Lamented
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The term "lamented" in the biblical context refers to the expression of deep sorrow, mourning, or regret, often in response to loss, sin, or divine judgment. Lamentation is a significant theme throughout the Scriptures, reflecting the human experience of suffering and the quest for divine intervention and comfort.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, lamentation is prominently featured in the Book of Lamentations, traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah. This book is a series of poetic laments for the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The Hebrew word for lament, "qinah," is used to describe these mournful songs or dirges. Lamentations 1:1-2 begins with a vivid depiction of Jerusalem's desolation: "How lonely lies the city, once so full of people! She who was great among the nations has become like a widow. The princess among the provinces has become a slave. She weeps aloud in the night, with tears upon her cheeks."

Lamentation is also seen in the Psalms, where the psalmists often cry out to God in times of distress. Psalm 13:1-2 captures this sentiment: "How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I wrestle in my soul, with sorrow in my heart each day?"

Prophets and Lamentation

The prophets frequently lamented over the sins of Israel and the impending judgment of God. For instance, in Joel 1:13 , the prophet calls for lamentation: "Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God, for the grain offering and drink offering are withheld from the house of your God."

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, lamentation is less prominent but still present. Jesus Himself lamented over Jerusalem, expressing sorrow for the city's rejection of Him and the coming judgment. In Matthew 23:37 , Jesus says, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!"

The Apostle Paul also speaks of lamentation in the context of godly sorrow leading to repentance. In 2 Corinthians 7:10 , he writes, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."

Cultural and Theological Significance

Lamentation in the Bible serves as a powerful expression of the human condition, acknowledging the reality of suffering and the need for divine intervention. It is both a personal and communal act, often involving rituals such as fasting, wearing sackcloth, and weeping. Theologically, lamentation is an act of faith, as it turns to God in times of distress, seeking His mercy and deliverance.

The practice of lamentation underscores the importance of honesty before God, allowing believers to bring their deepest pains and struggles to Him. It also highlights the hope of restoration and redemption, as lamentation often transitions into praise and trust in God's faithfulness and promises.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (imp. & p. p.) of Lament.

2. (a.) Mourned for; bewailed.

Strong's Hebrew
5091. nahah -- to wail, lament
... 5090b, 5091. nahah. 5092 . to wail, lament. Transliteration: nahah Phonetic
Spelling: (naw-haw') Short Definition: lamented. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/5091.htm - 6k

2980. yabab -- to cry in a shrill voice
... 2979, 2980. yabab. 2981 . to cry in a shrill voice. Transliteration: yabab
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-bab) Short Definition: lamented. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/2980.htm - 5k

5594. saphad -- to wail, lament
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to wail, lament NASB Word Usage beat (1), lament
(9), lamented (5), mourn (8), mourned (6), mourners (1), mourns (1). ...
/hebrew/5594.htm - 6k

3362. Yoqneam -- a city of Canaan
... Jokneam. From quwn and am; (the) people will be lamented; Jokneam, a place in Palestine
-- Jokneam. see HEBREW quwn. see HEBREW am. 3361, 3362. Yoqneam. 3363 ...
/hebrew/3362.htm - 6k

Library

Inconstancy Lamented.
... REPENTANCE AND REFORMATION. 326. " Inconstancy Lamented. 326. LM Beddome.
Inconstancy Lamented. 1 The wandering star and fleeting ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/326 inconstancy lamented.htm

How Much Then is it to be Lamented, as Well as Impossible to be ...
... Address 90: How much then is it to be lamented, as well as impossible
to be denied? How much then is it to be lamented, as well ...
/.../address 90 0 0 how much then.htm

Three Decisive Steps
... "And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long;
for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/three decisive steps.htm

Repentance and victory
... 2. And it came to pans, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was
long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/repentance and victory.htm

How the People Raised a Sedition against Archelaus, and How He ...
... They lamented Matthias, and those that were slain with him by Herod, who had not
any respect paid them by a funeral mourning, out of the fear men were in of ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 9 how the people.htm

The Wide Range of God's Grace
... Now it seems to me that, however they may be to be lamented on other grounds, and
they are to be lamented on many, the existence of diverse Churches does not ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the wide range of gods.htm

The Cruelty of the Idumeans when they were Gotten into the Temple ...
... that the Idumeans were come in, none of them durst come to their assistance, only
they returned the terrible echo of wailing, and lamented their misfortunes. ...
/.../chapter v the cruelty of.htm

Book Ten from Autobiography to Self-Analysis. ...
... But as for the other things of this life, they deserve our lamentations less, the
more we lament them; and some should be lamented all the more, the less men ...
/.../augustine/confessions and enchiridion/book ten from autobiography to.htm

Methodist Book Concern
... His death was feelingly lamented by all who knew him, for he was a minister of Jesus
Christ, of great power and usefulness, much beloved and respected by all ...
/.../chapter 16 methodist book concern.htm

The Life of Mr. James Wood.
... He had been colleague to Mr. Sharp, and, after the restoration, he lamented
much, that he had been deceived by that unhappy man. ...
/.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the life of mr james 4.htm

Thesaurus
Lamented (19 Occurrences)
...Lamented (19 Occurrences). Matthew 11:17 And saying, We have piped unto you, and
ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. ...
/l/lamented.htm - 12k

Mourned (54 Occurrences)
... YLT). Luke 23:27 A great multitude of the people followed him, including
women who also mourned and lamented him. (WEB NIV). Acts ...
/m/mourned.htm - 23k

Lament (44 Occurrences)
... Genesis 50:10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan,
and there they lamented with a very great and sore lamentation. ...
/l/lament.htm - 20k

Chanted (4 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Chanted (4 Occurrences). 2 Samuel 1:17 David lamented
with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son (See NAS). ...
/c/chanted.htm - 7k

Lamentation (45 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Genesis 50:10 They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the
Jordan, and there they lamented with a very great and sore lamentation. ...
/l/lamentation.htm - 21k

Wailed (11 Occurrences)
... (ASV RSV). Luke 23:27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women,
which also bewailed and lamented him. (Root in KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV NIV). ...
/w/wailed.htm - 9k

Buried (125 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Acts 8:2 Devout men buried Stephen,
and lamented greatly over him. (WEB WEY ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV). ...
/b/buried.htm - 38k

Samuel (129 Occurrences)
... His labours were so far successful that "all the house of Israel lamented after
the Lord." Samuel summoned the people to Mizpeh, one of the loftiest hills in ...
/s/samuel.htm - 90k

Lamentations (6 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 35:25 Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and singing
women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day; and they made ...
/l/lamentations.htm - 20k

Dung (27 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 16:4 They shall die grievous deaths: they shall not be lamented, neither
shall they be buried; they shall be as dung on the surface of the ground; and ...
/d/dung.htm - 20k

Resources
What is a lament in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Why can't I stop sinning? Please help! | GotQuestions.org

What was the mark that God put on Cain (Genesis 4:15)? | GotQuestions.org

Lamented: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Lamented (19 Occurrences)

Matthew 11:17
And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
(KJV WBS YLT)

Luke 23:27
A great multitude of the people followed him, including women who also mourned and lamented him.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Acts 8:2
Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him.
(WEB)

Genesis 50:10
They came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and there they lamented with a very great and sore lamentation. He mourned for his father seven days.
(WEB ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Judges 5:28
"Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera's mother looked through the lattice.'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?'
(See NAS)

1 Samuel 6:19
And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
(KJV DBY WBS)

1 Samuel 7:2
It happened, from the day that the ark abode in Kiriath Jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after Yahweh.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

1 Samuel 25:1
Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

1 Samuel 28:3
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Saul had put away those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS)

2 Samuel 1:17
David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

2 Samuel 3:33
The king lamented for Abner, and said, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

2 Chronicles 35:25
Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day; and they made them an ordinance in Israel: and behold, they are written in the lamentations.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Isaiah 3:26
And lamented and mourned have her openings, Yea, she hath been emptied, on the earth she sitteth!
(YLT)

Isaiah 19:8
And lamented have the fishers, And mourned have all casting angle into a brook, And those spreading nets on the face of the waters have languished.
(YLT)

Jeremiah 16:4
They shall die grievous deaths: they shall not be lamented, neither shall they be buried; they shall be as dung on the surface of the ground; and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the sky, and for the animals of the earth.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Jeremiah 16:6
And died have great and small in this land, They are not buried, and none lament for them, Nor doth any cut himself, nor become bald for them.
(See NAS)

Jeremiah 25:33
The slain of Yahweh shall be at that day from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung on the surface of the ground.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Ezekiel 27:32
And lifted up for thee have their sons a lamentation, And they have lamented over thee, who 'is' as Tyre? As the cut-off one in the midst of the sea?
(YLT)

Ezekiel 32:16
A lamentation it 'is', and they have lamented her, Daughters of the nations do lament her, For Egypt, and for all her multitude, they lament her, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.'
(YLT)

Subtopics

Lamented

Related Terms

Lamenting (8 Occurrences)

Lamented (19 Occurrences)

Songstresses (5 Occurrences)

Singers (41 Occurrences)

Statute (63 Occurrences)

Heareth (137 Occurrences)

Lamentations of Jeremiah
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