Lamentations 1:1-2
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. She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has none to comfort her; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse uses the word "tributary" to describe Jerusalem's new status, which implies not just paying taxes but also personal servitude and bondage to a foreign power. This stark contrast with her former role as a "princess" highlights the complete loss of her autonomy and dignity after her fall.
The prophet Jeremiah opens the book of Lamentations with a raw, gut-wrenching cry over the utter desolation of Jerusalem following its destruction by the Babylonians. He personifies the once vibrant city as a lonely widow, stripped of her people and her former glory, now reduced to a state of utter ruin and subjugation. This opening verse sets the somber tone for the entire book, which will explore the profound grief and consequences of sin through vivid imagery and heartfelt lament.
The opening words paint a picture of emptiness so profound it's hard to grasp. How does the prophet make us feel the city's profound loneliness?
The very first word, 'How,' sets the tone for the entire book. It's not a question seeking an answer, but an expression of deep sorrow and shock.
A City Emptied
This isn't a gentle sadness; it's a raw, aching grief that starts from the very first breath of the book.
The city wasn't just 'great'; she was a 'princess.' What does this dramatic shift to 'slave' reveal about the nature of God's judgment?
The prophet doesn't just state Jerusalem's fallen status; he vividly contrasts her former nobility with her current degradation.
The Heights and the Depths
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 lament vividly captures the utter devastation of Jerusalem following its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The city, once a thriving center of national life and a symbol of power, is depicted as a desolate widow, stripped of its glory, its people scattered, and its special relationship with God seemingly broken.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
The Assyrian king Sennacherib besieged Jerusalem. While the city was not captured, Judea was devastated, and Jerusalem paid a heavy tribute, highlighting its vulnerability.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and carries off some of its elite, including young men like Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's decline.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and many skilled craftsmen, further weakening Jerusalem.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar's army destroys Jerusalem, razes the Temple, and deports the majority of the remaining population to Babylon, leaving the city desolate.
This passage prophesies a similar state of desolation and mourning for Jerusalem, where the gates will lament and be desolate, mirroring the emptiness described in Lamentations 1:1.
Jeremiah 50:12This verse describes Babylon, once great, becoming the lowest of the nations, a desolate wilderness, echoing the fall from greatness to ruin depicted for Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 16:40-42This passage speaks of Jerusalem's judgment for her unfaithfulness, likening her punishment to that of adulterous women and predicting that her shame will be exposed, which parallels the profound humiliation of Jerusalem's fallen state.
Psalm 137:8-9This Psalm expresses a desire for vengeance against Babylon for their destruction of Jerusalem, specifically mentioning dashing their infants against the rocks, highlighting the brutal outcome of such devastation that Lamentations 1:1 implies.
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 verse uses the word "tributary" to describe Jerusalem's new status, which implies not just paying taxes but also personal servitude and bondage to a foreign power. This stark contrast with her former role as a "princess" highlights the complete loss of her autonomy and dignity after her fall.
The prophet Jeremiah opens the book of Lamentations with a raw, gut-wrenching cry over the utter desolation of Jerusalem following its destruction by the Babylonians. He personifies the once vibrant city as a lonely widow, stripped of her people and her former glory, now reduced to a state of utter ruin and subjugation. This opening verse sets the somber tone for the entire book, which will explore the profound grief and consequences of sin through vivid imagery and heartfelt lament.
The prophet Jeremiah opens the book of Lamentations with a raw, gut-wrenching cry over the utter desolation of Jerusalem following its destruction by the Babylonians. He personifies the once vibrant city as a lonely widow, stripped of her people and her former glory, now reduced to a state of utter ruin and subjugation. This opening verse sets the somber tone for the entire book, which will explore the profound grief and consequences of sin through vivid imagery and heartfelt lament.
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This stark contrast isn't just descriptive; it's theological. It underscores the devastating consequences of sin and rebellion against God, showing how far one can fall when stripped of divine favor.
c. 582 BC
Third Babylonian Deportation
A final deportation of Judeans occurs after a further rebellion, solidifying the desolation of the land and the exile in Babylon.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
Under Cyrus the Great of Persia, some Jewish exiles are permitted to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding the Temple, marking the end of the Babylonian captivity.
"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. She weeps bitterly in th…" — The verse uses the word "tributary" to describe Jerusalem's new status, which implies not just paying taxes but also personal servitude and bondage to a foreign power. This stark contrast with her fo…
