Lamentations 2:18

Lamentations 2:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.
• New International Version (NIV)The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord. You walls of Daughter Zion, let your tears flow like a river day and night; give yourself no relief, your eyes no rest.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Their heart cried to the Lord. O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, your eyes no respite!
• New King James Version (NKJV)Their heart cried out to the Lord, “O wall of the daughter of Zion, Let tears run down like a river day and night; Give yourself no relief; Give your eyes no rest.

Context of Lamentations 2:18

16All your enemies gawk at you. They hiss and grit their teeth. They say, ‘We’ve swallowed it up. Yes, this is the day we’ve been waiting for. At last we have seen it!’ 17The Lord has accomplished what he had planned to do. He carried out the threat he announced long ago. He tore you down without any pity, ⌞Jerusalem⌟. He made your enemies gloat over you. He raised the weapons of your opponents. The hearts of Jerusalem’s people cried out to the Lord, the wall of Zion’s people. Let your tears run down like a river day and night. Don’t let them stop. Don’t let your eyes rest. 19Get up! Cry out at night, every hour on the hour. Pour your heart out like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him ⌞in prayer⌟ for the life of your little children who faint from hunger at every street corner.” 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 2:18 word by word

צָעַ֥ק לִבָּ֖ם אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֑י חוֹמַ֣ת בַּת־צִ֠יּוֹן הוֹרִ֨ידִי כַנַּ֤חַל דִּמְעָה֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה אַֽל־תִּתְּנִ֤י פוּגַת֙ לָ֔ךְ אַל־תִּדֹּ֖ם בַּת־עֵינֵֽךְ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Their heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• criedצָעַקtsâ‛aq · to cryH6817
• unto the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
• O wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
• of the daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• of Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
• let tearsדִּמְעָהdim‛âh · tearsH1832
• run downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• like a riverנַ֫חַלnachal nachlâh nachălâh · torrent: riverH5158
• dayיוֹמָםyômâm · by dayH3119
• and nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• thyself no restפּוּגַתpûgâh · cessationH6314
• of thine eyeעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• ceaseדָּמַםdâmam · to silence: stationaryH1826

Cross-references for Lamentations 2:18

• Psalms 119:145I have called out with all my heart. Answer me, O Lord. I want to obey your laws.
• Isaiah 26:16O Lord, the people have come to you in trouble. They were humbled by oppression, by your discipline upon them.
• Hosea 7:14They don’t pray to me sincerely, even though they cry in their beds and make cuts on their bodies while praying for grain and new wine. They have turned against me.
• Lamentations 2:8The Lord planned to destroy the wall of Zion’s people. He marked it off with a line. He didn’t take his hand away until he had swallowed it up. He made the towers and walls mourn. They are completely dejected.
• Habakkuk 2:11A stone in the wall will cry out. A beam in the roof will answer it.
• 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 3:48“Streams of tears run down from my eyes over the ruin of my dear people.
• Psalms 119:136Streams of tears flow from my eyes because others do not follow your teachings.
• Jeremiah 4:31I hear a woman in labor. I hear the woman cry with anguish as she gives birth to her first child. My people Zion are gasping for breath. They are stretching out their hands, saying, “How horrible it is for us! We’re defenseless in the presence of murderers!”
• Jeremiah 9:1“I wish that my head were ⌞filled with⌟ water and my eyes were a fountain of tears so that I could cry day and night for my dear people who have been killed.
• Jeremiah 13:17If you won’t listen, I will cry secretly over your arrogance. I will cry bitterly, and my eyes will flow with tears because the Lord’s flock will be taken captive.
• Jeremiah 14:17“Say this to them: ‘My eyes flow with tears day and night without stopping because my dear people will suffer massive destruction. It will be a very serious blow.’ ”

Commentaries on Lamentations 2:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18O wall of the daughter of Zion - ציון בת חומת chomath bath tsiyon, wall of the daughter of Zion. These words are probably those of the passengers, who appear to be affected by the desolations of the land; and they address the people, and urge them to plead with God day and night for their restoration. But what is the meaning of wall of the daughter of Zion? I answer I do not know. It is certainly harsh to say "O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Their heart - That of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The prophet bids the wall, as the representative of the people who had dwelt secure under its protection, shed floods of tears on their behalf. Broken up by the enemy, it could be their guardian no longer, but by its ruins it might still cry unto the Lord in their behalf. A river - Or, a brook or torrent. Rest - Properly, the torpor and numbness which follows upon excessive grief. Apple of thine eye…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-22Verses 10-22 Causes for lamentation are described. Multitudes perished by famine. Even little children were slain by their mother's hands, and eaten, according to the threatening, Deut. 28:53. Multitudes fell by the sword. Their false prophets deceived them. And their neighbours laughed at them. It is a great sin to jest at others' miseries, and adds much affliction to the afflicted. Their enemies triumphed over them. The enemies of the church are apt to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-19Repentance and prayer are the proper responses when facing the devastation of God’s judgment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. wall--(La 2:8). Personified. "Their heart," that is, the Jews'; while their heart is lifted up to the Lord in prayer, their speech is addressed to the "wall" (the part being put for the whole city). let tears, &c.--(Jr 14:17). The wall is called on to weep for its own ruin and that of the city. Compare the similar personification (La 1:4). apple--the pupil of the eye (Psa 17:8). Koph.Read the comment

Topics related to Lamentations 2:18

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Famine

In the dictionaries

• Day and Night
• Bosom
• Cord
• Poetry
• River
• Acrostic
• Alphabet
• Apple, of the Eye
• Cry, Crying
• Eye

Commentaries on Lamentations 2

• 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
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings