Lamentations 1 1

Lamentations 1:1 kjv

How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!

Lamentations 1:1 nkjv

How lonely sits the city That was full of people! How like a widow is she, Who was great among the nations! The princess among the provinces Has become a slave!

Lamentations 1:1 niv

How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave.

Lamentations 1:1 esv

How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow has she become, she who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave.

Lamentations 1:1 nlt

Jerusalem, once so full of people,
is now deserted.
She who was once great among the nations
now sits alone like a widow.
Once the queen of all the earth,
she is now a slave.

Lamentations 1 verses

Lamentations 1 1 Meaning

Lamentations 1:1 immediately plunges the reader into the profound sorrow of Jerusalem's fall. It opens with an exclamation of deep grief and shock, lamenting how the once vibrant and populous city, Zion, now sits utterly desolate. Through vivid personification, Jerusalem is portrayed as a noble woman who has suffered the ultimate humiliation: transformed from a prosperous queen or princess, preeminent among nations and provinces, into a grieving, vulnerable widow and an enslaved servant. The verse starkly contrasts Jerusalem's past glory with its current state of ruin, desolation, and subjugation.

Lamentations 1 1 Context

Lamentations 1:1 serves as the opening lament of the book, traditionally attributed to Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, witnessing the devastation of Jerusalem. The historical context is the immediate aftermath of the Babylonian siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC, led by King Nebuchadnezzar. The Temple was razed, the city walls torn down, and the people either killed or forcibly deported into exile. The entire book of Lamentations is a profound expression of grief, anguish, and reflection on this catastrophic event, seen as divine judgment for Judah's persistent idolatry and disobedience to God's covenant. This opening verse establishes the book's central theme: the immense suffering of Zion, personified as a grieving woman, highlighting the radical transformation from a vibrant center of faith and power to a desolate, humiliated ruin.

Lamentations 1 1 Word analysis

• How lonely sits (אֵיכָה יָשְׁבָה בָדָד, 'Eikhah yashĕvāh bādhādh):

  • אֵיכָה ('Eikhah): Meaning "How!" or "Alas!" It is an interjection of intense grief, sorrow, and bewildered shock, often marking a dirge or funeral lament. This word itself gives the Hebrew title to the entire book of Lamentations. Its use immediately sets the mournful tone.
  • יָשְׁבָה (yashĕvāh): "She sits." This verb denotes a settled, enduring state. The city is not just temporarily empty; its desolation is presented as a fixed reality, accentuating the tragedy.
  • בָדָד (bādhādh): "Alone" or "isolated." It conveys a sense of abandonment, solitude, and separation, emphasizing the absence of the bustling crowds and joyful community that once filled the city.

• the city (עִיר, ‘îr):

  • Refers specifically to Jerusalem, often metaphorically called "Zion." Its use here points to a place once known for its population and significance, making its current state even more tragic.

• that was full of people! (רַבָּתִי עָם, rabbātî ‘ām):

  • רַבָּתִי (rabbātî): Meaning "great" or "many/full." This term speaks of abundance and a dense population.
  • עָם (‘ām): "People" or "multitude." This phrase vividly contrasts the city's past vibrancy and multitude of inhabitants with its present emptiness.

• How like a widow has she become, (הָיְתָה כְּאַלְמָנָה, hāyĕthāh kĕ'almānāh):

  • הָיְתָה (hāyĕthāh): "She has become." Denotes a transformative change of state from what she once was.
  • כְּאַלְמָנָה (kĕ'almānāh): "Like a widow." This powerful simile conveys profound loss. A widow in ancient Near Eastern society was stripped of her primary protector and provider (her husband), left vulnerable, destitute, and often without social standing or security. Spiritually, it implies Jerusalem has lost God's protective presence or covenantal blessing.

• she who was great among the nations! (רַבָּתִי בַגּוֹיִם, rabbātî bagoim):

  • רַבָּתִי (rabbātî): Again, "great" or "chief."
  • בַגּוֹיִם (bagoim): "Among the Gentiles/nations." Jerusalem once held a prominent position, perhaps as a respected spiritual or political entity, acknowledged for its distinctiveness or prosperity.

• She who was a princess among the provinces (שָׂרָתִי בַּמְּדִינוֹת, śārātî bammĕdînōt):

  • שָׂרָתִי (śārātî): "Princess" or "queen." This term underscores Jerusalem's former regal dignity, authority, and perhaps the tribute she received.
  • בַּמְּדִינוֹת (bammĕdînōt): "Among the administrative districts/provinces." Provinces were often territories subjected to or managed by a larger power. Jerusalem, as a "princess," implies her dominance over surrounding regions, receiving their allegiance or tribute.

• has become a slave. (הָיְתָה לָמַס, hāyĕthāh lāmas):

  • הָיְתָה (hāyĕthāh): "She has become," signifying a drastic reversal.
  • לָמַס (lāmas): "Forced labor" or "tribute." This signifies complete subjugation. Instead of receiving tribute or commanding others, Jerusalem is now compelled to give tribute or perform servile labor to her conquerors, representing a humiliating loss of freedom and dignity.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "How lonely sits the city... How like a widow has she become": This striking parallelism and rhetorical exclamation amplify the depth of despair. The city is personified as a solitary, grieving woman, emphasizing the profound sense of abandonment and irreparable loss. The shift from a general "city" to a distinct "she" reinforces the personal tragedy embedded in Jerusalem's destruction.
  • "that was full of people... great among the nations... a princess among the provinces" contrasted with "like a widow... become a slave": This stark juxtaposition highlights a tragic reversal of fortune. From thriving population to emptiness, from global prominence to humble vulnerability, and from sovereign royalty to abject servitude. This sequence graphically illustrates the devastating consequences of divine judgment, transforming dignity into dishonor and power into utter powerlessness.

Lamentations 1 1 Bonus section

• The rhetorical "How!" (Eikhah) beginning this verse is not merely an exclamation but carries the mournful echo of a funeral dirge. It establishes a pattern of profound lament found throughout the prophetic books (e.g., Isa 1:21) and becomes synonymous with the fall of Judah.
• The personification of Jerusalem as a weeping woman (often called the "Daughter of Zion") is a recurring motif in Jeremiah and other prophetic writings (e.g., Isa 49:14, Jer 4:31), making the suffering tangible and emotionally accessible to the reader. It allows for the full expression of her pain and degradation.
• The suffering depicted in this verse is not arbitrary but presented as a direct result of unfaithfulness to God's covenant, fulfilling prophecies of blessing and curse (Deut 28). The shame and servitude were specific warnings for national disobedience.

Lamentations 1 1 Commentary

Lamentations 1:1 is a poignant and iconic opening to a book saturated with grief. It is far more than a historical record; it is a heart-rending cry from a devastated people. The use of "How!" (Eikhah) instantly conveys a mixture of shock, sorrow, and bewilderment that such a catastrophe could befall Jerusalem, the city chosen by God. By portraying Jerusalem as a bereaved widow and an enslaved princess, the verse effectively conveys the scale of loss: not just buildings and lives, but dignity, autonomy, and identity. This drastic transformation—from prominence and security to desolate vulnerability and subjugation—serves as a severe consequence of Judah's deep-seated spiritual apostasy and disobedience to God's covenant. It teaches that even God's chosen people and city are not immune to judgment when they turn away from Him, emphasizing the just nature of God, who warns and then acts according to His word.