Lamentations 5:18

Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.

Because of the mountain {H2022} of Zion {H6726}, which is desolate {H8074}, the foxes {H7776} walk {H1980} upon it.

it's because of Mount Tziyon, so wasted that jackals have overrun it.

because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes.

For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate: The foxes walk upon it.

Lamentations 5:18 KJV paints a poignant picture of utter desolation, lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem and its sacred sites. This verse serves as a powerful symbol of the profound loss and humiliation experienced by the people of Judah following the Babylonian conquest.

Context of Lamentations 5:18

Lamentations is a book of deep sorrow and grief, traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, mourning the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the First Temple in 586 BC by the Babylonians. Chapter 5 is a collective prayer and plea for restoration, summarizing the suffering and appealing to God's mercy. Verse 18 specifically highlights the extent of the catastrophe: the once-holy Mountain of Zion, the site of God's dwelling and the Temple, is now so utterly desolate that wild animals roam freely where priests once ministered and worshippers gathered. This imagery powerfully conveys the complete breakdown of order and the profound spiritual and physical ruin.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Profound Desolation: The image of "foxes walk upon it" vividly communicates the extent of destruction and abandonment. It signifies that the holy city and its sacred spaces have become uninhabitable for humans, overrun by scavengers of the wild.
  • Loss of Sacred Space: Zion, the spiritual heart of Israel, was believed to be inviolable. Its desolation represents the shattering of national identity and the deep spiritual crisis caused by the perceived withdrawal of God's presence.
  • Consequences of Sin: The suffering described throughout Lamentations, including this desolation, is understood as a direct result of Israel's persistent disobedience and rebellion against God, fulfilling the warnings given in the Law.
  • Humiliation and Shame: The presence of wild animals in a place once revered signifies utter degradation. It's a powerful symbol of Israel's humiliation in the eyes of surrounding nations, reinforcing the shame of their exile.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "foxes" (שׁוּעָלִים - shu'alim) can also refer to jackals, which were common in the ancient Near East and known for inhabiting ruins and desolate places. This nuance reinforces the picture of a once-vibrant urban and sacred center reduced to a wild, untamed wasteland. The term "desolate" (שָׁמֵם - shamem) signifies utter ruin, astonishment, and horror, emphasizing the complete devastation.

Practical Application

Lamentations 5:18 serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of spiritual decline and national disobedience. It underscores the importance of valuing and maintaining sacred spaces, both physical and spiritual. For believers today, it encourages introspection on the state of our own spiritual "Zion" – our hearts and communities. The verse, while portraying deep sorrow, also implicitly calls for repentance and a turning back to God, so that desolation might be replaced by restoration and flourishing, much like the prophetic hope for Zion's future glory.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Micah 3:12

    Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed [as] a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

  • Jeremiah 9:11

    And I will make Jerusalem heaps, [and] a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.

  • 1 Kings 9:7

    Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:

  • 1 Kings 9:8

    And at this house, [which] is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?

  • Jeremiah 26:9

    Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

  • Isaiah 32:13

    Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns [and] briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy [in] the joyous city:

  • Isaiah 32:14

    Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;

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