¶ The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, [and] keep silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.
The elders {H2205} of the daughter {H1323} of Zion {H6726} sit {H3427} upon the ground {H776}, and keep silence {H1826}: they have cast up {H5927} dust {H6083} upon their heads {H7218}; they have girded {H2296} themselves with sackcloth {H8242}: the virgins {H1330} of Jerusalem {H3389} hang down {H3381} their heads {H7218} to the ground {H776}.
The leaders of the daughter of Tziyon sit on the ground in silence. They throw dust on their heads; they are wearing sackcloth. The unmarried women of Yerushalayim lower their heads to the ground.
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.
The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, they keep silence; They have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: The virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.
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Isaiah 3:26
And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she [being] desolate shall sit upon the ground. -
Isaiah 15:3
In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly. -
Job 2:12
And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. -
Job 2:13
So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that [his] grief was very great. -
Amos 8:3
And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord GOD: [there shall be] many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast [them] forth with silence. -
Lamentations 1:1
¶ How doth the city sit solitary, [that was] full of people! [how] is she become as a widow! she [that was] great among the nations, [and] princess among the provinces, [how] is she become tributary! -
Lamentations 1:4
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she [is] in bitterness.
Lamentations 2:10 paints a vivid and heartbreaking picture of the utter devastation and deep sorrow experienced by the inhabitants of Jerusalem following its destruction by the Babylonians. This verse focuses on the profound grief and humiliation of both the respected elders and the vulnerable young women, symbolizing the complete collapse of society and dignity.
Historical and Cultural Context
This verse is set in the immediate aftermath of the Babylonian siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 586/587 BC, an event detailed in historical books like 2 Kings 25. The "daughter of Zion" and "Jerusalem" are synonymous terms for the city and its people. The actions described—sitting on the ground, casting dust on heads, and wearing sackcloth—were universally recognized ancient Near Eastern customs to express profound mourning, distress, and often repentance. Sitting on the ground signified utter defeat and humiliation, while dust on the head and sackcloth were traditional signs of deep sorrow and lamentation, as seen in other biblical accounts like Job 2:12 or Jonah 3:6.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
The Hebrew text uses powerful imagery to convey the depth of sorrow. The phrase "sit upon the ground" (יָשְׁבוּ לָאָרֶץ, yashvu la'aretz) implies a posture of utter destitution and defeat, a stark contrast to their former status. "Keep silence" (דּוּמִיָּה, dumiyah) suggests a grief so profound that words fail, leaving only a heavy, mournful quiet.
Practical Application
Lamentations 2:10 reminds us that: