּתוּלָהbᵉthûwlâhH13303× in this chapter
a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or state
- אֲדֹנָיʼĂdônâyH1363× in this chapter
the Lord (used as a proper name of God only)
- גּוֹיgôwyH14713× in this chapter
a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
- הָלַךְhâlakH19803× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- יָגָהyâgâhH30133× in this chapter
to grieve
- יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִםYᵉrûwshâlaimH33893× in this chapter
Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
- מַכְאֹבmakʼôbH43413× in this chapter
anguish or (figuratively) affliction
- מָרָהmârâhH47843× in this chapter
to be (causatively, make) bitter (or unpleasant); (figuratively) to rebel (or resist; causatively, to provoke)
- נֶפֶשׁnepheshH53153× in this chapter
properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
- נָתַןnâthanH54143× in this chapter
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
- עָלַלʻâlalH59533× in this chapter
to effect thoroughly; specifically, to glean (also figuratively); by implication (in a bad sense) to overdo, i.e. maltreat, be saucy to, pain, impose (also literal)
- עֳנִיʻŏnîyH60403× in this chapter
depression, i.e. misery
- פָּנִיםpânîymH64403× in this chapter
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
- פָּרַשׂpârasH65663× in this chapter
to break apart, disperse, etc.
- פֶּשַׁעpeshaʻH65883× in this chapter
a revolt (national, moral or religious)
- צִיּוֹןTsîyôwnH67263× in this chapter
Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of Jerusalem
- קָרָאqârâʼH71213× in this chapter
to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
- רַבrabH72273× in this chapter
abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
- שָׁמַעshâmaʻH80853× in this chapter
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
- בָּקַשׁbâqashH12452× in this chapter
to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after