Lamentations 1:19

Lamentations 1:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I 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.
• New International Version (NIV)“I called to my allies but they betrayed me. My priests and my elders perished in the city while they searched for food to keep themselves alive.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"I called to my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and elders perished in the city, while they sought food to revive their strength.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“I called for my lovers, But they deceived me; My priests and my elders Breathed their last in the city, While they sought food To restore their life.

Context of Lamentations 1:19

17Zion stretches out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The LORD has decreed against Jacob that his neighbors become his foes. Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them. 18The LORD is righteous, yet I rebelled against His command. Listen, all you people; look upon my suffering. My young men and maidens have gone into captivity. I called out to my lovers, but they have betrayed me. My priests and elders perished in the city while they searched for food to keep themselves alive. 20See, O LORD, how distressed I am! I am churning within; my heart is pounding within me, for I have been most rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves; inside, there is death. 21People have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that You have caused it. May You bring the day You have announced, so that they may become like me.

Lamentations 1:19 word by word

קָרָ֤אתִי לַֽמְאַהֲבַי֙ הֵ֣מָּה רִמּ֔וּנִי כֹּהֲנַ֥י וּזְקֵנַ֖י בָּעִ֣יר גָּוָ֑עוּ כִּֽי־בִקְשׁ֥וּ אֹ֙כֶל֙ לָ֔מוֹ וְיָשִׁ֖יבוּ אֶת־נַפְשָֽׁם׃ סRead the interlinear

• I called outקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• to my loversאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
• but theyהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• have betrayed meרָמָהrâmâh · to deceiveH7411
• My priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• and eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• perishedגָּוַעgâva‛ · to dieH1478
• in the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• whileכִּיkîy · forH3588
• they searched forבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• foodאֹ֫כֶל'ôkel · foodH400
• to keep themselvesשׁוּבshûb · to return: rescueH7725
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• aliveנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315

Cross-references for Lamentations 1:19

• Lamentations 1:2She weeps aloud in the night, with tears upon her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies.
• Lamentations 4:17All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us.
• Job 19:13He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me.
• Jeremiah 2:28But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O Judah.
• Jeremiah 30:14All your lovers have forgotten you; they no longer seek you, for I have struck you as an enemy would, with the discipline of someone cruel, because of your great iniquity and your numerous sins.
• Jeremiah 37:7“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says that you are to tell the king of Judah, who sent you to Me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to help you, will go back to its own land of Egypt.
• Lamentations 1:11All her people groan as they search for bread. They have traded their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. Look, O LORD, and consider, for I have become despised.
• Lamentations 2:20Look, O LORD, and consider: Whom have You ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring, the infants they have nurtured? Should priests and prophets be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?
• Lamentations 4:7Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
• Lamentations 5:12Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders receive no respect.
• Jeremiah 14:15Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who prophesy in My name: I did not send them, yet they say, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end!
• Jeremiah 23:11“For both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the LORD.
• Jeremiah 27:13Why should you and your people die by sword and famine and plague, as the LORD has decreed against any nation that does not serve the king of Babylon?

Commentaries on Lamentations 1:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19I called for my lovers - My allies; the Egyptians and others.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19I called for … - Rather, to “my lovers.” While they sought their meat - literally, “for they sought food for themselves to revive their souls.” Complete the sense by adding, “and found none.”Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-22Verses 12-22 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19I called out to my lovers: Egypt was very interested in Judah because Judah controlled the only good route to the north. However, Egypt abandoned Judah when Babylon attacked Jerusalem (Jeremiah 37:5–11). When there was little rain in the fall and spring in Palestine, a summer without rain could ruin crops and cause a food shortage. The food supply also ran out during the long siege of a city, which lasted from January 588 to July 586 BC. Many people…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. lovers--(La 1:2; Jr 30:14). elders--in dignity, not merely age. sought ... meat--Their dignity did not exempt them from having to go and seek bread (La 1:11). Resh.Read the comment

Topics related to Lamentations 1:19

• Death
• Famine
• Government

In the dictionaries

• Faint
• Ghost
• Poetry
• Acrostic
• Alphabet
• Betray
• Lamentations, Book of
• Poetry, Hebrew
• Proverbs, the Book of

Commentaries on Lamentations 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings