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 sins are bound around my neck like a yoke; they are fastened together by his hand. He has placed his yoke on my neck; he has sapped my strength. The Lord has handed me over to those whom I cannot resist. ס (Samek) 15He rounded up all my mighty ones; The Lord did this in my midst. He summoned an assembly against me to shatter my young men. The Lord has stomped like grapes the virgin daughter, Judah. ע (Ayin) I weep because of these things; my eyes flow with tears. For there is no one in sight who can comfort me or encourage me. My children are desolated because an enemy has prevailed. פ (Pe) 17Zion spread out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob; his neighbors have become his enemies. Jerusalem has become like filthy garbage in their midst. צ (Tsade) 18The Lord is right to judge me! Yes, I rebelled against his commands. Please listen, all you nations, and look at my suffering! My young women and men have gone into exile. ק (Qof)

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 at night; tears stream down her cheeks. She has no one to comfort her among all her lovers. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. ג (Gimel)
• Lamentations 2:11My eyes are worn out from weeping; my stomach is in knots. My heart is poured out on the ground due to the destruction of my helpless people; children and infants faint in the town squares. ל (Lamed)
• Lamentations 3:48Streams of tears flow from my eyes because my people are destroyed. ע (Ayin)
• Psalms 119:136Tears stream down from my eyes, because people do not keep your law. צ (Tsade)
• Jeremiah 9:1(8:23) I wish that my head were a well full of water and my eyes were a fountain full of tears! If they were, I could cry day and night for those of my dear people who have been killed.
• Jeremiah 13:17But if you will not pay attention to this warning, I will weep alone because of your arrogant pride. I will weep bitterly and my eyes will overflow with tears because you, the Lord’s flock, will be carried into exile.”
• Jeremiah 14:17“Tell these people this, Jeremiah: ‘My eyes overflow with tears day and night without ceasing. For my people, my dear children, have suffered a crushing blow. They have suffered a serious wound.
• Luke 19:41Now when Jesus approached and saw the city, he wept over it,
• Romans 9:1I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit –
• Hosea 9:12Even if they raise their children, I will take away every last one of them. Woe to them! For I will turn away from them.
• Lamentations 1:5Her foes subjugated her; her enemies are at ease. For the Lord afflicted her because of her many acts of rebellion. Her children went away captive before the enemy. ו (Vav)
• Lamentations 2:20Look, O Lord! Consider! Whom have you ever afflicted like this? Should women eat their offspring, their healthy infants? Should priest and prophet be killed in the Lord’s sanctuary? ש (Sin/Shin)
• Lamentations 4:2The precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in gold – Alas! – but now they are treated like broken clay pots, made by a potter. ג (Gimel)
• Jeremiah 9:21‘Death has climbed in through our windows. It has entered into our fortified houses. It has taken away our children who play in the streets. It has taken away our young men who gather in the city 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