Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, August 7th, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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Read the Bible

Hebrew Names Version

Lamentations 1:17

Tziyon spreads forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; The LORD has commanded concerning Ya`akov, that those who are round about him should be his adversaries: Yerushalayim is among them as an unclean thing.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Menstruation;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Consecrate;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Lamentations;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Lamentations, Book of;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Woman;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Pseudo-Messiahs;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Zion stretches out her hands;there is no one to comfort her.The Lord has issued a decree against Jacobthat his neighbors should be his adversaries.Jerusalem has becomesomething impure among them.
King James Version
Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
English Standard Version
Zion stretches out her hands, but there is none to comfort her; the Lord has commanded against Jacob that his neighbors should be his foes; Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them.
New American Standard Bible
Zion stretches out with her hands; There is no one to comfort her; The LORD has commanded regarding Jacob That those around him become his adversaries; Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them.
New Century Version
Jerusalem reaches out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The Lord commanded the people of Jacob to be surrounded by their enemies. Jerusalem is now unclean like those around her.
Amplified Bible
Zion stretches out her hands, But there is no comforter for her. The LORD has commanded concerning Jacob That his neighbors should be his enemies; Jerusalem has become a filthy thing [an object of contempt] among them.
World English Bible
Zion spreads forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; Yahweh has commanded concerning Jacob, that those who are round about him should be his adversaries: Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Zion stretcheth out her handes, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath appoynted the enemies of Iaakob rounde about him: Ierusalem is as a menstruous woman in the middes of them.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Zion stretches out her hands; There is no one to comfort her; The LORD has commanded concerning Jacob That the ones round about him should be his adversaries; Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them.
Legacy Standard Bible
Zion stretches out her hands;There is no one to comfort her;Yahweh has commanded concerning JacobThat the ones round about him should be his adversaries;Jerusalem has become an impure thing among them.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
Contemporary English Version
The Prophet Speaks: Zion reaches out her hands, but no one offers comfort. The Lord has turned the neighboring nations against Jacob's descendants. Jerusalem is merely a filthy rag to her neighbors.
Complete Jewish Bible
Tziyon spreads out her hands, but no one is there to console her. Concerning Ya‘akov, Adonai has ordered those around him to be his foes; Yerushalayim has become for them an unclean, filthy thing.
Darby Translation
Zion spreadeth forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; Jehovah hath commanded concerning Jacob, [that] his adversaries [should be] round about him; Jerusalem is as an impurity among them.
Easy-to-Read Version
Zion spread out her hands. There was no one to comfort her. The Lord had given orders to Jacob's enemies. He ordered them to surround the city. Jerusalem has become a dirty rag that her enemies threw away.
George Lamsa Translation
Zion stretches out her hands, and there is none to comfort her; the LORD has given commands against Jacob, and his oppressors are round about him; Jerusalem has become loathsome among them.
Good News Translation
"I stretch out my hands, but no one will help me. The Lord has called enemies against me from every side; They treat me like some filthy thing.
Lexham English Bible
Zion stretches out her hands; there is no one to comfort her. Yahweh has commanded against Jacob, that those surrounding him should be his enemies; Jerusalem has become a defilement among them.
Literal Translation
Zion spreads forth her hands; there is not one comforting to her; Jehovah has commanded concerning Jacob that his enemies should be all around him. Jerusalem has become as an impure thing among them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Sion casteth out hir hodes, and there is no man to comforte her. The LORDE hath layed the enemies rounde aboute Iacob, and Ierusalem is as it were a menstruous woma, in the myddest of them.
American Standard Version
Zion spreadeth forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; Jehovah hath commanded concerning Jacob, that they that are round about him should be his adversaries: Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.
Bible in Basic English
Zion's hands are outstretched; she has no comforter; the Lord has given orders to the attackers of Jacob round about him: Jerusalem has become like an unclean thing among them.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Zion spreadeth forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that they that are round about him should be his adversaries; Jerusalem is among them as one unclean.
King James Version (1611)
Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded concerning Iacob, that his aduersaries should bee round about him: Ierusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Sion casteth out her handes, and there is no man to comfort her, the Lorde hath layde the enemies rounde about Iacob, and Hierusalem is become abhomination in the middest of them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
PHE. Sion has spread out her hand, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord has commanded concerning Jacob, his oppressors are round about him: Jerusalem has become among them as a removed woman.
English Revised Version
Zion spreadeth forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that they that are round about him should be his adversaries: Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Phe. Sion spredde a brood hise hondis, noon is that coumfortith it; the Lord sente ayenus Jacob enemyes therof, in the cumpas therof; Jerusalem is maad as defoulid with vncleene blood among hem.
Update Bible Version
Zion spreads forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; Yahweh has commanded concerning Jacob, that those that are round about him should be his adversaries: Jerusalem is among them as an unclean thing.
Webster's Bible Translation
Zion spreadeth forth her hands, [and there is] none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, [that] his adversaries [should be] around him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
New English Translation

פ (Pe)

Zion spread out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The Lord has issued a decree against Jacob; his neighbors have become his enemies. Jerusalem has become like filthy garbage in their midst.
New King James Version
Zion spreads out her hands, But no one comforts her; The LORD has commanded concerning Jacob That those around him become his adversaries; Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them.
New Living Translation
Jerusalem reaches out for help, but no one comforts her. Regarding his people Israel, the Lord has said, "Let their neighbors be their enemies! Let them be thrown away like a filthy rag!"
New Life Bible
Zion has put out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The Lord has spoken against Jacob, that his neighbors should fight against him. Jerusalem has become unclean to them.
New Revised Standard
Zion stretches out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her; the Lord has commanded against Jacob that his neighbors should become his foes; Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Zion, hath spread forth, her hands, there is none to comfort her, Yahweh, hath given command, respecting Jacob, unto them who surround him - his adversaries, - Jerusalem, hath become as a removed woman, in their midst.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Phe. Sion hath spread forth her hands, there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded against Jacob, his enemies are round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
Revised Standard Version
Zion stretches out her hands, but there is none to comfort her; the LORD has commanded against Jacob that his neighbors should be his foes; Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them.
Young's Literal Translation
Spread forth hath Zion her hands, There is no comforter for her, Jehovah hath charged concerning Jacob, His neighbours [are] his adversaries, Jerusalem hath become impure among them.
THE MESSAGE
Zion reached out for help, but no one helped. God ordered Jacob's enemies to surround him, and now no one wants anything to do with Jerusalem.

Contextual Overview

12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look, and see if there be any sorrow like my sorrow, which is brought on me, With which the LORD has afflicted [me] in the day of his fierce anger. 13 From on high has he sent fire into my bones, and it prevails against them; He has spread a net for my feet, he has turned me back: He has made me desolate and faint all the day. 14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand; They are knit together, they are come up on my neck; he has made my strength to fail: The Lord has delivered me into their hands, against whom I am not able to stand. 15 The Lord has set at nothing all my mighty men in the midst of me; He has called a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men: The Lord has trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Yehudah. 16 For these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water; Because the comforter who should refresh my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed. 17 Tziyon spreads forth her hands; there is none to comfort her; The LORD has commanded concerning Ya`akov, that those who are round about him should be his adversaries: Yerushalayim is among them as an unclean thing. 18 The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his mitzvah: Please hear all you peoples, and see my sorrow: My virgins and my young men are gone into captivity. 19 I called for my lovers, [but] they deceived me: My Kohanim and my Zakenim gave up the spirit in the city, While they sought them food to refresh their souls. 20 See, LORD; for I am in distress; my heart is troubled; My heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: Abroad the sword bereaves, at home there is as death. 21 They have heard that I sigh; there is none to comfort me; All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you have done it: You will bring the day that you have proclaimed, and they shall be like me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

spreadeth: 1 Kings 8:22, 1 Kings 8:38, Isaiah 1:15, Jeremiah 4:31

none: Lamentations 1:2, Lamentations 1:9, Lamentations 1:16, Lamentations 1:19, Lamentations 1:21

commanded: Lamentations 2:1-8, Lamentations 2:17-22, 2 Kings 24:2-4, 2 Kings 25:1, Jeremiah 6:3, Jeremiah 16:6, Jeremiah 21:4, Jeremiah 21:5, Jeremiah 34:22, Ezekiel 7:23, Ezekiel 7:24, Hosea 8:8, Luke 19:43, Luke 19:44

Jerusalem: Lamentations 1:9, Lamentations 4:15, Leviticus 15:19-27, Ezekiel 36:17

Reciprocal: Isaiah 30:22 - as a Isaiah 51:19 - who shall Isaiah 54:11 - not comforted Jeremiah 8:18 - my

Cross-References

Genesis 9:13
I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be for a sign of a covenant between me and the eretz.
Job 38:12
"Have you commanded the morning in your days, And caused the dawn to know its place;
Psalms 8:1
<> LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the eretz, Who has set your glory above the heavens!
Psalms 8:3
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, The moon and the stars, which you have ordained;
Acts 13:47
For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, 'I have set you as a light of the Goyim, That you should be for salvation to the uttermost parts of the eretz.'"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Zion spreadeth forth her hands,.... Either as submitting to the conqueror, and imploring mercy; or rather as calling to her friends to help and relieve her. The Targum is,

"Zion spreadeth out her hands through distress, as a woman spreads out her hands upon the seat to bring forth;''

see Jeremiah 4:31. Some render the words, "Zion breaks with her hands" f; that is, breaks bread; and Joseph Kimchi observes, that it was the custom of comforters to break bread to the mourner; but here she herself breaks it with her hands, because there was none to comfort her:

[and there is] none to comfort her; to speak a word of comfort to her, or to help her out of her trouble; her children gone into captivity; her friends and lovers at a distance; and God himself departed from her; Jeremiah 4:31- :;

the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, [that] his adversaries [should be] round about him; that he should be surrounded by them, and carried captive, and should be in the midst of them in captivity: this was the decree and determination of God; and, agreeably to it, he ordered it in his providence that the Chaldeans should come against him, encompass him, and overcome him; and that because he had slighted and broken the commandments of the Lord; and therefore was justly dealt with, as is acknowledged in Lamentations 1:18. So the Targum,

"the Lord gave to the house of Jacob commandments, and a law to keep, but they transgressed the decree of his word; therefore his enemies encompassed the house of Jacob round about:''

Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them; reckoned filthy and unclean, abominable and nauseous; whom none cared to come near, but shunned, despised, and abhorred; as the Jews separated from the Gentiles, and would not converse with them; so neither now would the Chaldeans with the Jews; but treat them as the offscouring of all things.

f פרשה ציון בידיה "frangit Sion manibus suis", sub. "panem", Vatablus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Spreadeth forth her hands - In prayer Exodus 9:29, Exodus 9:33, but Zion entreats in vain. There is no one to comfort her - not God, for He is chastising her, nor man, for all the neighboring nations have become her enemies. See Lamentations 1:2.

That his adversaries ... - Rather, that those round about him should be his adversaries; all the neighboring states should regard him with aversion.

Jerusalem is ... - i. e. is become an abomination. The words are virtually the same as in Lamentations 1:8.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. Zion spreadeth forth her hands — Extending the hands is the form in supplication.

Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman — To whom none dared to approach, either to help or comfort, because of the law, Leviticus 15:19-27.


 
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