Lamentations 1 16

Lamentations 1:16 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.

Lamentations 1:16 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."

Lamentations 1:16 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."

Lamentations 1:16 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."

Lamentations 1:16 nlt

"For all these things I weep;
tears flow down my cheeks.
No one is here to comfort me;
any who might encourage me are far away.
My children have no future,
for the enemy has conquered us."

Lamentations 1 verses

Lamentations 1 16 Meaning

Lamentations 1:16 conveys the overwhelming and deeply personal sorrow of the devastated city of Jerusalem, personified as a grieving woman. Her profound weeping is described as an overflowing flood, signifying inconsolable grief. This intense suffering is exacerbated by the absence of anyone to offer comfort or revive her spirit. The desolation is further compounded by the tragic plight of her children, who have become utterly abandoned and destroyed due to the triumph of the enemy. The verse vividly captures the utter despair and physical manifestation of grief resulting from divine judgment and foreign conquest.

Lamentations 1 16 Context

Lamentations 1 describes the devastation of Jerusalem after its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The chapter is an acrostic poem, personifying Jerusalem as a widowed and disgraced woman, sitting in isolation and bitter weeping. She recounts her former glory, her present humiliation, and the suffering inflicted by her enemies, whom the Lord allowed to triumph because of her transgressions. Verse 16 specifically expresses the physical manifestation of her sorrow—an unending flow of tears—and her sense of utter abandonment due to the lack of any source of comfort or hope. It then shifts focus to the direct victims of the catastrophe: her children, who are utterly desolate, emphasizing the pervasive impact of the enemy's victory. This personal lament within the collective tragedy highlights the depth of national mourning.

Lamentations 1 16 Word analysis

• For these things: Implies a summation of the woes detailed earlier in the chapter—the abandonment, the treachery of allies, the lack of aid, and the overwhelming defeat. It signals the immediate cause of the intense grief that follows.
• I weep (Hebrew: ’ehkeh אֶבְכֶּה, from bakah בָּכָה): To weep, lament, cry. This is a profound and active weeping, indicative of deep sorrow and anguish, often involving physical tears and outward expression of grief. It reflects utter despair and a broken heart.
• my eye, my eye (Hebrew: ‘êyni ‘êyni עֵינִי עֵינִי): The repetition of "my eye" emphasizes the intensity and ceaselessness of the weeping. It signifies an overwhelming outpouring, like a literal fountain of tears, conveying the immeasurable extent of the grief. This is a common literary device for intensification in Hebrew poetry.
• runs down with water: (Hebrew: yalěda mayim יָרְדָה מַיִם): Literally "goes down waters" or "has come down water." This imagery suggests tears flowing like a continuous stream or torrent, an uncontrollable deluge. It highlights the uncontrollable nature of the sorrow and the prophet’s or Jerusalem's physical response to deep pain.
• because a comforter is far from me (Hebrew: kî rāḥaq mimmenî měnaḥēm כִּי רָחַק מִמֶּנִּי מְנַחֵם):
  • comforter (měnaḥēm מְנַחֵם): A participant participle from the verb naḥam (נָחַם), meaning to comfort, console, to grieve, or to repent. Here, it denotes "one who brings solace, rest, or relief from grief." The absence of such a figure deepens the sense of utter despair and isolation, underscoring Jerusalem's perceived abandonment.
  • far from me: Indicates not just physical distance but an emotional or relational absence of support when it is most needed, intensifying the sense of hopelessness and forsakenness.
• one who might refresh my soul (Hebrew: mēšîb napšî מֵשִׁיב נַפְשִׁי):
  • refresh (mēšîb, from šûb שׁוּב): To return, restore, revive, bring back. It carries the sense of bringing someone back from a state of languor, weariness, or despair to a state of vitality, rest, or hope.
  • my soul (napšî נַפְשִׁי): This term is comprehensive, referring to the entire inner being—life force, spirit, inner person, or emotions. To "refresh the soul" means to bring deep inner healing, spiritual restoration, and vital relief, which is desperately lacking.
• my children are desolate (Hebrew: hãyyû šômemîm הָיוּ שׁוֹמֵמִים):
  • children (bānay בָּנַי): Refers to the inhabitants, the younger generation, or the very future of the city. Their suffering symbolizes the complete devastation of the nation.
  • desolate (šômemîm, from šāmam שָׁמַם): To be desolate, devastated, laid waste, astonished, or horrified. It describes a state of ruin, emptiness, and profound shock, not merely physical destruction but psychological and societal breakdown. This emphasizes the tragic outcome for the innocent, intensifying the city’s grief.
• because the enemy has prevailed (Hebrew: kî gābar ‘ôyēb כִּי גָבַר אוֹיֵב):
  • enemy (‘ôyēb אוֹיֵב): The adversary, the foe. Refers specifically to the Babylonians who destroyed Jerusalem.
  • has prevailed (gābar גָּבַר): To be strong, mighty, overpower, overcome, conquer, or gain the upper hand. This word highlights the absolute triumph of the enemy, leaving no room for resistance or hope, emphasizing the utter subjugation and defeat of Jerusalem. This victory, allowed by God's judgment, is the immediate cause of the children's desolation.

Words-group analysis:

• "For these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water": This phrase underscores the overwhelming physical manifestation of uncontrollable sorrow. The repetition creates an emphatic hyperbole, portraying tears flowing like a never-ending stream, symbolizing profound and ceaseless lamentation over the complete ruin and despair.
• "because a comforter is far from me, one who might refresh my soul": This highlights Jerusalem’s desperate sense of abandonment and emotional bankruptcy. The absence of any consoling presence signifies utter hopelessness, portraying a spirit withered and unable to find respite or revitalization from its crushing grief.
• "my children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed": This final clause points to the ultimate and most tragic consequence of the city’s fall. The fate of the "children"—representing the future generation—being in utter desolation, emphasizes that the enemy’s decisive victory has utterly destroyed the very fabric and future hope of the community. This collective tragedy deepens the personal anguish already expressed.

Lamentations 1 16 Bonus section

The intense lament in this verse is deeply rooted in the historical reality of Jerusalem's fall. Jeremiah, believed to be the author, was known as the "weeping prophet" (Jer 9:1), making this a deeply personal expression woven into the national mourning. The suffering of the children, specifically highlighted here, stands as a devastating testimony to the comprehensive nature of the judgment, which spared no one and eradicated the very seed of future generations. This verse also implicitly contrasts human attempts at comfort with God’s capacity to comfort (2 Cor 1:3-4), emphasizing that true restoration can only come from the divine source, a source that Jerusalem felt far removed from at this moment of profound desolation. The despair over the "prevailed enemy" (Lamentations 1:16b) reflects a lament over the seemingly irreversible power shift, highlighting how easily human strength is utterly broken when God's favor is withdrawn.

Lamentations 1 16 Commentary

Lamentations 1:16 encapsulates the agonizing sorrow of Jerusalem, depicted as a bereft widow, weeping floods of tears. This verse is not just an expression of grief but a profound lament for what has been lost. The repetition of "my eye, my eye" powerfully conveys an unending outpouring of anguish, reflecting a depth of sorrow that cannot be contained. The core of this despair lies in the complete absence of a "comforter"—anyone to bring solace or restore the ravaged soul. This void intensifies the feeling of utter abandonment and helplessness, particularly poignant given that God is the ultimate Comforter.

The shift to the children's desolation immediately links personal grief to collective tragedy. The "children" represent not only the literal young inhabitants who faced unimaginable suffering during the siege and destruction but also the very future and continuation of the nation. Their "desolation" signifies the crushing defeat and loss of all hope for the generations to come, as a direct result of the enemy's complete victory. This stark reality serves as a poignant commentary on the consequences of Jerusalem's rebellion against God and the severe, yet just, divine judgment that brought such overwhelming devastation upon a once-glorious city.