New International Version“See, LORD, how distressed I am! I am in torment within, and in my heart I am disturbed, for I have been most rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves; inside, there is only death.
New Living Translation“LORD, see my anguish! My heart is broken and my soul despairs, for I have rebelled against you. In the streets the sword kills, and at home there is only death.
English Standard Version“Look, O LORD, for I am in distress; my stomach churns; my heart is wrung within me, because I have been very rebellious. In the street the sword bereaves; in the house it is like death.
Berean Standard BibleSee, O LORD, how distressed I am! I am churning within; my heart is pounding within me, for I have been most rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves; inside, there is death.
King James BibleBehold, 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.
New King James Version“See, O LORD, that I am in distress; My soul is troubled; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious. Outside the sword bereaves, At home it is like death.
New American Standard Bible“See, LORD, for I am in distress; My spirit is greatly troubled; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious. In the street the sword has made women childless; In the house it is like death.
NASB 1995“See, O LORD, for I am in distress; My spirit is greatly troubled; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious. In the street the sword slays; In the house it is like death.
NASB 1977“See, O LORD, for I am in distress; My spirit is greatly troubled; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious. In the street the sword slays; In the house it is like death.
Legacy Standard BibleSee, O Yahweh, for I am in distress; My inmost being is greatly disturbed; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious. In the street the sword bereaves; In the house it is like death.
Amplified Bible“See, O LORD, how distressed I am! My spirit is deeply disturbed; My heart is overturned within me and cannot rest, For I have been very rebellious. In the street the sword kills and bereaves; In the house there is [famine, disease and] death!
Christian Standard BibleLORD, see how I am in distress. I am churning within; my heart is broken, for I have been very rebellious. Outside, the sword takes the children; inside, there is death.
Holman Christian Standard Bible LORD, see how I am in distress. I am churning within; my heart is broken, for I have been very rebellious. Outside, the sword takes the children; inside, there is death.
American Standard VersionBehold, O Jehovah; for I am in distress; my heart is troubled; My heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: Abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
Contemporary English VersionWon't you look and see how upset I am, our LORD? My stomach is in knots, and my heart is broken because I betrayed you. In the streets and at home, my people are slaughtered.
English Revised VersionBehold, 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.
GOD'S WORD® Translation"O LORD, see the distress I'm in! My stomach is churning. My heart is pounding because I've been very bitter. In the streets swords kill my children. Inside the houses it's like death.
Good News Translation"Look, O LORD, at my agony, at the anguish of my soul! My heart is broken in sorrow for my sins. There is murder in the streets; even indoors there is death.
International Standard VersionLook, LORD, how distressed I am; all my insides are churning. My heart is troubled within me, because I vigorously rebelled. Outside the sword brings loss of life, while at home death rules.
NET BibleLook, O LORD! I am distressed; my stomach is in knots! My heart is pounding inside me. Yes, I was terribly rebellious! Out in the street the sword bereaves a mother of her children; Inside the house death is present.
New Heart English BibleSee, LORD, for I am in distress; my stomach churns; my heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled. Outside the sword bereaves, in the house it is like death.
Webster's Bible TranslationBehold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; my heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleSee, O LORD, how distressed I am! I am churning within; my heart is pounding within me, for I have been most rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves; inside, there is death.
World English Bible“Look, Yahweh; for I am in distress. My heart is troubled. My heart turns over within me, for I have grievously rebelled. Abroad, the sword bereaves. At home, it is like death. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionSee, O YHWH, for distress [is] to me, "" My bowels have been troubled, "" My heart has been turned in my midst, "" For I have greatly provoked, "" From outside the sword has bereaved, "" In the house [it is] as death.
Young's Literal Translation See, O Jehovah, for distress is to me, My bowels have been troubled, Turned hath been my heart in my midst, For I have greatly provoked, From without bereaved hath the sword, In the house it is as death.
Smith's Literal TranslationSee, O Jehovah; for straits to me: my bowels were in a ferment; my heart turned in my midst; for embittering, I embittered: without, the sword bereaved; in the house, as death. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleRes. Behold, O Lord, for I am in distress, my bowels are troubled: my heart is turned within me, for I am full of bitterness: abroad the sword destroyeth, and at home there is death alike.
Catholic Public Domain VersionRES. See, O Lord, that I am in tribulation. My bowels have been disturbed, my heart has been subverted within me, for I am filled with bitterness. Outside, the sword puts to death, and at home there is a similar death.
New American BibleLook, O LORD, at the anguish I suffer! My stomach churns, And my heart recoils within me: How bitter I am! Outside the sword bereaves— indoors, there is death.
New Revised Standard VersionSee, O LORD, how distressed I am; my stomach churns, my heart is wrung within me, because I have been very rebellious. In the street the sword bereaves; in the house it is like death. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBehold, O LORD, I am in distress; my soul is troubled, my heart is in pain; for I have grievously rebelled; outside the sword devours, and those who are in the house death consumes.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedResh See, LORD JEHOVAH, that I have lost heart myself and my bowels are troubled! My heart is cast down within me, for I have rebelled to rebel. The sword from outside has destroyed and death killed those in the house OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Behold, O LORD, for I am in distress, Mine inwards burn; My heart is turned within me, For I have grievously rebelled. Abroad the sword bereaveth, At home there is the like of death.
Brenton Septuagint TranslationRHECHS. Behold, O Lord; for I am afflicted: my belly is troubled, and my heart is turned within me; for I have been grievously rebellious: abroad the sword has bereaved me, even as death at home.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context How Lonely Lies the City… 19I 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. 20See,O LORD,howdistressedI am!I am churningwithin;my heartis poundingwithin me,forI have been most rebellious.Outside,the swordbereaves;inside,there is death.21People have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that You have caused it. May You bring the day You have announced, so that they may become like me.…
Cross References Jeremiah 4:19My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the pain in my chest! My heart pounds within me; I cannot be silent. For I have heard the sound of the horn, the alarm of battle.
Jeremiah 8:21For the brokenness of the daughter of my people I am crushed. I mourn; horror has gripped me.
Jeremiah 9:1Oh, that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night over the slain daughter of my people.
Isaiah 1:5-6Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep rebelling? Your head has a massive wound, and your whole heart is afflicted. / From the sole of your foot to the top of your head, there is no soundness—only wounds and welts and festering sores neither cleansed nor bandaged nor soothed with oil.
Isaiah 21:3-4Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see. / My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight I desired has turned to horror.
Ezekiel 7:15-16The sword is outside; plague and famine are within. Those in the country will die by the sword, and those in the city will be devoured by famine and plague. / The survivors will escape and live in the mountains, moaning like doves of the valley, each for his own iniquity.
Psalm 38:8I am numb and badly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.
Psalm 42:5Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him for the salvation of His presence.
Psalm 55:4-5My heart pounds within me, and the terrors of death assail me. / Fear and trembling grip me, and horror has overwhelmed me.
Psalm 69:20Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one.
2 Kings 25:3-4By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food. / Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah,
Deuteronomy 28:53-57Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you. / The most gentle and refined man among you will begrudge his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children who have survived, / refusing to share with any of them the flesh of his children he will eat because he has nothing left in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within all your gates. ...
Matthew 26:38Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”
Luke 19:41-44As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it / and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. / For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ...
John 12:27Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour.
Treasury of Scripture Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; my heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaves, at home there is as death. behold Lamentations 1:9,11 Her filthinessis in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnifiedhimself… Isaiah 38:14 Like a craneor a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes failwith looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake for me. my bowels Lamentations 2:11 Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city. Job 30:27 My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me. Psalm 22:14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. for Lamentations 1:18 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. Leviticus 26:40-42 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; … 1 Kings 8:47-50Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; … abroad Lamentations 4:9,10They that be slain with the sword are better thanthey that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through forwant of the fruits of the field… Deuteronomy 32:25 The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the sucklingalso with the man of gray hairs. Jeremiah 9:21,22 For death is come up into our windows,and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without,and the young men from the streets… Jump to Previous AbroadBodyBowelsBurnChildrenDeathDeeplyDistressDistressedDisturbedGreatlyGrievouslyHeartHomeHouseInmostInsideInwardsMovedOutsideOverturnedPartsRebelledRebelliousSlaysSoulSpiritStreetSwordTormentTroubleTroubledTumultTurnedUncontrolledWithinWrungJump to Next AbroadBodyBowelsBurnChildrenDeathDeeplyDistressDistressedDisturbedGreatlyGrievouslyHeartHomeHouseInmostInsideInwardsMovedOutsideOverturnedPartsRebelledRebelliousSlaysSoulSpiritStreetSwordTormentTroubleTroubledTumultTurnedUncontrolledWithinWrungLamentations 1 1.The miseries of Jerusalem and of the Jews lamented12.The attention of beholders demanded to this unprecedented case18.The justice of God acknowledged, and his mercy supplicated.See, O LORD, how distressed I am!The speaker calls upon the LORD, acknowledging His omniscience and seeking His attention. This plea reflects the deep personal anguish and the desire for divine intervention. The use of "LORD" signifies a covenant relationship, reminding readers of God's faithfulness despite Israel's current suffering. This echoes the cries of other biblical figures, such as David in the Psalms, who often sought God's attention in times of distress. I am churning within; my heart is pounding within me,
This vivid description of internal turmoil highlights the intense emotional and physical response to the situation. The imagery of churning and pounding suggests a state of anxiety and fear, common in the face of divine judgment. This internal struggle can be compared to the agony Jesus experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He was deeply troubled and distressed. for I have been most rebellious.
The speaker acknowledges personal and collective sin, recognizing rebellion against God as the root cause of their suffering. This confession is crucial in the biblical narrative, as repentance is often the first step toward restoration. The theme of rebellion and its consequences is prevalent throughout the Old Testament, particularly in the prophetic books where Israel's unfaithfulness leads to exile. Outside, the sword bereaves;
This phrase describes the external threat of warfare and violence, likely referring to the Babylonian siege and destruction of Jerusalem. The sword symbolizes death and loss, a common consequence of disobedience to God's covenant. This external devastation is a fulfillment of prophetic warnings given by prophets like Jeremiah, who foretold the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness. inside, there is death.
The internal devastation complements the external threat, indicating that the consequences of sin permeate all aspects of life. This could refer to famine, disease, or spiritual death within the city. The duality of external and internal suffering underscores the totality of judgment. It also serves as a reminder of the spiritual death that results from sin, a theme that is addressed in the New Testament through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who offers life in place of death. Persons / Places / Events 1. Jeremiah- Traditionally attributed as the author of Lamentations, Jeremiah is known as the "weeping prophet" who mourns the destruction of Jerusalem. 2. Jerusalem- The city that has been destroyed, representing the heart of the Jewish nation and the center of worship. 3. The LORD (Yahweh)- The covenant God of Israel, to whom the lament is directed. 4. The Sword- Symbolizes external threats and violence, often used to describe warfare and destruction. 5. Death- Represents the internal despair and spiritual desolation experienced by the people. Teaching Points Recognition of Sin and RebellionAcknowledge personal and communal sin as the root of distress and turmoil. The Reality of ConsequencesUnderstand that rebellion against God leads to both external and internal consequences, as seen in the destruction and despair of Jerusalem. The Importance of LamentEmbrace lament as a biblical response to suffering, allowing for honest expression of pain and seeking God's intervention. God's Sovereignty in SufferingTrust in God's sovereignty even amidst suffering, recognizing that He is still in control and can bring restoration. Call to RepentanceUse the distress and consequences as a call to repentance and a return to faithful obedience to God. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1.What is the meaning of Lamentations 1:20?
2.How does Lamentations 1:20 reveal the depth of Jerusalem's suffering and sin?
3.What emotions are expressed in Lamentations 1:20, and how can we relate today?
4.How does Lamentations 1:20 connect with God's justice and mercy throughout Scripture?
5.In what ways can we seek God's forgiveness when feeling "distressed" and "faint"?
6.How can Lamentations 1:20 guide us in praying for personal and communal repentance?
7.What is the historical context of Lamentations 1:20?
8.How does Lamentations 1:20 reflect the theme of suffering?
9.What theological message is conveyed in Lamentations 1:20?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Lamentations 1?
11.How can Jeremiah 20:7 be reconciled with James 1:13, which states that God never tempts or deceives anyone?
12.Lamentations 2:20 - Does the reference to horrific acts like eating one's own children indicate a literal event, and if so, how can such a command coexist with a just and loving God?
13.In Jeremiah 20:7, how could an all-honest God 'deceive' Jeremiah if He is truly without falsehood?
14.Does the despair expressed in Job 3 contradict later biblical accounts (e.g., James 5:11) that describe Job as patient and steadfast?What Does Lamentations 1:20 Mean See, O LORD, how distressed I am!• The cry is personal and urgent, inviting the covenant God to look directly at Judah’s misery. • Like the psalmist inPsalm 25:18 “Look upon my affliction and distress,” Jeremiah appeals to God’s compassionate attention. • The verse teaches that authentic prayer begins with honest disclosure before the Lord, trusting that He hears (Psalm 34:17).
I am churning within; my heart is pounding within me• The language pictures inner turmoil—nausea, trembling, panic. •Psalm 38:8 echoes this: “I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.” • Scripture reminds us that sin’s consequences touch the whole person—body, mind, and spirit (Isaiah 1:5–6).
for I have been most rebellious• The confession names the root cause: deliberate disobedience to God’s commands (2 Kings 21:9;2 Chronicles 36:15–16). •Proverbs 28:13 sets the principle: “He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.” • True repentance never excuses sin; it owns it before God.
Outside, the sword bereaves• Military defeat and violence stalk the streets, fulfilling covenant warnings such asDeuteronomy 28:25–26. • Jeremiah had forecast this judgment inJeremiah 14:18: “If I go out to the country, I see those slain by the sword.” • God’s Word proves reliable: unrepented national sin invites real-world calamity.
inside, there is death• Famine, disease, and despair rule the city’s interior (Lamentations 2:11–12; 4:9–10). • The sword kills swiftly outside, but starvation and plague erode life within—comprehensive judgment, just asLeviticus 26:25–26 warned. • The line underscores that no hiding place exists from the wages of sin (Romans 6:23).
summaryLamentations 1:20 reveals a heartbroken people facing the physical and spiritual fallout of willful rebellion. The verse moves from a plea for God’s attention, through visceral inner anguish, to an admission of guilt, and finally to the sobering panorama of death both outside and inside the city walls. It teaches that sin brings real misery, confession is essential, and only God’s merciful gaze can begin restoration. (20) Behold, O Lord . . .--Deserted by men, the mourner appeals to Jehovah. "Bowels" and "heart" are used almost as synonymous for the deepest emotions of the soul. The word for "troubled," elsewhere ( Psalm 75:8) used of colour, might, perhaps, be better rendered inflamed.At home there is as death.--The "as" seems inserted to give the emphasis of the undefined. It is not death pure and simple that makes each home tremble, but the"plurima mortis imago"(Virg.Aen.ii. 369), the starvation, disease, exhaustion, which all were deadly,i.e.deathlike, in their working. Verse 20. - My bowels. The vital parts, especially the heart, as the seat of the affections, like σπλάγχνα. Are troubled; literally, are made to boil. So Job 30:27, "My bowels boil" (a different word, however). Is turned; or, turns itself; i.e. palpitates violently. At home there is as death. So Jeremiah 9:21, "For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces." By "death," when distinguished, as here, from "the sword," pestilence is meant; so e.g. in Jeremiah 15:2; Jeremiah 43:11. But the poet says here, not that "there is death," but merely " as death ," i.e. a mild form of pestilence, not the famine typhus itself. Or, perhaps, he means "every form of death" (Virgil's "plurima mortis imago").
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Behold,רְאֵ֨ה(rə·’êh)Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7200:To seeO LORD,יְהוָ֤ה(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israelhowכִּֽי־(kî-)Conjunction
Strong's 3588:A relative conjunctiondistressed I am.צַר־(ṣar-)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6862:Narrow, a tight place, a pebble, an opponentI am churningחֳמַרְמָ֔רוּ(ḥo·mar·mā·rū)Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2560:To boil up, to ferment, to glow, to smear with pitchwithin;מֵעַ֣י(mê·‘ay)Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4578:The intestines, the abdomen, sympathy, a vest, the stomach, the uterus, the heartmy heartלִבִּי֙(lib·bî)Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3820:The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centreis overturned,נֶהְפַּ֤ךְ(neh·paḵ)Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2015:To turn about, over, to change, overturn, return, pervertforכִּ֥י(kî)Conjunction
Strong's 3588:A relative conjunctionI have been most rebellious.מָר֖וֹ(mā·rōw)Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 4784:To be contentious or rebelliousOutside,מִח֥וּץ(mi·ḥūṣ)Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2351:Separate by a, wall, outside, outdoorsthe swordחֶ֖רֶב(ḥe·reḇ)Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719:Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, swordbereaves;שִׁכְּלָה־(šik·kə·lāh-)Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7921:To miscarry, suffer abortion, to bereaveinside,בַּבַּ֥יִת(bab·ba·yiṯ)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1004:A housethere is death.כַּמָּֽוֶת׃(kam·mā·weṯ)Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4194:Death, the dead, their place, state, pestilence, ruin
Links Lamentations 1:20 NIVLamentations 1:20 NLTLamentations 1:20 ESVLamentations 1:20 NASBLamentations 1:20 KJV
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OT Prophets: Lamentations 1:20 See Yahweh (Lam. La Lm) |
