Lamentations 1:5

³ Judah has gone into exile under affliction and harsh slavery; she dwells among the nations but finds no place to rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her in the midst of her distress.

⁴ The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gates are deserted; her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she herself is bitter with anguish.

Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. For the LORD has brought her grief because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone away as captives before the enemy.

⁶ All the splendor has departed from the Daughter of Zion. Her princes are like deer that find no pasture; they lack the strength to flee in the face of the hunter.

⁷ In the days of her affliction and wandering Jerusalem remembers all the treasures that were hers in days of old. When her people fell into enemy hands she received no help. Her enemies looked upon her, laughing at her downfall.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. For the LORD has brought her grief because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone away as captives before the enemy.
KJV: Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
WEB: Her adversaries have become the head. Her enemies prosper; for the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions. Her young children have gone into captivity before the adversary.
ASV: Her adversaries are become the head, her enemies prosper; For Jehovah hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: Her young children are gone into captivity before the adversary.
DARBY: Her adversaries have become the head, her enemies prosper; for Jehovah hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the adversary.
BLB: Her adversaries have become as the head, [and] her enemies prosper; for YHWH has afflicted her because of the multitude of her transgressions; her children have gone into captivity before the enemy.

ÅB: Dets motstandere er blitt dets herrer, dets fiender er trygge, for Herren har lagt sorg på det for dets mange overtredelsers skyld; dets små barn har fienden ført i fangenskap.
OTB: Hennes motstandere har blitt hennes herrer, hennes fiender lever i ro. Herren har ført sorg over henne på grunn av hennes mange overtredelser. Hennes barn har gått i fangenskap, ført bort av fienden.
B1930: Dets motstandere er blitt dets herrer, dets fiender er trygge, for Herren har lagt sorg på det for dets mange overtredelsers skyld; dets små barn har fienden ført i fangenskap.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Psalms 90:7–8
For we are consumed by Your anger and terrified by Your wrath.
Read in context
Jeremiah 39:9
Then Nebuzaradan captain of the guard carried away to Babylon the remnant of the people who had remained in the city, along with the deserters who had defected to him.
Read in context
Ezekiel 9:9
He replied, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of bloodshed, and the city is full of perversity. For they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.’
Read in context
Deuteronomy 32:15–27
But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked— becoming fat, bloated, and gorged. He abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation.
Read in context
Jeremiah 30:14–15
All your lovers have forgotten you; they no longer seek you, for I have struck you as an enemy would, with the discipline of someone cruel, because of your great iniquity and your numerous sins.
Read in context
Ezekiel 8:17–18
“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and continually provoke Me to anger? Look, they are even putting the branch to their nose!
Read in context
Lamentations 3:46
All our enemies open their mouths against us.
Read in context
Jeremiah 52:27–30
There at Riblah in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death. So Judah was taken into exile, away from its own land.
Read in context