Bible Strands
Lamentations 3:28
Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it upon him.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The speaker addresses a generic "man" or "him," instructing him on how to respond to divine discipline. This directive occurs within a chapter-long meditation on suffering, immediately following the statement that bearing the yoke while young is good.
The words — The Hebrew verb יֵשֵׁב (ye.Shev) means "let him sit," paired with בָּדָד (ba.Dad) for "alone" and יִדֹּם (yi.Dom) for "be silent." These terms command a physical withdrawal and cessation of speech.
The thread — This posture of isolated silence appears in Jeremiah 15:17, where the prophet sits alone because God's hand rests on him, and in Lamentations 2:10, where Zion's elders sit silently on the ground. Psalms 102:7 similarly depicts solitary vigilance before God.
Why it lands — The text states that God has laid this burden upon the sufferer, requiring acceptance rather than resistance. It asks the reader to adopt a posture of quiet endurance instead of public complaint or negotiation.
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
King James Version
He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 15:17 I never sat with the band of revelers, nor did I celebrate with them. Because Your hand was on me, I sat alone, for You have filled me with indignation.
- Lamentations 2:10 The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence. They have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground.
- Psalms 102:7 I lie awake; I am like a lone bird on a housetop.
- Psalms 39:9 I have become mute; I do not open my mouth because of what You have done.