Lamentations 1:21 (KJV)

What does Lamentations 1:21 mean?

Lamentations 1:21 describes how Jerusalem’s suffering is known to everyone, but no one comes to comfort her; instead, her enemies are glad to see her misery, yet the speaker believes that a day will come when those enemies will face the same fate. The verse expresses both deep loneliness and a hope that justice will eventually come to those who rejoice over Jerusalem’s downfall.

The speaker is Jerusalem personified, crying out in grief after the city’s destruction. She notes that others have heard her sighs and troubles, using words that highlight her pain and abandonment. The enemies’ joy at her suffering is bitter, but the verse ends with a note of hope or expectation that God will someday judge those enemies, making them experience what she has endured.

The Hebrew behind Lamentations 1:21

• "Sigh" (אָנַח, 'anach, H584) means a deep groan or moan, showing the intensity of Jerusalem’s pain and sorrow.
• "Comfort" (נָחַם, nacham, H5162) here means to give relief or consolation; the absence of anyone to comfort shows complete abandonment.
• "Glad" (שָׂמַח, samach, H7797) means to rejoice or be happy, but here it is used for the enemies’ cruel delight in Jerusalem’s suffering, which adds to the bitterness of the situation.
• "Like" (כָּמוֹ, kamo, H3644) means “as” or “like,” emphasizing that the speaker expects the enemies to experience the same kind of suffering.

Why Lamentations 1:21 matters

• Lamentations 1:21 clarifies that Jerusalem’s suffering is not hidden; it is public and known to all, yet no one offers help, deepening the sense of isolation.
• The verse highlights the cruelty of the enemies, who not only witness the pain but actually rejoice in it, which intensifies the injustice felt by the speaker.
• This verse connects to the wider theme of Lamentations, where the hope for future justice and reversal of fortune is expressed even in the midst of overwhelming grief.