Lamentations 1:9

Her uncleanness stains her skirts; she did not consider her end. Her downfall was astounding; there was no one to comfort her. Look, O LORD, on my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Personified Jerusalem addresses the LORD directly in the aftermath of the Babylonian siege, after her shame has been exposed (v. 8) and her treasures seized (v. 10).

The words — פְּלָאִים (pe.la.'im, "wonders," plural) describes the manner of her fall, an unusual and pointed choice for a defeat. אַחֲרִית ('a.cha.ri.t, "outcome, end") names what she failed to consider.

The thread — Isaiah 47:7 uses the same word אַחֲרִית against Babylon: "You did not take these things to heart or consider their outcome." Deuteronomy 32:29 echoes the failure to comprehend one's fate; Psalms 25:18 mirrors the plea to consider affliction.

Why it lands — The verse holds two facts side by side without resolving them: her fall was astonishing, and no one came to comfort her. It asks the reader to notice that the appeal is directed to God, not to the nations, even though the enemy has triumphed.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

טֻמְאָתָ֣הּtum.'a.Ta/huncleanness/ her בְּשׁוּלֶ֗יהָbe./shu.Lei./ha[was] on/ skirts/ her לֹ֤אlo'not זָֽכְרָה֙za.khe.Rahshe remembered אַחֲרִיתָ֔הּ'a.cha.ri.Ta/houtcome/ her וַתֵּ֣רֶדva./Te.redand/ she has come down פְּלָאִ֔יםpe.la.'Imwonders אֵ֥ין'einnot מְנַחֵ֖םme.na.Chema comforterלָ֑הּLa/h[belonged] to/ herרְאֵ֤הre.'Ehsee יְהוָה֙Yah.wehO Yahweh אֶת־'et-<obj.>עָנְיִ֔י'a.ne.Y/iaffliction/ my כִּ֥יkifor הִגְדִּ֖ילhig.Dilit has magnified itself אוֹיֵֽב׃ ס'o.Yev[the] enemy

King James Version

Her filthiness is 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 magnified himself.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 32:29 If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.
Isaiah 47:7 You said, ‘I will be queen forever.’ You did not take these things to heart or consider their outcome.
Psalms 25:18 Consider my affliction and trouble, and take away all my sins.
Ecclesiastes 4:1 Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.
Lamentations 1:17 Zion stretches out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The LORD has decreed against Jacob that his neighbors become his foes. Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them.
Psalms 119:153 Look upon my affliction and rescue me, for I have not forgotten Your law.
Isaiah 3:8 For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen because they spoke and acted against the LORD, defying His glorious presence.
Jeremiah 2:34 Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things
Jeremiah 13:17 But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
Jeremiah 48:26 “Make him drunk, because he has magnified himself against the LORD; so Moab will wallow in his own vomit, and he will also become a laughingstock.