Lamentations 3 49

Lamentations 3:49 kjv

Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission.

Lamentations 3:49 nkjv

My eyes flow and do not cease, Without interruption,

Lamentations 3:49 niv

My eyes will flow unceasingly, without relief,

Lamentations 3:49 esv

"My eyes will flow without ceasing, without respite,

Lamentations 3:49 nlt

My tears flow endlessly;
they will not stop

Lamentations 3 verses

Lamentations 3 49 Meaning

This verse conveys an overwhelming and unceasing sorrow, portrayed as an unending flow of tears. It illustrates a state of profound grief and anguish so deep that the tears pour forth continuously, without any pause or relief, symbolizing an incessant expression of distress and a relentless sense of affliction.

Lamentations 3 49 Context

Lamentations chapter 3 stands as the emotional and theological core of the book. While the surrounding chapters (1, 2, 4, 5) offer a collective lament over Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BCE and the ensuing desolation and exile, chapter 3 presents a deeply personal lament. The speaker, widely considered to be Jeremiah, or a representative voice for the suffering people of Judah, describes his own severe affliction under God's hand (Lam 3:1-18). However, it is within this chapter that the profound declaration of hope is made (Lam 3:21-26), centering on the LORD’s faithfulness and mercies. Yet, even after this expression of hope, the verse 3:49 returns to the raw reality of unending suffering. This indicates that while hope in God's character persists, the physical and emotional pain from the judgment and loss are still very real and persistent. The context is the immediate aftermath of Jerusalem's fall, a period of profound national and personal anguish.

Lamentations 3 49 Word analysis

• My eyes (עֵינִי 'einī): Singular, denoting an intimate, personal experience of suffering. The eye is often seen as a conduit for emotional expression, emphasizing the individual's profound inner distress being made manifest.
• overflow (נִגְּרָה niggrāh): A Piel participle, from the root נגר (nāgar), meaning "to pour forth" or "to gush." This verb describes a copious, uncontrolled, and continuous outpouring, not just tears trickling but a deluge, indicating an unstoppable flow.
• with rivers (פַּלְגֵי־מָ֑יִם palgē-māyim): A strong hyperbolic metaphor.
  • פַּלְגֵי (palgē): Plural of פֶּלֶג (peleg), meaning "streams" or "channels of water." This imagery enhances the vastness and quantity, suggesting not one but many currents of tears.
  • מָ֑יִם (mayim): The common Hebrew word for "water." Here, it specifies that the "rivers" are composed of actual water, intensifying the image of an inexhaustible source of tears, signifying unparalleled grief.
• without ceasing (מִבְּלִי הֲפוּגוֹת mibbelī hāfūgōṯ): Literally "without stopping" or "without intervals of rest."
  • מִבְּלִי (mibbelī): A negative preposition meaning "without" or "lack of."
  • הֲפוּגוֹת (hāfūgōṯ): Plural noun from the verb פוּג (pūḡ), meaning "to cease" or "to pause." This phrase emphasizes the uninterrupted, relentless nature of the tears and, by extension, the underlying sorrow. There is no break, no relief, no end to the flow.

Words-group analysis

• "My eyes overflow with rivers of water": This powerful, vivid imagery emphasizes the depth and intensity of the speaker's sorrow. The metaphor of "rivers" suggests an unending, abundant, and visible outpouring of grief, signifying that the pain is too immense to be contained by mere drops of tears. It speaks to a heart utterly broken and consumed by distress.
• "without ceasing": This concluding phrase powerfully intensifies the prior imagery of overflowing tears. It denotes the perpetual and relentless nature of the anguish, indicating that the grief is not fleeting or momentary, but an enduring and persistent reality. It paints a picture of constant, agonizing lamentation that offers no respite or relief to the suffering individual.

Lamentations 3 49 Bonus section

The imagery in Lamentations 3:49, specifically the "rivers of tears without ceasing," aligns with a prophetic tradition found notably in Jeremiah, indicating that such intense lamentation was a recognized expression of national and individual grief for spiritual brokenness and divine judgment. This verse underlines the profound emotional depth within biblical expressions of faith, where anguish is openly voiced and brought before God. It reinforces that lament is not a lack of faith, but a deeply personal, embodied response to suffering, a desperate yearning for divine intervention even as the pain persists. The uninterrupted nature of the tears also signifies the lasting scars left by the catastrophe, demonstrating that healing, while hoped for, is a gradual and arduous process.

Lamentations 3 49 Commentary

Lamentations 3:49 presents a stark and emotionally raw image of profound and unrelenting sorrow in the wake of divine judgment and national calamity. Following a passage that speaks of God’s unfailing mercies and steadfast love, this verse immediately pulls the reader back into the harrowing reality of the current suffering. The prophet’s "eyes" becoming a source of "rivers of water without ceasing" is a powerful hyperbole, vividly depicting not merely sadness, but an all-consuming, ceaseless agony. It suggests that the wells of grief within him are inexhaustible, reflecting a deep spiritual and physical trauma. This continuous flow of tears highlights that even with a hope anchored in God's character, the immediate experience of affliction is acutely painful and ongoing. It serves as a reminder that sorrow, especially over corporate and personal sin, can be a prolonged and persistent companion.