Lamentations 1:21-22
“They heard my groaning, yet there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you have done it. You have brought the day you announced; now let them be as I am. “Let all their evildoing come before you, and deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my transgressions; for my groans are many, and my heart is faint.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse reveals a profound misunderstanding by Israel's enemies: they celebrate their "victory" as if it were their doing, failing to grasp that it's actually God's judgment being carried out. Their joy isn't just schadenfreude; it's a blindness to the divine hand, a blindness the Psalmist prays God will correct by bringing the same day of reckoning upon them.
Jerusalem, personified as a grieving widow, cries out that her enemies, who have heard her sighs and troubles, are not only indifferent but rejoicing over her downfall. She acknowledges that God himself has brought this day of judgment, just as the prophets had declared, and expresses a bitter longing that her enemies would experience the same sorrow and desolation she now endures.
Imagine pouring out your heart, your pain, your deepest groans, only to be met with silence or, worse, satisfaction from those who wronged you. This verse captures that gut-wrenching feeling.
Jeremiah, speaking for the broken nation of Judah, expresses the profound isolation of suffering.
No Comfort Offered
Enemies' Malicious Joy
There's a chilling certainty in the prophet's words: God has a plan, a day set for reckoning. But who is this day for – the sufferer or the oppressor?
The verse speaks of 'the day you announced,' referring to God's promised intervention and judgment.
Divine Retribution
Understand the original words
anachah · Hebrew Noun
Refers to an intense, audible expression of deep emotional or physical distress, often directed toward God in lament. It signifies the profound suffering of God's people.
nacham · Hebrew Verb
To encourage, soothe, or strengthen someone in the midst of sorrow or bereavement; in the Bible, God is often the ultimate source of this, and its absence intensifies the feeling of desolation.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
An experience of hardship, distress, or calamity. In a theological sense, it often refers to the consequences of sin or the trials faced by the faithful in a fallen world.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
Acts of wickedness, malice, or moral wrong; it describes behavior that deviates from God's righteous standard and causes harm to others or rebellion against divine law.
This verse captures the raw anguish of Jerusalem's destruction, a pivotal event where former allies and enemies reveled in the city's downfall, while the people of God lamented their abandonment and prayed for divine justice.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire's Height
The Assyrian Empire dominated the ancient Near East, exerting immense power and often brutal control over conquered territories. This period set a precedent for large-scale imperial dominance and the fear it inspired.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Under Nebuchadnezzar II, Babylon defeated Assyria and Egypt, marking the beginning of Neo-Babylonian dominance. The first wave of exiles, including Daniel, was deported from Judah to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a revolt, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem again. More exiles, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, were taken to Babylon.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
After a prolonged siege, Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians. The city was razed, the Temple destroyed, and the majority of the remaining population was deported to Babylon.
This passage echoes the sentiment of enemies rejoicing over Jerusalem's downfall, specifically mentioning the Edomites and their cruel gladness, which aligns with the lament in Lamentations 1:21.
Jeremiah 48:27This verse, like Lamentations 1:21, speaks of God's judgment against surrounding nations, showing that the 'day' of which Jeremiah speaks is a day of reckoning for those who reveled in Judah's suffering.
Ezekiel 25:12-17Here, God declares judgment against Edom for their vengeful actions and 'treacherous dealings' against Judah, directly paralleling the enemies' 'gladness' over Judah's troubles mentioned in Lamentations.
Isaiah 47:6-7This prophecy describes the downfall of Babylon, foretelling how they ruled harshly over God's people and will now experience a similar fate, reflecting the prayer in Lamentations for enemies to be brought low.
barnesLamentations 1:21: "They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me."
They have heard ... - Or, "They heard that I sigh," that I have "no comforter." Thou wilt bring the day ... - literally, thou hast brought "the day thou hast proclaimed, and they shall be like unto me." The day of Judah's punishment was the proof that the nati…
wesleyLamentations 1:21: "They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me."
1:21 They - The neighbouring nations. Like me - But thou hast foretold their destruction also, and hast by me proclaimed it: and thou shalt in that day bring them into as sad a condition as I am in now.
The verse reveals a profound misunderstanding by Israel's enemies: they celebrate their "victory" as if it were their doing, failing to grasp that it's actually God's judgment being carried out. Their joy isn't just schadenfreude; it's a blindness to the divine hand, a blindness the Psalmist prays God will correct by bringing the same day of reckoning upon them.
Jerusalem, personified as a grieving widow, cries out that her enemies, who have heard her sighs and troubles, are not only indifferent but rejoicing over her downfall. She acknowledges that God himself has brought this day of judgment, just as the prophets had declared, and expresses a bitter longing that her enemies would experience the same sorrow and desolation she now endures.
Jerusalem, personified as a grieving widow, cries out that her enemies, who have heard her sighs and troubles, are not only indifferent but rejoicing over her downfall. She acknowledges that God himself has brought this day of judgment, just as the prophets had declared, and expresses a bitter longing that her enemies would experience the same sorrow and desolation she now endures.
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A Plea for Justice
pesha',verse:22},{definition: · Hebrew Noun
A willful rebellion against God, a breach of covenant, or an act of disobedience that transgresses the boundaries set by God’s law. It carries the weight of guilt and requires atonement.
c. 585 BC
Jeremiah's Ministry Continues in Egypt
Following the destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah, who had remained in Judea, was later taken to Egypt. He continued to prophesy, addressing both the exiles and those in Egypt.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire. This ushered in a new era where exiled peoples, including the Judeans, were allowed to return to their homelands.
"“They heard my groaning, yet there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you have done it. You have brought the day you announced; now let them be as I am. “Let…" — The verse reveals a profound misunderstanding by Israel's enemies: they celebrate their "victory" as if it were their doing, failing to grasp that it's actually God's judgment being carried out. Th…
