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 holds out its hands. No one offers it comfort. The Lord has given this order about Jacob: His own neighbors will become his opponents. Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them. 18“The Lord is right in what he did, because I rebelled against his word. Please listen, all you people, and look at my pain. My young women and young men have gone into captivity. I called for those who love me, but they betrayed me. My priests and leaders breathed their last breath in the city, looking for food to keep themselves alive. 20“O Lord, see the distress I’m in! My stomach is churning. My heart is pounding because I’ve been very bitter. In the streets swords kill my children. Inside the houses it’s like death. 21“All my enemies have heard that I am groaning. No one offers me comfort. All my enemies have heard about my disaster. They are happy that you did it. You have allowed the day to come, the one that you had announced. Let my enemies be like me now.

Lamentations 1:19 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• I calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• for my loversאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
• they deceivedרָמָהrâmâh · to deceiveH7411
• me: my priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• and mine eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• gave up the ghostגָּוַעgâva‛ · to dieH1478
• in the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• while they soughtבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• their meatאֹ֫כֶל'ôkel · foodH400
• to relieveשׁוּבshûb · to return: rescueH7725
• their soulsנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315

Cross-references for Lamentations 1:19

• Lamentations 1:2Jerusalem cries bitterly at night with tears running down its cheeks. Out of all those who love the city, no one offers it comfort. All of Jerusalem’s friends have betrayed it and become its enemies.
• Lamentations 4:17“We are still straining our eyes, trying in vain to find help. We waited and waited for a nation that didn’t save us.
• Job 19:13“My brothers stay far away from me. My friends are complete strangers to me.
• Jeremiah 2:28Where are the gods that you made for yourselves? Let them come and rescue you when you’re in trouble. You have as many gods as you have cities, Judah!
• Jeremiah 30:14All your lovers have forgotten you, and they don’t want you anymore. I’ve punished you as an enemy would. I’ve corrected you as a cruel person would. You are very wicked, and you have many sins.
• Jeremiah 37:7“This is what the Lord God of Israel says: Say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to get advice from me: ‘Pharaoh’s army has come out to help you. But it will go back to Egypt, its own land.
• Lamentations 1:11All the people are groaning as they beg for bread. They trade their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. ‘O Lord, look and see how despised I am!’ ”
• Lamentations 2:20“O Lord, look and consider: Have you ever treated anyone like this? Should women eat their own children, the children they have nursed? Should priests and prophets be killed in the Lord’s holy place?
• Lamentations 4:7Zion’s princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk. Their bodies were more pink than coral. Their hair was like sapphires.
• Lamentations 5:12⌞Our⌟ leaders are hung by their hands. ⌞Our⌟ older leaders are shown no respect.
• Jeremiah 14:15“I didn’t send these prophets. Yet, they prophesy in my name that there will be no wars or famines in this land. So this is what I, the Lord, say about them: Wars and famines will bring an end to these prophets.
• Jeremiah 23:11The prophets and priests are godless. Even in my temple I’ve found them doing evil,” declares the Lord.
• Jeremiah 27:13Why should you and your people die in wars, famines, and plagues? The Lord has threatened the nations that don’t 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