How Lonely Lies the City! (2 Kings 24:10–17)
1 ULT How she sits alone, the city that was great with people! She has become like a widow who was great among the nations. The princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer. BETH BSB BSB: How lonely lies the city, once so full of people! She who was great among the nations has become a widow. The princess of the provinces has become a slave.
2 ULT She weeps bitterly in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks. She has no comforter from all those who love her. All her companions have betrayed her; they have become enemies to her. GIMEL BSB BSB: She weeps aloud in the night, with tears upon her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies.
3 ULT Judah has gone into exile from affliction and from the greatness of forced labor. She herself has settled among the nations; she has not found a resting place. All her pursuers have overtaken her between the narrow passes. DALETH BSB BSB: Judah has gone into exile under affliction and harsh slavery; she dwells among the nations but finds no place to rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her in the midst of her distress.
4 ULT The roads of Zion are mourning because no one is coming to the appointed feast. All her gates are desolate; her priests are groaning. Her young women are grieving, and it is bitter to her. HE BSB BSB: The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gates are deserted; her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she herself is bitter with anguish.
5 ULT Her adversaries have become the head; her enemies are prospering, for Yahweh has afflicted her over the greatness of her transgressions. Her children have gone away as captives before the adversary. WAW BSB BSB: Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. For the LORD has brought her grief because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone away as captives before the enemy.
6 ULT And from the daughter of Zion all her majesty has departed. Her princes have become like deer that have found no pasture. And they have walked without strength before the pursuer. ZAYIN BSB BSB: All the splendor has departed from the Daughter of Zion. Her princes are like deer that find no pasture; they lack the strength to flee in the face of the hunter.
7 ULT Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her wanderings, all her precious things that were from the days of old. When her people fell into the hand of the adversary and there was no helper for her, the adversaries saw her; they laughed over her collapse. HETH BSB BSB: In the days of her affliction and wandering Jerusalem remembers all the treasures that were hers in days of old. When her people fell into enemy hands she received no help. Her enemies looked upon her, laughing at her downfall.
8 ULT Jerusalem has grievously sinned; therefore she has become an abhorrence. All who honored her have despised her, because they have seen her nakedness. And she herself has groaned and turned backward. TETH BSB BSB: Jerusalem has sinned greatly; therefore she has become an object of scorn. All who honored her now despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns away.
9 ULT Her uncleanness is in her skirts; she did not remember her end. And she went down astonishingly; there is no comforter for her.“See, Yahweh, my affliction, for the enemy has magnified himself.” YODH BSB BSB: Her uncleanness stains her skirts; she did not consider her end. Her downfall was astounding; there was no one to comfort her. Look, O LORD, on my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!
10 ULT The adversary has spread out his hand over all her precious things, for she has seen nations entering her sanctuary— those whom you commanded should not enter your assembly. KAPH BSB BSB: The adversary has seized all her treasures. For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary—those You had forbidden to enter Your assembly.
11 ULT All her people are groaning, seeking bread. They have given their precious things for food to restore life.“See, Yahweh, and look, for I have become despised.” LAMEDH BSB BSB: All her people groan as they search for bread. They have traded their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. Look, O LORD, and consider, for I have become despised.
12 ULT “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass along the way? Look and see if there is any pain like my pain that has been done to me, which Yahweh has inflicted on the day of his burning anger. MEM BSB BSB: Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see! Is there any sorrow like mine, which was inflicted on me, which the LORD made me suffer on the day of His fierce anger?
13 ULT From on high he sent fire into my bones, and it ruled over them. He spread a net for my feet; he turned me back. He made me desolate, faint all the day. NUN BSB BSB: He sent fire from on high, and it overpowered my bones. He spread a net for my feet and turned me back. He made me desolate, faint all the day long.
14 ULT The yoke of my transgressions was bound fast, they are intertwined by his hand; they have come up onto my neck. He has caused my strength to stumble; the Lord has given me into the hands of those I am not able to rise against. SAMEKH BSB BSB: My transgressions are bound into a yoke, knit together by His hand; they are draped over my neck, and the Lord has broken my strength. He has delivered me into the hands of those I cannot withstand.
15 ULT The Lord has rejected all the mighty men in my midst. He has called an appointed time against me to crush my young men. The Lord has trodden the winepress for the virgin daughter of Judah. AYIN BSB BSB: The Lord has rejected all the mighty men in my midst; He has summoned an army against me to crush my young warriors. Like grapes in a winepress, the Lord has trampled the Virgin Daughter of Judah.
16 ULT Over these things I, I am weeping; my eye, my eye is running down with water, for a comforter who restores my life is far from me. My sons are desolate because the enemy has prevailed.” PE BSB BSB: For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears. For there is no one nearby to comfort me, no one to revive my soul. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed.
17 ULT Zion has spread out her hands; there is no comforter for her. Yahweh has commanded against Jacob that his adversaries{ should} be around him. Jerusalem has become an abhorrence among them. TSADHE BSB BSB: 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.
18 ULT “Yahweh{ is} righteous, for I have rebelled against his mouth. Hear, please, all peoples, and see my pain. My young women and my young men have gone into captivity. QOPH BSB BSB: The LORD is righteous, yet I rebelled against His command. Listen, all you people; look upon my suffering. My young men and maidens have gone into captivity.
19 ULT I called to those who love me; they, they deceived me. My priests and my elders expired in the city, when they were seeking food for themselves to restore their life. RESH BSB BSB: I called out to my lovers, but they have betrayed me. My priests and elders perished in the city while they searched for food to keep themselves alive.
20 ULT See, Yahweh, for I am in distress; my inward parts are churning; my heart has been overturned within me, for I have bitterly rebelled. Outside the sword bereaves; inside{ it} is like death. SIN BSB BSB: See, O LORD, how distressed I am! I am churning within; my heart is pounding within me, for I have been most rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves; inside, there is death.
21 ULT They have heard that I am groaning; there is no comforter for me. All my enemies have heard of my calamity; they have rejoiced, because you have done it. You have brought the day you proclaimed, and let them be like me. TAW BSB BSB: People have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that You have caused it. May You bring the day You have announced, so that they may become like me.
22 ULT Let all their evil come before you, and deal with them as you have dealt with me over all my transgressions, for my groaning{ is} many and my heart{ is} faint.” BSB BSB: Let all their wickedness come before You, and deal with them as You have dealt with me because of all my transgressions. For my groans are many, and my heart is faint.
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