Jeremiah 14:2-3
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The phrase "her gates languish" isn't just about empty doorways, but about the life and activity usually found there—the elders, the marketplace, the very pulse of the city—all fading away. This imagery, along with the people being "black unto the ground," paints a vivid picture of a community physically and spiritually depleted, their vibrant public spaces mirroring their internal despair and physical suffering.
“Judah mourns, and her gates languish; her people lament on the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up. Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns; they find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are ashamed and confounded and cover their heads.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Jeremiah is describing a devastating drought that has gripped the land, causing widespread suffering and despair. This isn't just a passing inconvenience; the earth is parched, the wells are dry, and even the wild animals are suffering. The people, from the common folk to the nobles, are utterly despondent, their faces gaunt and their clothes the dark hues of mourning as their desperate cries rise to the heavens.
Why does the Bible talk about gates languishing and people sitting on the ground during a time of crisis?
Jeremiah 14:2 paints a vivid picture of a nation in deep distress. "Judah mourns, and her gates languish." The "gates" were the bustling centers of city life, places of commerce, justice, and social gathering. When they "languish," it signifies that the heart of the community has stopped beating. There's no activity, no life, no hope emanating from these once-vibrant places.
And the people? They "lament on the ground." This isn't just sitting; it's a posture of utter desolation and humility. Imagine people covered in dust, faces down, expressing a grief so profound they can barely lift their heads. This imagery conveys not only physical suffering from a drought but also a spiritual brokenness, a recognition of their humbled state before God.
What does it mean when "the cry of Jerusalem goes up"?
The final phrase, "and the cry of Jerusalem goes up," is pivotal. It's not just a sound; it's an ascent. This cry represents the collective anguish and despair of the people. It could be the wail of hunger, the tears of loss, or even a desperate, unfocused plea for help.
In the context of Jeremiah, this cry is heard by God. It signifies a moment where human efforts have failed, and the only recourse is a desperate appeal. While it initially sounds like a cry of distress, it also carries the weight of a prayer, even if one born out of desperation rather than faith. It's the sound of a people facing an existential crisis, their desperation so great it cannot be contained within the city walls but ascends towards the heavens.
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Understand the original words
ʾāḇal · Hebrew Verb
To express deep sorrow, grief, or distress, often in the context of bereavement, national calamity, or repentance before God.
ʾāmal · Hebrew Verb
To become weak, feeble, or to wither away, often due to lack of sustenance or hope. In this context, it signifies the cessation of activity and life-giving vitality.
bôr · Hebrew Noun
An artificial reservoir or pit constructed to store water. In biblical imagery, it represents human attempts to secure sustenance and life apart from the "fountain of living waters" (God).
bûš · Hebrew Verb
A feeling of humiliation, disappointment, or disgrace resulting from failed expectations, sin, or judgment. It is the opposite of being established or standing firm.
Jeremiah's vivid description of mourning, languishing gates, and the upward cry of Jerusalem points to the extreme suffering, likely caused by a severe drought and famine, that accompanied the final siege and destruction of the city by the Babylonians.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, begins his campaigns against Judah, initiating the first wave of exiles. This event marks the start of Judah's subjugation under Babylonian rule and foreshadows future crises.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and a significant portion of Jerusalem's elite and population to Babylon. This further weakens Judah and intensifies the sense of crisis.
589-587 BC— this verse
Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonians lay siege to Jerusalem, leading to extreme famine and suffering within the city. The city walls are breached, and Jerusalem is devastated, marking the end of the Kingdom of Judah.
c. 586 BC
Destruction of the Temple
The Babylonians utterly destroy Solomon's Temple, the heart of Israel's religious life and a symbol of God's presence. This catastrophic event ushers in the Babylonian Exile.
c. 586 BC
Third Babylonian Deportation
The final wave of exiles is sent to Babylon, leaving behind a devastated land with only the poorest inhabitants. This marks the complete subjugation and near-annihilation of the Judean state.
This passage describes a similar scene of desolation and mourning in Jerusalem, emphasizing its abandonment and distress, much like Jeremiah 14:2 depicts a city overwhelmed by suffering.
Isaiah 3:26This verse speaks of the gates of Zion groaning and lamenting, paralleling Jeremiah's imagery of the gates languishing, portraying a sense of profound grief and emptiness.
Joel 1:10Joel also describes the land and its produce withering and mourning due to drought, mirroring the desolation and despair implied in Jeremiah's prophecy of national suffering.
Psalm 107:33-34This psalm illustrates how God can turn a fruitful land into a dry wilderness and a wasteland due to the wickedness of its inhabitants, a theme that resonates with the cause of Judah's suffering in Jeremiah.
barnesJeremiah 14:2: "Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up."
They are black unto the ground - The people assembled at the gates, the usual places of concourse, are in deep mourning and sit humbly on the ground.
clarkeJeremiah 14:2: "Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up."
The gates thereof languish - The gates being the places of public resort, they are put here for the people. They are black unto the ground - Covered from head to foot with a black garment, the emblem of sorrow and calamity.
The phrase "her gates languish" isn't just about empty doorways, but about the life and activity usually found there—the elders, the marketplace, the very pulse of the city—all fading away. This imagery, along with the people being "black unto the ground," paints a vivid picture of a community physically and spiritually depleted, their vibrant public spaces mirroring their internal despair and physical suffering.
The prophet Jeremiah is describing a devastating drought that has gripped the land, causing widespread suffering and despair. This isn't just a passing inconvenience; the earth is parched, the wells are dry, and even the wild animals are suffering. The people, from the common folk to the nobles, are utterly despondent, their faces gaunt and their clothes the dark hues of mourning as their desperate cries rise to the heavens.
The prophet Jeremiah is describing a devastating drought that has gripped the land, causing widespread suffering and despair. This isn't just a passing inconvenience; the earth is parched, the wells are dry, and even the wild animals are suffering. The people, from the common folk to the nobles, are utterly despondent, their faces gaunt and their clothes the dark hues of mourning as their desperate cries rise to the heavens.
"“Judah mourns, and her gates languish; her people lament on the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up. Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns; they find no water; they…" — The phrase "her gates languish" isn't just about empty doorways, but about the life and activity usually found there—the elders, the marketplace, the very pulse of the city—all fading away. This imag…
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Last reviewed October 2026
