Lamentations 3:14
Lamentations 3:14 in Multiple Translations
I am a laughingstock to all my people; they mock me in song all day long.
I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
I am become a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.
I have become the sport of all the peoples; I am their song all the day.
Now everyone laughs at me, singing songs that mock me all day long.
I was a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.
I have been a derision to all my people, Their song all the day.
I have become a derision to all my people, and their song all day long.
I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.
He. I am made a derision to all my people, their song all the day long.
All my relatives laugh at me; all day, every day they sing songs that make fun of me.
Berean Amplified Bible — Lamentations 3:14
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Lamentations 3:14 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
הָיִ֤יתִי
שְּׂחֹק֙
לְ/כָל
עַמִּ֔/י
נְגִינָתָ֖/ם
כָּל
הַ/יּֽוֹם
הָיִ֤יתִי
hâyâh
H1961
to be
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
שְּׂחֹק֙
sᵉchôwq
H7814
laughter
N-ms
לְ/כָל
kôl
H3605
all
Prep | N-ms
עַמִּ֔/י
ʻam
H5971
Amaw
N-ms | Suff
נְגִינָתָ֖/ם
nᵉgîynâh
H5058
music
N-fs | Suff
כָּל
kôl
H3605
all
N-ms
הַ/יּֽוֹם
yôwm
H3117
day
Art | N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Lamentations 3:14
הָיִ֤יתִי
hâyâh
H1961
"to be"
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Usage: Occurs in 3131 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.
שְּׂחֹק֙
sᵉchôwq
H7814
"laughter"
N-ms
This Hebrew word for laughter can also mean mockery or scorn, as seen in Genesis when Ishmael laughed at Isaac. It can be joyful or hollow, and is often used to describe the ridicule of others. In Psalms, it is used to describe God's laughter at the wicked.
Definition: 1) laughter, laughing stock, mocking, derision 1a) laughter 1a1) joyful 1a2) hollow 1b) derision (of object) 1c) sport
Usage: Occurs in 14 OT verses. KJV: derision, laughter(-ed to scorn, -ing), mocked, sport. See also: Job 8:21; Ecclesiastes 7:6; Psalms 126:2.
לְ/כָל
kôl
H3605
"all"
Prep | N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
עַמִּ֔/י
ʻam
H5971
"Amaw"
N-ms | Suff
A people or nation is what this Hebrew word represents, like the nation of Israel in Exodus 33:13. It can also mean a tribe, troops, or attendants, and is used to describe a group of people gathered together. The word is often used to refer to the people of God.
Definition: This name means nation, people
Usage: Occurs in 1655 OT verses. KJV: folk, men, nation, people. See also: Genesis 11:6; Exodus 16:4; Leviticus 17:9.
נְגִינָתָ֖/ם
nᵉgîynâh
H5058
"music"
N-fs | Suff
This word refers to music or song, especially instrumental music played on a stringed instrument. In the Bible, it is used to describe the music played by musicians or the songs sung by worshipers.
Definition: 1) music, song, taunt song 1a) music (of stringed instrument) 1b) song 1b1) taunting or mocking song
Usage: Occurs in 14 OT verses. KJV: stringed instrument, musick, Neginoth (plural), song. See also: Job 30:9; Psalms 69:13; Psalms 4:1.
כָּל
kôl
H3605
"all"
N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
הַ/יּֽוֹם
yôwm
H3117
"day"
Art | N-ms
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Definition: : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow
Usage: Occurs in 1930 OT verses. KJV: age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. See also: Genesis 1:5; Genesis 33:13; Exodus 23:15.
Study Notes — Lamentations 3:14
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Lamentations 3:14 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 3:14
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 3:14
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 3:14
- Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 3:14
- Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 3:14
- Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 3:14
- Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 3:14
- Sermons on Lamentations 3:14
Context — The Prophet’s Afflictions
12He bent His bow and set me as the target for His arrow.
13He pierced my kidneys with His arrows.
14I am a laughingstock to all my people; they mock me in song all day long.
15He has filled me with bitterness; He has intoxicated me with wormwood. 16He has ground my teeth with gravel and trampled me in the dust.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 20:7 | You have deceived me, O LORD, and I was deceived. You have overcome me and prevailed. I am a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. |
| 2 | Lamentations 3:63 | When they sit and when they rise, see how they mock me in song. |
| 3 | Psalms 22:6–7 | But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads: |
| 4 | Matthew 27:39–44 | And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. He trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now if He wants Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way, even the robbers who were crucified with Him berated Him. |
| 5 | Psalms 137:3 | for there our captors requested a song; our tormentors demanded songs of joy: “Sing us a song of Zion.” |
| 6 | Nehemiah 4:2–4 | before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?” Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!” Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. |
| 7 | Psalms 35:15–16 | But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; they gathered together against me. Assailants I did not know slandered me without ceasing. Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me. |
| 8 | Psalms 69:11–12 | I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them. Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards. |
| 9 | 1 Corinthians 4:9–13 | For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men. We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored. To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. |
| 10 | Psalms 79:4 | We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us. |
Lamentations 3:14 Summary
This verse means that the prophet Jeremiah feels like everyone is laughing at him and making fun of him all the time, which is a very painful and lonely experience. He feels like God has allowed this to happen, and it's hard for him to understand why (as seen in Jeremiah 12:1-3). But even in the midst of suffering and mockery, we can trust that God is with us and cares about our pain, as promised in Psalms 34:18 and Romans 8:28. We can also learn to respond to ridicule and suffering with humility and faith, just like Jeremiah and other heroes of the faith.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to be a laughingstock?
To be a laughingstock means to be an object of mockery or ridicule, as seen in Lamentations 3:14, where the prophet Jeremiah expresses his feelings of being mocked by his people, similar to how the Psalmist felt in Psalms 22:7-8.
Why would God allow His people to suffer and be mocked?
God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts, as stated in Isaiah 55:8-9, and sometimes He allows suffering to bring about repentance and humility, as seen in Jeremiah's life and writings.
How can we apply this verse to our own lives?
We can apply this verse by recognizing that as followers of God, we may face ridicule or persecution, but we can take comfort in knowing that God is with us, as promised in Matthew 5:11-12 and Hebrews 13:5-6.
What is the significance of being mocked 'in song all day long'?
Being mocked in song all day long emphasizes the constant and public nature of the mockery, highlighting the depth of the prophet's suffering and humiliation, much like the ridicule faced by the apostles in Acts 5:41.
Reflection Questions
- How do you respond when you are ridiculed or mocked by others, and what can you learn from the prophet Jeremiah's experience?
- In what ways can you identify with the feelings of isolation and rejection expressed in this verse, and how can you find comfort in God's presence?
- How can you use your own experiences of suffering or mockery to minister to others who may be going through similar struggles, as seen in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4?
- What does this verse reveal about the nature of God's people and their treatment of one another, and how can you strive to create a more supportive and loving community?
Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 3:14
I was a derision to all my people,.... So Jeremiah was to the people of the Jews, and especially to his townsmen, the men of Anathoth, Jeremiah 20:7; but if he represents the body of the people,
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 3:14
He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins. Arrows - literally, sons of His quiver (cf. Job 6:4, "The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit"). Verse 14.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 3:14
Though some think the prophet speaks this of himself, yet, considering he hath all along spoken in the name of the people, it is not probable, which makes a difficulty, how the people could be a derision to themselves? It seemeth therefore ill translated, and that it should have been, I was a derision to all people, leaving out my, that is, to all foreigners, to whom the Jews were made a derision and a hissing; there only wants the last letter in ymu and it is well observed by the learned author of the English Annotations, that the like defect is to be found, as to the same word, , compared with , so that is not a pronoun affix, (upon which supposal our translators go,) but one of the letters that form the plural number, the other being left out, and ymu put for Mymzy.
Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 3:14
Lamentations 3:14 I was a derision to all my people; [and] their song all the day.Ver. 14. I was a derision, to all my people.] Or, To all peoples. Our Saviour suffered all this and much more for us. And their song all the day.] Or, Their lute, or kit, whom they played on at pleasure, and desired no better sport.
Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 3:14
(14) I was a derision.—The personal experience of the prophet breaks through the succession of imagery. The arrows that pierced to the quick were the taunts of the mockers who derided him (Jeremiah 20:7). “Their song.” (Comp. Job 30:9.)
Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 3:14
14. a derision] See on Jeremiah 20:7 f., and cp. Job 12:4; Job 30:1-9; Psalms 69:12.
Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 3:14
14. My people — “There is no reason, but the contrary, for changing (with Ewald) ‘my people’ into peoples.” — R. PAYNE SMITH, in the Speaker’s Commentary.
Sermons on Lamentations 3:14
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Fire in My Bones by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher shares his personal journey of facing challenges and doubts in his ministry. He talks about how he was exposed to enemies and felt forsaken by God. He |
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Fire in Your Bones (Kwasizabantu) by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the speaker shares his personal struggles and doubts as a preacher. He mentions how people accused him of being a hypocrite and a false prophet, which caused him to |
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I Don't Know How to Go On by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the power and strength of God in overcoming challenges and obstacles. He encourages the audience to thank God for the victory and to trust i |
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I Don’t Know How to Go On by Carter Conlon | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of relying on God's strength in times of victory and in times of uncertainty. The sermon highlights the power of God to deliv |
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Crusading On--Our Responsibility by Beryl Amos | The preacher delves into the meaning of 'mukterizo,' which signifies mocking, deriding, and treating with contempt. The concept of sowing and reaping is emphasized, highlighting th |
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Wilderness Grace by John Nelson Darby | John Nelson Darby emphasizes the concept of 'Wilderness Grace,' illustrating how God's grace was evident in Israel's journey from Egypt to Sinai, despite their constant murmuring a |
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Mans Devices and the Lord's Counsel by J.C. Philpot | J.C. Philpot preaches about the divine sovereignty evident throughout the Scriptures, emphasizing that God's counsel will always prevail over the devices of man's heart. He illustr |