Lamentations 5:16 kjv
The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned!
Lamentations 5:16 nkjv
The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!
Lamentations 5:16 niv
The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!
Lamentations 5:16 esv
The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!
Lamentations 5:16 nlt
The garlands have fallen from our heads.
Weep for us because we have sinned.
Lamentations 5 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lament. 5:16 | "The crown of our head is fallen; woe unto us, that we have sinned!" | Lamentations 5:16 |
| Lam 5:15 | "The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning." | Lamentations 5:15 |
| Lam 1:1 | "How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people!" | Lamentations 1:1 |
| Lam 1:4 | "The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts:" | Lamentations 1:4 |
| Lam 3:64 | "Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands." | Lamentations 3:64 |
| Psa 107:42 | "The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth." | Psalms 107:42 |
| Psa 149:5 | "Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds." | Psalms 149:5 |
| Jer 7:29 | "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted: behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires." | Jeremiah 7:29 |
| Jer 14:2 | "Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are blackened unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up." | Jeremiah 14:2 |
| Isa 24:7 | "The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh." | Isaiah 24:7 |
| Ezek 26:18 | "Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall make thee a desolate island, like the islands that are not inhabited;" | Ezekiel 26:18 |
| Hosea 7:14 | "And they have not cried unto me with their voice, when they wailed upon their beds:" | Hosea 7:14 |
| Amos 8:10 | "And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and bareness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day." | Amos 8:10 |
| Matt 5:4 | "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." | Matthew 5:4 |
| Luke 6:25 | "Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep." | Luke 6:25 |
| John 16:20 | "Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." | John 16:20 |
| Rom 12:15 | "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." | Romans 12:15 |
| Gal 1:8 | "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." | Galatians 1:8 |
| 1 Pet 1:6 | "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:" | 1 Peter 1:6 |
| Rev 18:7 | "How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her:" | Revelation 18:7 |
Lamentations 5 verses
Lamentations 5 16 Meaning
The people's joy and singing have ceased due to their suffering and distress. Their former happiness has been replaced by mourning and desolation.
Lamentations 5 16 Context
This verse is part of the concluding chapter of Lamentations, a book of poetic laments over the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of the people of Judah during the Babylonian exile. Chapter 5 specifically shifts from the prophetic tone of the earlier chapters to a direct plea to God for restoration, detailing the deep sorrow and degradation the nation is experiencing. The verse expresses the utter despair and loss of dignity the people are facing.
Lamentations 5 16 Word analysis
- The: definite article, specific reference to their nation or people.
- crown: (Hebrew: nezer, נֶצֶר) - refers to a diadem, a symbol of royalty, honor, and leadership. Here it is fallen.
- of: preposition, indicating possession or relation.
- our: first-person plural possessive pronoun, referring to the collective people.
- head: (Hebrew: rosh, רֹאשׁ) - the head, representing the leader, the most important part, or the pinnacle of a nation's glory.
- is: third-person singular present tense of "to be."
- fallen: (Hebrew: naphal, נָפַל) - to fall, collapse, be brought low, laid prostrate. Signifies a loss of status, power, and even life.
- woe: (Hebrew: hoy, הוֹי) - an exclamation of grief, distress, or condemnation.
- unto: preposition, towards.
- us: first-person plural object pronoun.
- that: conjunction, introducing a subordinate clause.
- we: first-person plural subject pronoun.
- have: auxiliary verb, indicating past action.
- sinned: (Hebrew: chata', חָטָא) - to miss the mark, to err, to sin against God.
Words group by words group analysis:
- "The crown of our head is fallen": This phrase vividly depicts the utter ruin and humiliation of the nation. The "crown" symbolizes leadership, authority, and the very dignity and honor of Israel. The "head" represents the foremost part, the highest point of authority or power. Its falling signifies the complete loss of their sovereign status, the overthrow of their leaders, and the destruction of their national pride and well-being.
- "woe unto us, that we have sinned!": This is a confession and a recognition of the root cause of their suffering. "Woe" expresses profound grief and a desperate acknowledgment of their pitiable state. The phrase "that we have sinned" points to the collective responsibility of the people for their transgressions against God, which they understand to be the ultimate reason for their punishment and downfall. It’s a cry of self-awareness in the face of devastation.
Lamentations 5 16 Bonus section
The book of Lamentations is steeped in the theological concept of covenantal retribution, where obedience to God's law brings blessing, and disobedience brings curses (Deuteronomy 28). The "fallen crown" is a tangible manifestation of these curses. The lament over sin is not just historical but a theological reflection on human responsibility and God's justice. While the verse itself is a direct address, it echoes the wider prophetic message about the dire outcomes of turning away from the Lord. The New Testament fulfillment perspective often sees such laments and confessions as prefiguring the redemptive work of Christ, who, in a sense, bore the ultimate "woe" for sin, thus restoring a new "crown" of salvation for those who believe.
Lamentations 5 16 Commentary
This verse powerfully encapsulates the lamentation's central theme: the profound consequence of sin leading to national ruin and deep despair. The imagery of a fallen crown signifies the loss of leadership, honor, and sovereignty, illustrating the nation's utter degradation. The people recognize their sin as the direct cause of this calamitous state, expressing their sorrow and acknowledging their accountability before God. This isn't merely regret but a confession of national culpability, understanding that their covenant relationship with God was broken through disobedience, resulting in divine judgment and extreme suffering. The verse serves as a poignant reminder of the covenantal consequences for Israel and highlights the penitential sorrow that accompanies true repentance.