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Lamentations 1:2

Old Testament Poetry ASV (1901)

What does Lamentations 1:2 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “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 the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

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.
Lamentations 1:2 — American Standard Version

Context — Lamentations 1

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! She is become as a widow, that was great among the nations! She that was a princess among the provinces is become tributary!
2She 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.
3Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude; She dwelleth among the nations, she findeth no rest: All her persecutors overtook her within the straits.
4The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly; All her gates are desolate, her priests do sigh: Her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness.
5Her 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.
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“She weepeth sore in the night, etc.] Or, “weeping weeps” f9; two weepings, one for the first, the other for the second temples f10; and while others are taking their sleep and rest; a season fit for mourners, when they can give their grief the greater vent, without any interruption from others; and it being now a night of affliction with her, which occasioned this sore weeping. Jarchi observes, that it was in the night that the temple was burnt: and her tears [are] on her cheeks; continue there, being always flowing, and never wholly dried up; which shows how great her grief was, and that her weeping was without intermission; or otherwise tears do not lie long, but are soon dried up, or…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“in the night--even in the night, the period of rest and oblivion of griefs (Job 7:3). lovers . . . friends--the heathen states allied to Judah, and their idols. The idols whom she "loved" (Jer 2:20-25) could not comfort her. Her former allies would not: nay, some "treacherously" joined her enemies against her (Kg2 24:2, Kg2 24:7; Psa 137:7).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Lovers ... friends - i. e. the states in alliance with Judaea, and all human helpers. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“1:2 The lovers were the fertility deities, Baal and Asherah, who were worshiped by most people in Judah. Her friends were her military allies, notably Egypt, who was no match for Babylon (Jer 37:5-11).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“weepeth: Lam 1:16, Lam 2:11, Lam 2:18, Lam 2:19; Job 7:3; Psa 6:6, Psa 77:2-6; Jer 9:1, Jer 9:17-19, Jer 13:17 among: Lam 1:19; Jer 4:30, Jer 22:20-22, Jer 30:14; Eze 16:37, Eze 23:22-25; Hos 2:7; Rev 17:13, Rev 17:16 none: Lam 1:9, Lam 1:16, Lam 1:17, Lam 1:21; Isa 51:18, Isa 51:19 all her friends: Job 6:15, Job 19:13, Job 19:14; Psa 31:11; Pro 19:7; Mic 7:5 Lamentations 1:3”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“In this sorrow of hers she has not a single comforter, since all her friends from whom she could expect consolation have become faithless to her, and turned enemies. בּכו תבכּה, "weeping she weeps," i.e., she weeps very much, or bitterly, not continually (Meier); the inf. abs. before the verb does not express the continuation, but the intensity of the action Gesenius, 131, 3, a; Ewald, 312\]. בּלּילה, "in the night," not "on into the night" (Ewald). The weeping by night does not exclude, but includes, weeping by day; cf. Lam 2:18. Night is mentioned as the time when grief and sorrow are wont to give place to sleep. When tears do not cease to flow even during the night, the sorrow must be…”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification