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 are bound into a yoke, woven together by His hand. They have come upon my neck and He has sapped my strength. The Lord delivered me over to those I cannot withstand. 15The Lord has rejected all the mighty ones in my midst. He has summoned an assembly against me to crush my young men. In a winepress the Lord has trampled the virgin daughter of Judah. Over these things I weep. My eyes overflow with water. For far from me is a comforter, who might refresh my soul. My children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.” 17Zion spreads out her hands— there is no one to comfort her. Adonai has decreed against Jacob. Those surrounding him have become his foes; Jerusalem has become niddah in their eyes. 18“Adonai is righteous, for I have rebelled against His word. Hear now, all peoples— look at my suffering! My maidens and my 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 1:2Bitterly she weeps in the night, her tears are on her cheeks. Among all her lovers, there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her. They have become her enemies!
• Lamentations 2:11My eyes are filled with tears. My stomach is in torment. My heart is poured out on the ground over the destruction of the daughter of my people— as young children and infants languish in the city squares.
• Lamentations 3:48Streams of tears run down my eyes because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
• Psalms 119:136Streams of water run down from my eyes, because they do not observe Your Torah.
• Jeremiah 9:1If only I had a travelers’ lodging place in the wilderness, then I might leave my people and get away from them! For they are all adulterers, a bunch of traitors.
• Jeremiah 13:17But if you will not listen, my soul will sob in secret before such pride, and my eyes will weep bitterly and overflow with tears, for Adonai’s flock will be taken captive.
• Jeremiah 14:17You will say this word to them: “Let my eyes overflow with tears. Night and day, may they never stop. For the virgin daughter of my people is crushed with a great blow, with a sorely infected wound.”
• Luke 19:41As He drew near and saw Jerusalem, He wept over her,
• Romans 9:1I tell the truth in Messiah—I do not lie, my conscience assuring me in the Ruach ha-Kodesh—
• Hosea 9:12For if they should raise their children, I would make them childless to the last man. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!
• Lamentations 1:5Her foes have become her masters. Her enemies are at ease. For Adonai has afflicted her, because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone away as captives before the adversary.
• Lamentations 2:20Look, Adonai, and consider with whom You have dealt so severely! Should women eat their offspring, their healthy newborn infants? Should kohen and prophet be slain in the Sanctuary of the Lord?
• Lamentations 4:2The precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in gold— alas! now they are treated like clay jars, the work of a potter’s hands!
• Jeremiah 9:21“Say this,” declares Adonai. “The carcasses of men will lie like dung on the open field, like cut grain behind the reaper, with no one gathering them.”

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