Lamentations 1:16

Lamentations 1:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For 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.
• New International Version (NIV)“This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears. No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)"For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears; for a comforter is far from me, one to revive my spirit; my children are desolate, for the enemy has prevailed."
• New King James Version (NKJV)“For these things I weep; My eye, my eye overflows with water; Because the comforter, who should restore my life, Is far from me. My children are desolate Because the enemy prevailed.”

Context of Lamentations 1:16

14My transgressions have been formed into a yoke, fastened together by his hand; they have been placed on my neck, and the Lord has broken my strength. He has handed me over to those I cannot withstand. 15The Lord has rejected all the mighty men within me. He has summoned an army against me to crush my young warriors. The Lord has trampled Virgin Daughter Judah like grapes in a winepress. I weep because of these things; my eyes flow with tears. For there is no one nearby to comfort me, no one to keep me alive. My children are desolate because the enemy has prevailed. 17Zion stretches out her hands; there is no one to comfort her. The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob that his neighbors should be his adversaries. Jerusalem has become something impure among them. 18The Lord is just, for I have rebelled against his command. Listen, all you people; look at my pain. My young women and young men have gone into captivity.

Lamentations 1:16 word by word

עַל־אֵ֣לֶּה׀ אֲנִ֣י בוֹכִיָּ֗ה עֵינִ֤י׀ עֵינִי֙ יֹ֣רְדָה מַּ֔יִם כִּֽי־רָחַ֥ק מִמֶּ֛נִּי מְנַחֵ֖ם מֵשִׁ֣יב נַפְשִׁ֑י הָי֤וּ בָנַי֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ים כִּ֥י גָבַ֖ר אוֹיֵֽב׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I weepבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058
• mine eyeעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• runneth downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• with waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• because the comforterנָחַםnâcham · to be sorry: comfortH5162
• that should relieveשׁוּבshûb · to return: rescueH7725
• my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• is farרָחַקrâchaq · to removeH7368
• from me: my childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• are desolateשָׁמֵםshâmêm · be desolate: destroyedH8074
• because the enemyאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
• prevailedגָּבַרgâbar · to prevailH1396

Cross-references for Lamentations 1:16

• Lamentations 1:2She weeps bitterly during the night, with tears on her cheeks. There is no one to offer her comfort, not one from all her lovers. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies.
• Lamentations 2:11My eyes are worn out from weeping; I am churning within. My heart is poured out in grief because of the destruction of my dear people, because infants and nursing babies faint in the streets of the city.
• Lamentations 3:48My eyes flow with streams of tears because of the destruction of my dear people.
• Psalms 119:136My eyes pour out streams of tears because people do not follow your instruction.
• Jeremiah 9:1If my head were a flowing spring, my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night over the slain of my dear people.
• Jeremiah 13:17But if you will not listen, my innermost being will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, for the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.
• Jeremiah 14:17You are to speak this word to them: Let my eyes overflow with tears; day and night may they not stop, for my dearest people have been destroyed by a crushing blow, an extremely severe wound.
• Luke 19:41As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it,
• Romans 9:1I speak the truth in Christ — I am not lying; my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit —
• Hosea 9:12Even if they raise children, I will bereave them of each one. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!
• Lamentations 1:5Her adversaries have become her masters; her enemies are at ease, for the Lord has made her suffer because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone away as captives before the adversary.
• Lamentations 2:20Lord, look and consider to whom you have done this. Should women eat their own children, the infants they have nurtured? Should priests and prophets be killed in the Lord’s sanctuary?
• Lamentations 4:2Zion’s precious children — once worth their weight in pure gold — how they are regarded as clay jars, the work of a potter’s hands!
• Jeremiah 9:21for Death has climbed through our windows; it has entered our fortresses, cutting off children from the streets, young men from the squares.

Commentaries on Lamentations 1:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12-16Verses 12-16 The lamentation of the city, personified as a woman in grief over her fate. Lamentations 1:13 It prevaileth - Or, hath subdued. He hath turned me back - Judaea, like a hunted animal, endeavors to escape, but finds every outlet blocked by nets, and recoils from them with terror and a sense of utter hopelessness. Lamentations 1:14 Bound by his hand - As the plowman binds the yoke upon the neck of oxen, so God compels Judah to bear the…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. 1-22Chapter 1 mourns the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem, recognizing that this was God’s well-deserved judgment on Israel’s sins.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. (Jr 13:17; 14:17). Jerusalem is the speaker. mine eye, mine eye--so La 4:18, "our end ... our end"; repetition for emphasis. Pe.Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Faint
• Poetry
• Acrostic
• Alphabet
• Burial
• Eye
• Lamentations, Book of
• Poetry, Hebrew
• Proverbs, the Book of
• Pulse

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