TRV
Translation
King James Version
From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
Complete Jewish Bible
"From on high, he sent down fire deep into my bones; he spread a net to catch my feet; he turned me back; he left me desolate, in misery all day long.
Berean Standard Bible
He sent fire from on high, and it overpowered my bones. He spread a net for my feet and turned me back. He made me desolate, faint all the day long.
American Standard Version
From on high hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them; He hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: He hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
World English Bible Messianic
From on high has he sent fire into my bones, and it prevails against them; He has spread a net for my feet, he has turned me back: He has made me desolate and faint all the day.
Geneva Bible (1599)
From aboue hath hee sent fire into my bones, which preuaile against them: he hath spred a net for my feete, and turned me backe: hee hath made me desolate, and daily in heauinesse.
Young's Literal Translation
From above He hath sent fire into my bone, And it subdueth it, He hath spread a net for my feet, He hath turned me backward, He hath made me desolate--all the day sick.
In the KJVVerse 20,324 of 31,102
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Commentary on Lamentations 1 verses 12–22
12 ¶ Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.
15 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
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.
19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
20 Behold, 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.
21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.
22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
The complaints here are, for substance, the same with those in the foregoing part of the chapter; but in these verses the prophet, in the name of the lamenting church, does more particularly acknowledge the hand of god in these calamities, and the righteousness of his hand.
I. The church in distress here magnifies her affliction, and yet no more than there was cause for; her groaning was not heavier than her strokes. She appeals to all spectators: See if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, Lam 1:12. This might perhaps be truly said of Jerusalem's griefs; but we are apt to apply it too sensibly to ourselves when we are in trouble and more than there is cause for. Because we feel most from our own burden, and cannot be persuaded to reconcile ourselves to it, we are ready to cry out, Surely never was sorrow like unto our sorrow; whereas, if our troubles were to be thrown into a common stock with those of others, and then an equal dividend made, share and share alike, rather than stand to that we should each of us say, "Pray, give me my own again."
II. She here looks beyond the instruments to the author of her troubles, and owns them all to be directed, determined, and disposed of by him: "It is the Lord that has afflicted me, and he has afflicted me because he is angry with me; the greatness of his displeasure may be measured by the greatness of my distress; it is in the day of his fierce anger," Lam 1:12. Afflictions cannot but be very much our griefs when we see them arising from God's wrath; so the church does here. 1. She is as one in a fever, and the fever is of God's sending: "He has sent fire into my bones (Lam 1:13), a preternatural heat, which prevails against them, so that they are burnt like a hearth (Psa 102:3), pained and wasted, and dried away." 2. She is as one in a net, which the more he struggles to get out of the more he is entangled in, and this net is of God's spreading. "The enemies could not have succeeded in their stratagems had not God spread a net for my feet." 3. She is as one in a wilderness, whose way is embarrassed, solitary, and tiresome: "He has turned me back, that I cannot go on, has made me desolate, that I have nothing to support me with, but am faint all the day." 4. She is as one in a yoke, not yoked for service, but for penance, tied neck and heels together (Lam 1:14): The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand. Observe, We never are entangled in any yoke but what is framed out of our own transgressions. The sinner is holden with the cords of his own sins, Pro 5:22. The yoke of Christ's commands is an easy yoke (Mat 11:30), but that of our own transgressions is a heavy one. God is said to bind this yoke when he charges guilt upon us, and brings us into those inward and outward troubles which our sins have deserved; when conscience, as his deputy, binds us over to his judgment, then the yoke is bound and wreathed by the hand of his justice, and nothing but the hand of his pardoning mercy will unbind it. 5. She is as one in the dirt, and he it is that has trodden under foot all her mighty men, that has disabled them to stand, and overthrown them by one judgment after another, and so left them to be trampled upon by their proud conquerors, Lam 1:15. Nay, she is as one in a wine-press, not only trodden down, but trodden to pieces, crushed as grapes in the wine-press of God's wrath, and her blood pressed out as wine, and it is God that has thus trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah. 6. She is in the hand of her enemies, and it is the Lord that has delivered her into their hands (Lam 1:14): He has made my strength to fall, so that I am not able to make head against them; nay, not only not able to rise up against them, but not able to rise up from them, and then he has delivered me into their hands; nay (Lam 1:15), he has called an assembly against me, to crush my young men, and such an assembly as it is in vain to think of opposing; and again (Lam 1:17), The Lord has commanded concerning Jacob that his adversaries should be round about him. He that has many a time commanded deliverances for Jacob (Psa 44:4) now commands an invasion against Jacob, because Jacob has disobeyed the commands of his law.
III. She justly demands a share in the pity and compassion of those that were the spectators of her misery (Lam 1:12): "Is it nothing to you, all you that pass by? Can you look upon me without concern? What! are your hearts as adamants and your eyes as marbles, that you cannot bestow upon me one compassionate thought, or look, or tear? Are not you also in the body? Is it nothing to you that your neighbor's house is on fire?" There are those to whom Zion's sorrows and ruins are nothing; they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. How pathetically does she beg their compassion! (Lam 1:18): "Hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: hear my complaints, and see what cause I have for them." This is a request like that of Job (Job 19:21), Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O you my friends! It helps to make a burden sit lighter if our friends sympathize with us, and mingle their tears with ours, for this is an evidence that, though we are in affliction, we are not in contempt, which is commonly as much dreaded in an affliction as any thing.
IV. She justifies her own grief, though it was very extreme, for these calamities (Lam 1:16): "For these things I weep, I weep in the night (Lam 1:2), when none sees; my eye, my eye, runs down with water." Note, This world is a vale of tears to the people of God. Zion's sons are often Zion's mourners. Zion spreads forth her hands (Lam 1:17), which is here an expression rather of despair than of desire; she flings out her hands as giving up all for gone. Let us see how she accounts for this passionate grief. 1. Her God has withdrawn from her; and Micah, that had but gods of gold, when they were stolen from him cried out, What have I more? And what is it that you say unto me? What aileth thee? The church here grieves excessively; for, says she, the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me. God is the comforter; he used to be so to her; he only can administer effectual comforts; it is his word that speaks them; it is his Spirit that speaks them to us. His are strong consolations, able to relieve the soul, to bring it back when it is gone, and we cannot of ourselves fetch it again; but now he has departed in displeasure, he is far from me, and beholds me afar off. Note, It is no marvel that the souls of the saints faint away, when God, who is the only Comforter that can relieve them, keeps at a distance. 2. Her children are removed from her, and are in no capacity to help her: it is for them that she weeps, as Rachel for hers, because they were not, and therefore she refuses to be comforted. Her children were desolate, because the enemy prevailed against them; there is none of all her sons to take her by the hand (Isa 51:18); they cannot help themselves, and how should they help her? Both the damsels and the youths, that were her joy and hope, have gone into captivity, Lam 1:18. It is said of the Chaldeans that they had no compassion upon young men nor maidens, not on the fair sex, not on the blooming age, Ch2 36:17. 3. Her friends failed her; some would not and others could not give her any relief. She spread forth her hands, as begging relief, but there is none to comfort her (Lam 1:17), none that can do it, none that cares to do it; she called for her lovers, and, to engage them to help her, called them her lovers, but they deceived her (Lam 1:19), they proved like the brooks in summer to the thirsty traveller, Job 6:15. Note, Those creatures that we set our hearts upon and raise our expectations from we are commonly deceived and disappointed in. Her idols were her lovers. Egypt and Assyria were her confidants. But they deceived her. Those that made court to her in her prosperity were shy of her, and strange to her, in her adversity. Happy are those that have made God their friend and keep themselves in his love, for he will not deceive them! 4. Those whose office it was to guide her were disabled from doing her any service. The priests and the elders, that should have appeared at the head of affairs, died for hunger (Lam 1:19); they gave up the ghost, or were ready to expire, while they sought their meat; they went a begging for bread to keep them alive. The famine is sore indeed in the land when there is no bread to the wise, when priests and elders are starved. The priests and elders should have been her comforters; but how should they comfort others when they themselves were comfortless? "They have heard that I sigh, which should have summoned them to my assistance; but there is none to comfort me. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me." 5. Her enemies were too hard for her, and they insulted over her; they have prevailed, Lam 1:16. Abroad the sword bereaves and slays all that comes in its way, and at home all provisions are cut off by the besiegers, so that there is as death, that is, famine, which is as bad as the pestilence, or worse - the sword without and terror within, Deu 32:25. And as the enemies, that were the instruments of the calamity, were very barbarous, so were those that were the standers by, the Edomites and Ammonites, that bore ill will to Israel: They have heard of my trouble, and are glad that thou hast done it (Lam 1:21); they rejoice in the trouble itself; they rejoice that it is God's doing; it pleases them to find that God and his Israel have fallen out, and they act accordingly with a great deal of strangeness towards them. Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them, that they are afraid of touching and are shy of, Lam 1:17. Upon all these accounts it cannot be wondered at, nor can she be blamed, that her sighs are many, in grieving for what is, and that her heart is faint (Lam 1:22) in fear of what is yet further likely to be.
V. She justifies God in all that is brought upon her, acknowledging that her sins had deserved these severe chastenings. The yoke that lies so heavily, and binds so hard, is the yoke of her transgressions, Lam 1:14. The fetters we are held in are of our own making, and it is with our own rod that we are beaten. When the church had spoken here as if she thought the Lord severe she does well to correct herself, at least to explain herself, but acknowledging (Lam 1:18), The Lord is righteous. He does us no wrong in dealing thus with us, nor can we charge him with any injustice in it; how unrighteous soever men are, we are sure that the Lord is righteous, and manifests his justice, though they contradict all the laws of theirs. Note, Whatever our troubles are, which God is pleased to inflict upon us, we must own that therein he is righteous; we understand neither him nor ourselves if we do not own it, Ch2 12:6. she owns the equity of God's actions, but owning the iniquity of her own: I have rebelled against his commandments (Lam 1:18); and again (Lam 1:20), I have grievously rebelled. We cannot speak ill enough of sin, and we must always speak worst of our own sin, must call it rebellion, grievous rebellion; and very grievous sins is to all true penitents. It is this that lies more heavily upon her than the afflictions she was under: "My bowels are troubled; they work within me as the troubled sea; my heart is turned within me, is restless, is turned upside down; for I have grievously rebelled." Note, Sorrow for our sin must be great sorrow and must affect the soul.
VI. She appeals both to the mercy and to the justice of God in her present case. 1. She appeals to the mercy of God concerning her own sorrows, which had made her the proper object of his compassion (Lam 1:20): "Behold, O Lord! for I am in distress; take cognizance of my case, and take such order for my relief as thou pleasest." Note, It is matter of comfort to us that the troubles which oppress our spirits are open before God's eye. 2. She appeals to the justice of God concerning the injuries that her enemies did her (Lam 1:21, Lam 1:22): "Thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, the day that is fixed in the counsels of God and published in the prophecies, when my enemies, that now prosecute me, shall be made like unto me, when the cup of trembling, now put into my hands, shall be put into theirs." It may be read as a prayer, "Let the day appointed come," and so it goes on, "Let their wickedness come before thee, let it come to be remembered, let it come to be reckoned for; take vengeance on them for all the wrongs they have done to me (Psa 109:14, Psa 109:15); hasten the time when thou wilt do to them for their transgressions as thou hast done to me for mine." This prayer amounts to a protestation against all thoughts of a coalition with them, and to a prediction of their ruin, subscribing to that which God had in his word spoken of it. Note, Our prayers may and must agree with God's word; and what day God has here called we are to call for, and no other. And though we are bound in charity to forgive our enemies, and to pray for them, yet we may in faith pray for the accomplishment of that which God has spoken against his and his church's enemies, that will not repent to give him glory.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 12–22. Public domain.
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Glossa OrdinariaAD 1274
FROM ABOVE: the fifth topic of complaint.
Historical interpretation FROM ABOVE HE HAS SENT FIRE, of heavenly revenge, of which it is said in the Book of Job: The fire of God fell from heaven &c. FIRE, namely the aerial powers, who until this day have the power of tormenting the Jews. INTO MY BONES, so that the forces, namely, afflict and chastise them within and without, who would not hear God soothing, whence he adds: AND HE HAS CHASTISED ME. HE HAS SPREAD A NET FOR MY FEET, so that they should not go after pleasures and vain desires all the way to the end. HE HAS TURNED ME BACK through anguish and tribulations. HE HAS MADE ME DESOLATE: the Jews are desolate until the end of the world, and WASTED WITH SORROW.
Allegorical interpretation FROM ABOVE HE HAS SENT FIRE &c: those of the Jews, or of the gentiles, who believed and became one Church, rightly say: FROM ABOVE HE HAS SENT FIRE, that is the Holy Ghost from heaven, through whom every force of virtue is invigorated, and the Church is chastised from above, for it not any more to serve idols and look for the pleasures of the world, which the letter MEN signifies, that is interpreted ‘from them’, namely the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Congratulating herself for which the Church calls herself chastised, to love chastely and to fear chastely, and she feels ashamed on account of those vices, to which she had zealously been devoted: ‘HE HAS SPREAD A NET, of preaching, that is, so that I should not go after errors of vanity and pleasures. HE HAS TURNED ME BACK, for me to go after him, and not before.’ This NET is entrusted to the apostles, for them to draw out fishes from the sea of this world. ‘FOR MY FEET, whence: I have restrained my feet from every evil way. HE HAS MADE ME DESOLATE of present goods, that previously were of comfort to me. WASTED WITH SORROW ALL THE DAY LONG: of pain, namely, for present tribulations and of love for the goods to come.’
Moral interpretation FROM ABOVE HE HAS SENT FIRE &c: while the soul is blamed by God for her sins, but coming to herself she is salubriously goaded by the stings of conscience and testifies that fire has come from the Lord INTO her BONES, that is into the marrow of her thoughts. Hence she is corrected from above and chastised and, as she senses the nets of God’s doctrines spread before her feet, she is TURNED BACK. She abstains from things unlawful, she turns concupiscence and debauchery of pleasure into tears and, WASTED WITH SORROW, the stronger she laments and receives no comfort from the present life, the more earnestly she considers herself to have erred through various desires.
Thomas AquinasAD 1274
Here is considered the severity of a divine discipline, as the divine master teaches by hard lessons. This severity is done within corrections. As expressed: "From on high he sent fire." That is from a loftiness of counsel, "he sent fire": as an affliction, or by which a city is literally burnt.
Then,"into my bones": into our strengths, and fortifications. And, through heavy blows"he made it descend". As Isaiah declares: "and it will be sheer terror to understnad the message" (Is 28:19).
Second, this severity is displayed in the bewaring of future events. As said: "he spread a net for my feet". That is, as an impediment by which sin is prevented. As Hosea, the prophet, claims: "Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns" (Hos: 2:6).
Third is shown this severity by the taking away of the benefits within consolations. As said: "he turned me back; he has left me stunned, faint all the day long." Which states, as if: there is granted no consolation after blows, like a schoolmaster does after punishing school boys. For, as the prophet Baruch exclains: "God has brought great sorrow upon me" (Bar 4)
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Lamentations 1:13 powerfully articulates Jerusalem's profound suffering following its destruction, personified as a desolate woman. The verse employs vivid imagery of divine judgment, depicting God as actively inflicting intense internal pain ("fire into my bones"), ensnaring her movements ("spread a net for my feet"), and leaving her utterly helpless and exhausted ("made me desolate and faint all the day"). It is a raw cry of anguish, acknowledging the direct hand of God in the calamity as a consequence of the nation's sin, underscoring the pervasive and inescapable nature of the judgment.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Lamentations 1:13 is rich in literary devices that amplify its emotional impact and theological depth. Personification is central, as Jerusalem is depicted as a suffering woman ("me," "my bones," "my feet"), allowing the audience to empathize deeply with the city's anguish. Metaphor is extensively used, particularly in "fire into my bones," which vividly conveys internal, consuming pain, and "spread a net for my feet," illustrating entrapment and helplessness. The "fire" also functions as Symbolism, representing divine wrath and judgment. The repeated use of "he hath" (referring to God) creates a sense of Anaphora (though not strictly at the beginning of every clause, it emphasizes the consistent divine agency), underscoring God's direct and active role in the suffering. The cumulative effect of these images—fire, net, turning back, desolation, faintness—creates a powerful sense of Hyperbole, exaggerating the suffering to convey its overwhelming and pervasive nature, ensuring the reader fully grasps the depth of Zion's despair.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Lamentations 1:13 stands as a stark theological statement regarding divine judgment and the consequences of covenant disobedience. It unflinchingly portrays God not as a distant observer but as the active agent of Israel's suffering, a truth that, while painful, was essential for the people to grasp the gravity of their sin and the righteousness of God. This verse challenges any notion of an impotent or indifferent deity, instead presenting a God who, in His justice, holds His people accountable, even to the point of allowing their beloved city to be laid waste. Yet, within this severe judgment, there is an implicit call to repentance and a recognition that God's actions are purposeful, aiming to bring His people back into right relationship with Him. The pervasive nature of the suffering described also connects to the idea of a comprehensive judgment that touches every aspect of life, from physical well-being to national identity.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Lamentations 1:13 offers a profound space for reflection on the nature of suffering, particularly when it feels divinely ordained or allowed. It acknowledges the raw, visceral pain that can accompany profound loss and consequences, whether from personal sin, collective failures, or simply living in a broken world. The imagery of fire in the bones and a net on the feet resonates with feelings of internal torment, being trapped, and utterly helpless. For believers, this verse reminds us that God's discipline, though painful, is always purposeful, aiming to refine, correct, and draw us closer to Him. It invites us to honestly lament our pain, even when we perceive God's hand in it, without denying the reality of our anguish. Yet, it also calls us to look beyond the immediate desolation to the character of God who, even in judgment, remains faithful and compassionate, ultimately offering hope and restoration to those who turn to Him in repentance and faith.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Lamentations 1:13 mean God directly causes all suffering?
Answer: While Lamentations 1:13 explicitly states that God "sent fire" and "spread a net," attributing the suffering directly to Him, it's crucial to understand this within its biblical context. The Book of Lamentations is a response to the destruction of Jerusalem, which the prophets consistently interpreted as divine judgment for Israel's persistent idolatry and disobedience to the covenant (e.g., Jeremiah 7). So, in this specific historical context, the suffering is presented as a direct consequence of the nation's sin, a form of righteous divine discipline. This does not mean God directly causes all suffering in the world; suffering can also arise from human sin, natural consequences, or the brokenness of creation (e.g., Romans 8:22). However, it does affirm God's ultimate sovereignty over all circumstances, even those that bring pain, and His ability to use them for His redemptive purposes.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Lamentations 1:13, with its raw depiction of pervasive suffering and divine judgment, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in the direct infliction of suffering upon the innocent, but in the vicarious suffering of Jesus Christ. The "fire into my bones" and the feeling of being "desolate and faint all the day" resonate deeply with Christ's experience on the cross. On Calvary, Jesus, the innocent Lamb of God, bore the full weight of divine wrath and judgment for humanity's sin, a suffering so profound it led Him to cry out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (as recorded in Matthew 27:46). He was truly "made desolate" (a concept echoed in Isaiah 53:3) and experienced an unparalleled spiritual faintness as He became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). The "net for my feet" and being "turned back" can be seen as foreshadowing Christ's voluntary submission to the path of suffering, where He allowed Himself to be entrapped by human wickedness and divine decree, not to be turned back from His mission but to accomplish salvation. Through His suffering, Christ absorbed the judgment due to us, offering redemption and hope to all who feel desolate and faint, promising that in Him, we find not condemnation but life and peace (Romans 8:1).