Lamentations 2:18 kjv
Their heart cried unto the LORD, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.
Lamentations 2:18 nkjv
Their heart cried out to the Lord, "O wall of the daughter of Zion, Let tears run down like a river day and night; Give yourself no relief; Give your eyes no rest.
Lamentations 2:18 niv
The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord. You walls of Daughter Zion, let your tears flow like a river day and night; give yourself no relief, your eyes no rest.
Lamentations 2:18 esv
Their heart cried to the Lord. O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, your eyes no respite!
Lamentations 2:18 nlt
Cry aloud before the Lord,
O walls of beautiful Jerusalem!
Let your tears flow like a river
day and night.
Give yourselves no rest;
give your eyes no relief.
Lamentations 2 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lam 2:18 | "Let your heart cry out, cry out to the Lord. O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night! Give yourself no rest, no | Lam 3:49, Psa 32:3-5, Lam 1:2, Isa 1:21 |
| Psa 32:3-5 | When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as by the summer heat. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity... | Ps 32:3-5 |
| Isa 1:21 | How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was once full of justice, righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. | Isa 1:21 |
| Jer 14:17 | You shall say to them, ‘Let my eyes flow with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is struck down with a mighty blow, with a very grievous wound. | Jer 14:17 |
| Lam 3:49 | My eyes overflow with tears and never cease; | Lam 3:49 |
| Psa 6:6 | I am worn out from groaning; every night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. | Psa 6:6 |
| Jer 9:1 | Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! | Jer 9:1 |
| Luke 19:41-42 | As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. | Luke 19:41-42 |
| Lam 1:2 | She weeps bitterly in the night, her tears on her cheeks— among all her lovers she has none to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. | Lam 1:2 |
| Deut 28:64-67 | Then the Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which you nor your fathers have known. And among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. But there the Lord will give you a troubled heart, failing eyes, and an anguished soul. Your life will hang in doubt before you; you will tremble night and day, in fear of your life, with no assurance of your life. In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening,’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning,’ because of the terror that fills your heart and the sights that your eyes will see. | Deut 28:64-67 |
| Isa 22:4 | So he said, "Look away from me; let me weep bitter tears. Do not try to comfort me about the destruction of my people." | Isa 22:4 |
| Psa 137:1 | By the rivers of Babylon we sat and there we wept when we remembered Zion. | Psa 137:1 |
| Lam 1:16 | For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears. Because a comforter is far from me, one to revive my spirit. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed. | Lam 1:16 |
| Lam 3:1 | I am the man who has suffered affliction under the rod of his indignation. | Lam 3:1 |
| Lam 3:48 | My eyes flow with tears, and overflow rivers, because of the destruction of the daughter of my people. | Lam 3:48 |
| Eze 6:9 | Then those of you who survive will remember me among the nations to which they are carried captive, and they will be utterly disgusted with their shameful conduct, with all their detestable practices. | Eze 6:9 |
| Hos 5:15 | Then I will return to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their suffering earnestly seek me. | Hos 5:15 |
| Zech 12:10 | "And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. | Zech 12:10 |
| Rev 18:7-8 | As much as she glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her a torment and grief. For she says in her heart, ‘I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and I shall never see grief.’ Therefore her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God, who judges her, is mighty. | Rev 18:7-8 |
| John 11:35 | Jesus wept. | John 11:35 |
Lamentations 2 verses
Lamentations 2 18 Meaning
The people of Jerusalem cry out to God, lamenting the utter devastation of their city and their people, attributing their suffering to God's judgment.
Lamentations 2 18 Context
Chapter 2 of Lamentations vividly depicts the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Babylonians. It's a lament of profound grief and sorrow, attributing the catastrophe to God's righteous anger against the sin of His people. The prophet Jeremiah, the traditional author, mourns the devastating consequences of their disobedience, highlighting the ruin of their city, the suffering of its inhabitants, and the desecration of their sacred space. This verse specifically focuses on the call for unending, deep sorrow from the remnant within the city's walls.
Lamentations 2 18 Word Analysis
- Tsy’ori (Tz'oor): Means "rock" or "strength," here it refers to Zion, the stronghold and foundation of Jerusalem.
- bat (bat): "Daughter."
- nefesh (nefesh): "Soul," "life," "throat," or "inner being." Here it denotes the deepest part of a person's being.
- ‘in’ (‘en): "Eye."
- shemen (shamen): "Fatness," "oil." Implies abundant or copious.
- mayim (mayim): "Water."
- ke’naha (kena'arar): "As a stream" or "like a river."
- layla (layla): "Night."
- yam (yam): "Day."
- shakhut (shak'ut): "Rest," "cessation."
- taftû’ah (taphtuw'ah): "Foliage," "ornament," but in its verbal form, it can mean "to repose" or "to take rest."
Grouped Analysis:
- "Let your heart cry out, cry out to the Lord." - A powerful imperative urging deep, impassioned, and persistent prayer directed specifically to God, acknowledging Him as the ultimate source of their plight and the only potential source of relief.
- "O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night!" - The "wall of the daughter of Zion" symbolizes the entire city and its people, personified as a daughter. The command for continuous, river-like tears underscores the magnitude of the sorrow and the unbroken nature of their grief.
- "Give yourself no rest, no repose," - Reinforces the unrelenting nature of their mourning, prohibiting any pause or comfort. This reflects the profound depth of their loss and the overwhelming nature of God's judgment.
Lamentations 2 18 Bonus Section
The concept of continuous, deep mourning is echoed in various biblical instances where loss was extreme. For example, in Deut 28:64-67, the curse for disobedience includes a foretelling of constant fear and despair, leading to a desire for either day or night to end. The emphasis on God's judgment as the cause of suffering is a recurring theme in Lamentations, but also found in the prophetic books, underscoring the covenantal consequences of turning away from the Lord. The sentiment of weeping for the destruction of the people of God is a powerful metaphor that resonates with Jesus' weeping over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-42) and the eventual eschatological mourning described in Zechariah 12:10. This verse is a poignant reminder of the sorrow that sin brings and the deep emotional response required of those who truly understand its cost.
Lamentations 2 18 Commentary
This verse captures the raw emotion of total desolation. It's not just about sadness, but a profound, visceral cry of anguish from the heart of Jerusalem itself. The weeping is to be continuous, a river of tears, signifying that the suffering is ongoing and overwhelming. The call for "no rest" highlights the unending nature of their pain and the complete lack of comfort or respite in their current state. It's a plea directed to God, acknowledging His sovereignty even in judgment, and a desperate yearning for His attention and intervention amidst the ruins. The imagery emphasizes that their suffering is all-encompassing, affecting their very core and demanding an unceasing expression of grief.