Lamentations 1:17

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.

Zion {H6726} spreadeth forth {H6566} her hands {H3027}, and there is none to comfort {H5162} her: the LORD {H3068} hath commanded {H6680} concerning Jacob {H3290}, that his adversaries {H6862} should be round about {H5439} him: Jerusalem {H3389} is as a menstruous woman {H5079} among them.

Tziyon spreads out her hands, but no one is there to console her. Concerning Ya'akov, ADONAI has ordered those around him to be his foes; Yerushalayim has become for them an unclean, filthy thing.

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.

Zion spreadeth forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; Jehovah hath commanded concerning Jacob, that they that are round about him should be his adversaries: Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.

Commentary

Lamentations 1:17 depicts Jerusalem, personified as "Zion," in a state of utter desolation and shame following its destruction by the Babylonians. The verse powerfully conveys the city's isolation and the divine hand in its suffering.

Context of Lamentations 1:17

The Book of Lamentations is a sorrowful poem mourning the fall of Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 BC, a catastrophic event for the people of Judah. Chapter 1 introduces Jerusalem as a lonely widow, weeping and abandoned. Verse 17 continues this vivid personification, portraying Zion's desperate plea for comfort that goes unanswered, much like the lament in Lamentations 1:2. This reflects the historical reality of the city's ruin and the exile of its people, a direct consequence of their disobedience to God's covenant.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Profound Desolation and Abandonment: "Zion spreadeth forth her hands, [and there is] none to comfort her." This imagery speaks of utter helplessness and a desperate search for aid, finding none. It underscores the complete isolation and lack of support Jerusalem experienced from its former allies or even divine intervention in the moment of crisis.
  • Divine Judgment and Sovereignty: The phrase "the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, [that] his adversaries [should be] round about him" highlights that Jerusalem's suffering was not accidental but divinely ordained. It was a judgment from God for the nation's persistent sin and idolatry, fulfilling the warnings given in the Mosaic Covenant (see Deuteronomy 28:15 and subsequent verses on curses for disobedience).
  • Ritual Impurity and Utter Shame: The jarring simile, "Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them," conveys extreme defilement, social ostracization, and public disgrace. In ancient Israelite society, a woman during menstruation was considered ritually unclean (niddah) and anyone touching her or her belongings would also become unclean (Leviticus 15:19-24). This comparison emphasizes Jerusalem's deep shame, its repulsion to others, and its separation from God's holy presence due to its sin.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "menstruous woman" is niddah (Χ Φ΄Χ“ΦΌΦΈΧ”), which signifies a state of ritual impurity. Its use here is incredibly powerful, conveying not just physical uncleanness but also social isolation and moral defilement. It paints a picture of Jerusalem being utterly repugnant and avoided, reflecting the depth of its fall and the judgment brought upon it.

Practical Application

Lamentations 1:17 serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of persistent disobedience and turning away from God. It highlights:

  • The Seriousness of Sin: God is just, and while He is merciful, He also allows consequences for unrepentant sin, even for His chosen people.
  • God's Sovereignty: Even in moments of immense suffering and judgment, God remains in control, fulfilling His word and purposes.
  • The Call to Repentance: The imagery of shame and isolation underscores the need for genuine repentance and a return to God, seeking His comfort and restoration, as longed for later in the book, where God's mercies are declared new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated β€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 1:15

    And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

  • Jeremiah 4:31

    For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, [and] the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, [that] bewaileth herself, [that] spreadeth her hands, [saying], Woe [is] me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.

  • Lamentations 1:9

    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].

  • Lamentations 1:16

    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.

  • 2 Kings 24:2

    And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets.

  • 2 Kings 24:4

    And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.

  • Lamentations 1:19

    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.
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