The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
LAMENTATIONS 1:15KJVWhat does Lamentations 1:15 mean?
Lamentations 1:15 describes the Lord bringing severe judgment on Jerusalem by defeating its strongest warriors, gathering enemies against the city, and crushing its young people as if trampling grapes in a winepress. The verse uses vivid imagery to show how complete and overwhelming the destruction is, with Jerusalem pictured as a young woman suffering humiliation and loss.
The speaker is the city of Jerusalem, personified as a woman mourning her fate after the Babylonian invasion. The verse highlights how the Lord (H136) has allowed Jerusalem’s defenders (mighty men, H47) to be defeated within her own walls (midst, H7130), and how an assembly (H4150) of enemies has been called to break her young men (H970). The image of the virgin daughter of Judah (H1330, H1323, H3063) being trampled in a winepress (H1660) emphasizes the total devastation and sorrow experienced by the people.
The Hebrew behind Lamentations 1:15
- "Trodden under foot" uses the word פָּרַס (parash, H5541), which means to trample or crush. This word, along with "trodden" (דָּרַךְ, darak, H1869), paints a picture of complete defeat, as grapes are crushed in a winepress.
- "Assembly" (מוֹעֵד, mo'ed, H4150) often refers to a set gathering or appointed time. Here, it suggests that the attack on Jerusalem was not random but part of a determined plan or judgment.
- "Virgin, the daughter of Judah" (בְּתוּלַת בַּת־יְהוּדָה, betulat bat-Yehudah, H1330, H1323, H3063) is a poetic way of describing Jerusalem as pure and beloved, making her suffering feel even more tragic.
- "Winepress" (גַּת, gat, H1660) is a powerful image in the ancient world, symbolizing not just destruction but a process that is thorough and inescapable.
Why Lamentations 1:15 matters
- This verse clears up any idea that Jerusalem’s downfall was just bad luck or military weakness; it emphasizes that the Lord allowed and directed these events as judgment.
- The vivid winepress imagery connects with other biblical passages where judgment is pictured as trampling grapes, helping readers see the depth of sorrow and loss.
- By personifying Jerusalem as a young woman, the verse invites empathy and highlights the emotional and spiritual pain of the community, not just the physical destruction.