Lamentations 1 14

Lamentations 1:14 kjv

The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the LORD hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.

Lamentations 1:14 nkjv

"The yoke of my transgressions was bound; They were woven together by His hands, And thrust upon my neck. He made my strength fail; The Lord delivered me into the hands of those whom I am not able to withstand.

Lamentations 1:14 niv

"My sins have been bound into a yoke; by his hands they were woven together. They have been hung on my neck, and the Lord has sapped my strength. He has given me into the hands of those I cannot withstand.

Lamentations 1:14 esv

"My transgressions were bound into a yoke; by his hand they were fastened together; they were set upon my neck; he caused my strength to fail; the Lord gave me into the hands of those whom I cannot withstand.

Lamentations 1:14 nlt

"He wove my sins into ropes
to hitch me to a yoke of captivity.
The Lord sapped my strength and turned me over to my enemies;
I am helpless in their hands.

Lamentations 1 verses

Lamentations 1 14 Meaning

Lamentations 1:14 vividly portrays Jerusalem's profound suffering as a direct consequence of her transgressions. The verse describes her sins as a heavy, inescapable yoke placed firmly upon her neck by the hand of God, causing her strength to collapse. This divine judgment results in her utter helplessness, as the Lord Himself has delivered her into the power of her adversaries, from whom she is utterly unable to recover or rise again. It underscores God's active role in His people's punishment and their complete submission to the imposed judgment.

Lamentations 1 14 Context

Lamentations Chapter 1 opens with the profound sorrow of Jerusalem, personified as a lonely widow, devastated and disgraced. She recounts her desolation and abandonment, focusing on the terrible consequences of her sin. The historical backdrop is the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 BC by the Babylonians, an event seen not merely as military defeat but as divine judgment. Verse 14 falls within Jerusalem's lament, where she directly acknowledges her guilt as the source of her immense suffering, explicitly stating that her calamity is orchestrated by God Himself due to her rebellious transgressions. The passage conveys a deep theological understanding: God is just and sovereign, and His covenant people's suffering is a direct result of their unfaithfulness.

Lamentations 1 14 Word analysis

• The yoke (עֹל - `'ol`): Refers to a wooden bar or frame that joins two oxen or other animals to pull a plow or wagon. Here, it is a powerful metaphor for the burden of oppression, slavery, and suffering. It signifies heavy weight and restriction.
• of my transgressions (פְּשָׁעַי - `pěshāʿay`): `Pesha'` means rebellion, revolt, or sin. It implies a willful breaking of a covenant or agreement, not merely an unintentional error. The "my" personalizes the culpability to Jerusalem herself.
• is bound (נִשְׁקַד - `nishqad`): The root `shāqad` (שקד) means "to be wakeful, on the lookout, vigilant." In the passive sense (Nifal conjugation), it can mean "to be secured, laid on, or watched over with vigilance." Here, it denotes that the yoke of sins has been actively, carefully, and firmly placed and secured. It's not loose; it is meticulously fitted.
• by his hand (בְּיָדוֹ - `bĕyādô`): Refers to God's hand. This is a direct affirmation of divine agency. It signifies God's deliberate and active role in placing this burden of judgment. The suffering is not accidental but is a precise act of God.
• they are wreathed (יִשְׁתָּרְשׁוּ - `yishtāreshū`): The verb comes from the root `shārash` (שׁרשׁ), meaning "to take root" or "to entwine, be intertwined." It implies that the sins or their consequences are deeply entrenched, twisted, or inextricably interwoven. The imagery suggests a bond that is not merely laid on but has grown into and around her, making it impossible to remove easily.
• and come up upon my neck: A graphic depiction of a yoke settling tightly, perhaps causing choking or crushing pressure. This signifies the overwhelming, crushing weight of the burden, affecting her very life source and movement. It highlights absolute subjugation.
• he hath made my strength to fall (הִכְשִׁיל - `hikshīl`): `Kāshal` means "to stumble, fall, totter." In the Hifil conjugation (`hikshil`), it means "to cause to stumble or fall." God is the active agent in bringing about her weakness and collapse. This refers to Jerusalem's national strength, her defenses, her ability to resist or recover.
• the Lord (אֲדֹנָי - `’Ăḏōnāy`): A reverent title for God, emphasizing His sovereignty and mastership. Using "Lord" here underscores His authoritative position in administering justice.
• hath delivered me (נְתָנָנִי - `nětānanī`): The verb `nātan` means "to give, place, set, deliver." This clearly states that God directly "handed her over" or "delivered her" to her enemies. It is a purposeful act of divine abandonment to the instruments of judgment.
• into their hands (בְּיְדֵי - `bĕyĕḏê`): Refers to the Babylonians or any oppressing nation that God used as His instrument. Emphasizes her complete surrender to their control and power.
• from whom I am not able to rise up (לֹא־אוּכַל קוּם - `lō-ʾukhāl qūm`): `Qūm` means "to rise up, stand, restore." The negation `lō-ʾukhāl` ("not able") signifies total powerlessness, an inability to recover, escape, or even stand up under the crushing burden. It indicates complete and utter defeat, with no prospect of self-deliverance.

• "The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand": This phrase combines the metaphorical burden of sin with God's direct, purposeful action in applying that burden. It removes any doubt about the divine origin of the suffering.
• "they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck": This emphasizes the inescapable and crushing nature of the consequences. The "wreathed" aspect suggests sins are intertwined, making them deeply embedded and their effects far-reaching, encompassing her whole being. The neck symbolizes life and freedom; its crushing signifies vital loss.
• "he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands": These two clauses reinforce God's direct judgment. The first describes internal collapse; the second, external delivery to foes. Both actions emanate from God, illustrating His complete control over her demise.
• "from whom I am not able to rise up": This concludes the verse with a stark statement of utter defeat and helplessness. There is no internal resilience or external help possible without divine intervention.

Lamentations 1 14 Bonus section

The imagery in Lamentations 1:14 is strikingly visceral, intended to evoke strong empathy and highlight the abject misery of Jerusalem. The "yoke of transgressions" presents an almost personified image where the very acts of rebellion morph into an instrument of punishment, self-inflicted yet divinely applied. This self-accusation, combined with the clear acknowledgment of God's direct intervention, is central to the book's theological message: repentance requires understanding the gravity of sin and the righteousness of God's judgment. The repeated use of the phrase "his hand" (or similar constructions) reinforces God's agency and counters any pagan notion of blind fate or random misfortune, making it clear that Israel’s God, YHWH, remains fully in charge even in their devastation. This lament sets the stage for a plea for restoration that can only come from the very Lord who brought about the calamity, underscoring God's ultimate sovereignty as both Judge and Redeemer.

Lamentations 1 14 Commentary

Lamentations 1:14 offers a poignant, theological explanation for the calamity that befell Jerusalem. It is not presented as an unfortunate military defeat but as a divine sentence executed by the hand of a just God. The verse’s graphic imagery — the yoke, the wreathed bond, the crushing upon the neck, and the total loss of strength — conveys the severity and inescapability of God’s judgment for deep-seated national sin. Jerusalem acknowledges that her own rebellions have become a literal burden imposed by God, leading to her collapse and delivery into the hands of her enemies. This verse underscores divine sovereignty over historical events, affirming that even the suffering of His people is within God's control and serves His purposes of justice and purification. The total inability to rise signifies a complete and profound brokenness, emphasizing the absolute necessity of God's future intervention for any hope of restoration. This self-acknowledgment of sin as the cause, and God as the executor of judgment, sets a powerful theological precedent for understanding suffering in a covenant relationship.Examples include how persistent individual sins can lead to an "unshakeable" habit, making one "unable to rise up" from its grip, or how a nation's turning from God's ways can result in its societal structures "falling," leading to vulnerability to external forces or internal collapse.