Lamentations 1:2

2 Jerusalem sobs bitterly at night. Tears run down her cheeks. None of her friends comforts her. All those who were going to help her have turned against her. They have become her enemies.

Lamentations 1:2 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 1:2

She weepeth sore in the night
Or, "weeping weeps" ^F9; two weepings, one for the first, the other for the second temples ^F11; 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 wiped off: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort [her];
as the Assyrians formerly were, ( Ezekiel 23:5 Ezekiel 23:9 Ezekiel 23:12 ) ; and more lately the Egyptians her allies and confederates, in whom she trusted; but these gave her no assistance; nor yielded her any relief in her distress; nor so much as spoke one word of comfort to her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her
enemies;
those who pretended great friendship to her, and were in strict alliance with her, acted the treacherous part, and withdrew from her, leaving her to the common enemy; and not only so, but behaved towards her in a hostile manner themselves; for "the children of Noph and Tahapanes", places in Egypt confederate with the Jews, are said to "have broken the crown of their head", ( Jeremiah 2:16 ) . The Targum interprets the "lovers" of the "idols" she loved to follow, who now could be of no use unto her by way of comfort.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 (hkbt hkb) "plorando plorat", Vatablus; "plorando plorabit", Pagninus, Montanus.
F11 T. Sanhedr. ib. col. 2.

Lamentations 1:2 In-Context

1 The city of Jerusalem is so empty! It used to be full of people. But now it's like a woman whose husband has died. She used to be great among the nations. She was like a queen among the kingdoms. But now she is a slave.

2 Jerusalem sobs bitterly at night. Tears run down her cheeks. None of her friends comforts her. All those who were going to help her have turned against her. They have become her enemies.

3 After Judah's people had suffered greatly, they were taken away as prisoners. Now they live among the nations. They can't find any place to rest. All those who were chasing them have caught up with them. And they can't get away.

4 The roads to Zion are empty. No one travels to its appointed feasts. All of the public places near its gates are deserted. Its priests groan. Its young women are sad. And Zion itself sobs bitterly.

5 Its enemies have become its masters. They have an easy life. The LORD has brought suffering to Jerusalem because its people have committed so many sins. Its children have been taken away as prisoners. Their enemies have forced them to leave their homes.