Lamentations 1:1
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The prophet isn't just describing Jerusalem's destruction; he's using the stark contrast between "full of people" and "lonely" to highlight the shocking emptiness left by God's judgment. This isn't just about a city being conquered, but about a community losing its very lifeblood, becoming a widow not just without a husband (its king or even God), but utterly isolated and stripped of its former glory.
How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow has she become, she who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage opens the book of Lamentations with a profound expression of sorrow and desolation, personifying Jerusalem as a once-powerful city now reduced to a lonely, widowed state. The prophet laments the stark contrast between her former glory as a great nation and princess among provinces, and her current state of utter abandonment and subjugation. This initial lament sets the tone for the entire book, which reflects on the city's suffering and loss following its destruction.
The very first word of this poem is a cry of shock and disbelief. It’s not just a question; it’s a raw expression of grief.
The Hebrew word for 'How' ('Ekhâh') that opens this book sets the tone. It's a word that screams confusion and deep sorrow, not a neutral inquiry.
A Cry of Astonishment
This isn't asking why something happened, but rather expressing utter amazement at the degree of devastation. Imagine seeing a bustling city, full of life and activity, suddenly emptied and silent. That's the shock.
Setting the Stage for Lament
This opening 'How?' immediately immerses us in the pain of the people. It’s the emotional starting gun for the entire book of Lamentations, signaling that what follows is a profound expression of grief over immense loss.
The poem doesn't just describe Jerusalem's current state; it highlights the terrifying gap between who she was and what she has become.
Jerusalem’s fall is painted through sharp contrasts, making her current misery all the more devastating.
From Fullness to Emptiness
'How lonely sits the city that was full of people!' The city, once teeming with life, is now empty and desolate. This isn't just a physical emptiness, but a spiritual and social void.
Ask a follow-up
From Power to Powerless
She's described as 'great among the nations' and a 'princess among the provinces,' roles that signify power, influence, and respect. But now, she has become 'a slave' or 'tributary' – stripped of her dignity and subjugated.
The Widow and the Slave Metaphors
The images of a 'widow' and a 'slave' powerfully convey her vulnerability. A widow, especially in ancient times, was often left without protection or provision. A slave has no autonomy and is subject to the will of another. This transition from 'princess' to 'slave' is a complete reversal of fortune, emphasizing the totality of her ruin.
Understand the original words
'almanah · Hebrew Noun
A woman who has lost her husband through death, often representing a state of vulnerability, social marginalization, and mourning in biblical literature. God frequently identifies Himself as the protector of the widow, emphasizing His concern for the helpless.
mas · Hebrew Noun
The legal and social status of one who is forced to serve a master, characterized by a lack of freedom, autonomy, and rights. In scripture, it is frequently used metaphorically for humanity's bondage to sin or judgment.
This verse captures the immediate aftermath of Jerusalem's utter destruction and exile. The profound desolation described is a direct result of the Babylonian conquest in 586 BC, stripping the city of its people, its status, and its divine presence.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah and besieges Jerusalem, though the city is miraculously spared.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports some of the Jewish elite, including Daniel, to Babylon after a victory.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports more of the Jewish population, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar's army destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon. This event directly leads to the lamentations.
c. 586 BC
Widespread Exile and Desolation
Following Jerusalem's destruction, Judah is left sparsely populated and subjugated. Many Jews flee to Egypt, facing further hardship.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands.
This passage describes Judah's gates mourning and lamenting because they are emptied of people, echoing Lamentations' image of a desolate city.
Ezekiel 16:30-34Here, Jerusalem is accused of acting like a 'bold-faced harlot' with foreign lovers, a stark contrast to the 'widow' in Lamentations, highlighting the loss of her 'husband' (God) through her own unfaithfulness.
Jeremiah 22:5-9This prophecy foretells Jerusalem's destruction and becoming a 'desolate land' and a 'hollow basin,' directly foreshadowing the desolation and loss of status described in Lamentations 1:1.
Jesus laments over Jerusalem, calling it a city that kills the prophets and that He longed to gather its children 'as a hen gathers her brood,' revealing the deep sorrow for the city's rejection and resulting devastation.
pooleLamentations 1:1: "How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!"
Jeremiah lamenteth the former excellency and present misery of Jerusalem for her sin, Lam 1:1-11 . She complaineth of her grief, Lam 1:12-17 ; confesseth God's judgments to be righteous; and prayeth unto him, Lam 1:18-22 . The interrogative particle how, once expressed and twice more unders…
expositorsLamentations 1:1: "How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!"
DESOLATION Lamentations 1:1-7 THE first elegy is devoted to moving pictures of the desolation of Jerusalem and the sufferings of her people. It dwells upon these disasters themselves, with fewer references to the causes of them or the hope of any remedy than are to be found in the subsequen…
The prophet isn't just describing Jerusalem's destruction; he's using the stark contrast between "full of people" and "lonely" to highlight the shocking emptiness left by God's judgment. This isn't just about a city being conquered, but about a community losing its very lifeblood, becoming a widow not just without a husband (its king or even God), but utterly isolated and stripped of its former glory.
This passage opens the book of Lamentations with a profound expression of sorrow and desolation, personifying Jerusalem as a once-powerful city now reduced to a lonely, widowed state. The prophet laments the stark contrast between her former glory as a great nation and princess among provinces, and her current state of utter abandonment and subjugation. This initial lament sets the tone for the entire book, which reflects on the city's suffering and loss following its destruction.
This passage opens the book of Lamentations with a profound expression of sorrow and desolation, personifying Jerusalem as a once-powerful city now reduced to a lonely, widowed state. The prophet laments the stark contrast between her former glory as a great nation and princess among provinces, and her current state of utter abandonment and subjugation. This initial lament sets the tone for the entire book, which reflects on the city's suffering and loss following its destruction.
"How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow has she become, she who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave." — The prophet isn't just describing Jerusalem's destruction; he's using the stark contrast between "full of people" and "lonely" to highlight the shocking emptiness left by God's judgment. This isn't j…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
