Lamentations 1:19

Suffering Friendship

¹⁷ Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.

¹⁸ The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.

²⁰ Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.

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.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: I called out to my lovers, but they have betrayed me. My priests and elders perished in the city while they searched for food to keep themselves alive.
KJV: I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
WEB: “I called for my lovers, but they deceived me. My priests and my elders gave up the spirit in the city, while they sought food for themselves to refresh their souls.
ASV: I called for my lovers, [but] they deceived me: My priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, While they sought them food to refresh their souls.
DARBY: I called for my lovers, they have deceived me; my priests and mine elders have expired in the city, while they sought them food to revive their soul.
BLB: I called out to my lovers, they deceived me; my priests and my elders died off in the city while they sought food for themselves and to restore their soul.

ÅB: Jeg ropte på mine elskere; de svek meg. Mine prester og mine eldste oppgav ånden i byen da de søkte etter mat for å oppholde livet.
OTB: Jeg ropte til mine allierte, men de forrådte meg. Mine prester og eldste omkom i byen mens de søkte mat for å opprettholde sine liv.
B1930: Jeg ropte på mine elskere; de svek mig. Mine prester og mine eldste opgav ånden i byen da de søkte efter mat for å opholde livet.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Lamentations 1:11
All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.
Read in context
Lamentations 2:20
Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?
Read in context
Lamentations 1:2
She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
Read in context
Job 19:13–19
He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.
Read in context
Jeremiah 27:13–15
Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?
Read in context
Jeremiah 37:7–9
Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to enquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
Read in context
Lamentations 4:17
As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.
Read in context
Jeremiah 2:28
But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.
Read in context