God’s Word Translation
Lamentations 2:19
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.”
Lamentations 2:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.
- New International Version (NIV)Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at every street corner.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the night watches! Pour out your heart like water before the presence of the Lord! Lift your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street."
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Arise, cry out in the night, At the beginning of the watches; Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him For the life of your young children, Who faint from hunger at the head of every street.”
Context of Lamentations 2:19
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. 18The 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. Get 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? 21Young and old lie on the ground in the streets. My young women and men are cut down by swords. You killed them on the day of your anger. You slaughtered them without any pity.
Read all of Lamentations 2Lamentations 2:19 word by word
ק֣וּמִי׀ רֹ֣נִּי בַלַּ֗יְלָה לְרֹאשׁ֙ אַשְׁמֻר֔וֹת שִׁפְכִ֤י כַמַּ֙יִם֙ לִבֵּ֔ךְ נֹ֖כַח פְּנֵ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י שְׂאִ֧י אֵלָ֣יו כַּפַּ֗יִךְ עַל־נֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ עֽוֹלָלַ֔יִךְ הָעֲטוּפִ֥ים בְּרָעָ֖ב בְּרֹ֥אשׁ כָּל־חוּצֽוֹת׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ariseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- cry outרָנַןrânan · to singH7442
- in the nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- in the beginningרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
- of the watchesאַשְׁמוּרָה'ashmûrâh 'ashmûrâh 'ashmôreth · watchH821
- pour outשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: pourH8210
- thine heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- like waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- beforeנֹ֫כַחnôkach · beforeH5227
- the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- of the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- lift upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: vowH5375
- thy handsכַּףkaph · palmH3709
- toward him for the lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- of thy young childrenעוֹלֵל‛ôlêl ‛ôlâl · infantH5768
- that faintעָטַף‛âţaph · be feebleH5848
- for hungerרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
- of every streetחוּץchûts chûts · outsideH2351
Cross-references for Lamentations 2:19
- Psalms 42:8The Lord commands his mercy during the day, and at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.
- Psalms 62:8Trust him at all times, you people. Pour out your hearts in his presence. God is our refuge. Selah
- Psalms 119:55At night I remember your name, O Lord, and I follow your teachings.
- Isaiah 26:9With my soul I long for you at night. Yes, with my spirit I eagerly look for you. When your guiding principles are on earth, those who live in the world learn to do what is right.
- Mark 1:35In the morning, long before sunrise, Jesus went to a place where he could be alone to pray.
- Luke 6:12At that time Jesus went to a mountain to pray. He spent the whole night in prayer to God.
- Judges 7:19Gideon and his 100 men came to the edge of the camp. It was the beginning of the midnight watch just at the change of the guards. They blew their rams’ horns and smashed the jars they were holding in their hands.
- Matthew 14:25Between three and six o’clock in the morning, he came to them. He was walking on the sea.
- Mark 13:35Therefore, be alert, because you don’t know when the owner of the house will return. It could be in the evening or at midnight or at dawn or in the morning.
- 1 Samuel 1:15Hannah responded, “No sir. I’m not drunk. I’m depressed. I’m pouring out my heart to the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 7:6So the Israelites gathered together at Mizpah. They drew some water, poured it out in front of the Lord, and fasted that day. They confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” So Samuel judged Israel in Mizpah.
- Job 3:24“When my food is in front of me, I sigh. I pour out my groaning like water.
- Psalms 142:2I pour out my complaints in his presence and tell him my troubles.
- Psalms 28:2Hear my prayer for mercy when I call to you for help, when I lift my hands toward your most holy place.
- Psalms 63:4So I will thank you as long as I live. I will lift up my hands ⌞to pray⌟ in your name.
- Psalms 134:2Lift your hands toward the holy place, and praise the Lord.
Commentaries on Lamentations 2:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Arise, cry out in the night - This seems to refer to Jerusalem besieged. Ye who keep the night watches, pour out your hearts before the Lord, instead of calling the time of night, etc.; or, when you call it, send up a fervent prayer to God for the safety and relief of the place.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19In - (or at) the beginning of the watches “At the beginning of each night-watch” means all the night through. The Hebrews divided the night into three watches.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. 1919. cry ... in ... night--(Psa 119:147). beginning of ... watches--that is, the first of the three equal divisions (four hours each) into which the ancient Jews divided the night; namely, from sunset to ten o'clock. The second was called "the middle watch" (Jud 7:19), from ten till two o'clock. The third, "the morning watch," from two to sunrise (Ex 14:24; 1Sa 11:11). Afterwards, under the Romans, they had four watches (Mt 14:25; Lu 12:38). for ... thy…Read the comment
Topics related to Lamentations 2:19
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries