Lamentations 5:14
Lamentations 5:14 in Multiple Translations
The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.
The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.
The elders have ceased from the gate, The young men from their music.
The old men are no longer seated in the doorway, and the music of the young men has come to an end.
The elders have abandoned their places at the city gate; the young men have given up playing their music.
The Elders haue ceased from the gate and the yong men from their songs.
The aged from the gate have ceased, Young men from their song.
The elders have ceased from the gate, and the young men from their music.
The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music.
The ancients have ceased from the gates: the young men from the choir of the singers.
Our elders no longer sit at the city gates to make important decisions; the young men no longer play their musical instruments.
Berean Amplified Bible — Lamentations 5:14
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 5:14 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
זְקֵנִים֙
מִ/שַּׁ֣עַר
שָׁבָ֔תוּ
בַּחוּרִ֖ים
מִ/נְּגִינָתָֽ/ם
זְקֵנִים֙
zâqên
H2205
old
Adj
מִ/שַּׁ֣עַר
shaʻar
H8179
gate
Prep | N-ms
שָׁבָ֔תוּ
shâbath
H7673
to cease
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
בַּחוּרִ֖ים
bâchûwr
H970
youth
N-mp
מִ/נְּגִינָתָֽ/ם
nᵉgîynâh
H5058
music
Prep | N-fs | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Lamentations 5:14
זְקֵנִים֙
zâqên
H2205
"old"
Adj
This Hebrew word means old or elderly, as in the case of the elderly men who appeared to Abraham in Genesis 18:11. It can also refer to those in positions of authority, like the elders who helped Moses in Exodus 24:1. The term is used to describe respect and leadership.
Definition: : old 1) old 1a) old (of humans) 1b) elder (of those having authority) Also means: za.qen (זָקֵן ": elder" H2205)
Usage: Occurs in 171 OT verses. KJV: aged, ancient (man), elder(-est), old (man, men and...women), senator. See also: Genesis 18:11; 1 Samuel 28:14; Psalms 105:22.
מִ/שַּׁ֣עַר
shaʻar
H8179
"gate"
Prep | N-ms
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means a gate or door, often referring to city entrances or temple doors, like in Genesis and Exodus. It can also symbolize a meeting place or marketplace. The word is used to describe important locations in the Bible.
Definition: : gate 1) gate 1a) gate (of entrance) 1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place) 1b1) city, town 1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle) 1d) heaven
Usage: Occurs in 302 OT verses. KJV: city, door, gate, port ([idiom] -er). See also: Genesis 19:1; 1 Chronicles 9:18; Psalms 9:14.
שָׁבָ֔תוּ
shâbath
H7673
"to cease"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
To keep the Sabbath means to rest and stop working, as commanded by God in the book of Exodus. This Hebrew word is used to describe the act of observing the Sabbath day, and is an important part of Jewish tradition and worship.
Definition: 1) to cease, desist, rest 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cease 1a2) to rest, desist (from labour) 1b) (Niphal) to cease 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to cease, put an end to 1c2) to exterminate, destroy 1c3) to cause to desist from 1c4) to remove 1c5) to cause to fail
Usage: Occurs in 67 OT verses. KJV: (cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail, keep (sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away. See also: Genesis 2:2; Isaiah 14:4; Psalms 8:3.
בַּחוּרִ֖ים
bâchûwr
H970
"youth"
N-mp
In the Bible, this word refers to a young person, often a chosen or select individual, like a young man in his prime. It appears in various contexts, including descriptions of young soldiers. The term emphasizes the idea of being selected or set apart.
Definition: youth, young man
Usage: Occurs in 45 OT verses. KJV: (choice) young (man), chosen, [idiom] hole. See also: Deuteronomy 32:25; Jeremiah 18:21; Psalms 78:31.
מִ/נְּגִינָתָֽ/ם
nᵉgîynâh
H5058
"music"
Prep | 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.
Study Notes — Lamentations 5:14
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Lamentations 5:14 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 5:14
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 5:14
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 5:14
- Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 5:14
- Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 5:14
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Lamentations 5:14
- Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 5:14
- Barnes' Notes on Lamentations 5:14
- Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 5:14
- Sermons on Lamentations 5:14
Context — A Prayer for Restoration
12Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders receive no respect.
13Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood.
14The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.
15Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. 16The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 7:34 | I will remove from the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem the sounds of joy and gladness and the voices of the bride and bridegroom, for the land will become a wasteland.” |
| 2 | Isaiah 24:7–11 | The new wine dries up, the vine withers. All the merrymakers now groan. The joyful tambourines have ceased; the noise of revelers has stopped; the joyful harp is silent. They no longer sing and drink wine; strong drink is bitter to those who consume it. The city of chaos is shattered; every house is closed to entry. In the streets they cry out for wine. All joy turns to gloom; rejoicing is exiled from the land. |
| 3 | Ezekiel 26:13 | So I will silence the sound of your songs, and the music of your lyres will no longer be heard. |
| 4 | Revelation 18:22 | And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again. |
| 5 | Job 30:31 | My harp is tuned to mourning and my flute to the sound of weeping. |
| 6 | Deuteronomy 16:18 | You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment. |
| 7 | Lamentations 1:4 | 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. |
| 8 | Job 29:7–17 | When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square, the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet. The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands. The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths. For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me, because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper. The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban. I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger. I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth. |
| 9 | Jeremiah 25:10 | Moreover, I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp. |
| 10 | Job 30:1 | “But now they mock me, men younger than I am, whose fathers I would have refused to entrust with my sheep dogs. |
Lamentations 5:14 Summary
[Lamentations 5:14 is a sad verse that describes what happens when a community is struggling and its leaders are not doing their job. The elders, who are supposed to be guiding and protecting the community, have stopped doing their job and are no longer meeting at the city gate. The young men, who are supposed to be full of energy and joy, have stopped playing their music and are no longer celebrating. This is similar to what we see in other scriptures, such as Psalm 137:1-4, where the Israelites are in exile and are mourning the loss of their homeland.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of the elders leaving the city gate in Lamentations 5:14?
The elders leaving the city gate signifies a loss of leadership and guidance, as seen in other scriptures such as Deuteronomy 19:12 and Ruth 4:1-2, where the city gate was a place of important decision-making and community gathering.
Why have the young men stopped their music in Lamentations 5:14?
The young men stopping their music indicates a loss of joy and celebration, which is also seen in other scriptures such as Ecclesiastes 3:4 and Isaiah 24:8, where music and rejoicing are associated with times of happiness and prosperity.
How does Lamentations 5:14 relate to the overall theme of the book of Lamentations?
Lamentations 5:14 contributes to the overall theme of lament and mourning in the book of Lamentations, as seen in Lamentations 1:1 and Lamentations 3:1-20, where the prophet Jeremiah expresses sorrow and grief over the fall of Jerusalem.
What can we learn from the image of the elders and young men in Lamentations 5:14?
We can learn that when spiritual leaders fail to guide and protect their communities, and when the next generation lacks the joy and enthusiasm of their faith, it can lead to a decline in the overall health and vitality of the community, as seen in scriptures such as Jeremiah 23:1-4 and 1 Timothy 4:12.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I can ensure that I am respecting and honoring the spiritual leaders in my life, just as the elders were respected in the city gate?
- How can I cultivate a sense of joy and celebration in my own life, even in the midst of difficult circumstances, and what role does music and worship play in this?
- In what ways can I be a positive influence on the next generation, and how can I help to pass on the joy and enthusiasm of my faith to them?
- What are some things that I can do to help restore a sense of community and vitality to my own church or community, and what role can I play in promoting spiritual growth and leadership?
Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 5:14
The elders have ceased from the gate,.... Of the sanhedrim, or court of judicature, as the Targum; from the gate of the city, where they used to sit and try causes; but now there was nothing of this
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 5:14
The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick. The elders have ceased from the gate.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 5:14
Our grave men were wont to sit and execute judgment in the gates, but now there is no such thing. Our young men were wont to play on music, and to have their merry meetings, but they are also ceased.
Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 5:14
Lamentations 5:14 The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.Ver. 14. The elders have ceased from the gate.] Where they were wont to sit, to judge between party and party. The young men from their music.] From their ordinary and honest recreations and disports.
Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 5:14
(14) Have ceased from the gate.—The gate in an Eastern city was the natural place of meeting for the elder citizens as for counsel and judgment (Rth 4:1; Joshua 20:4), and also for social converse (Job 29:7; Proverbs 31:23). The “music” of this verse and the “dancing” of the next point to a like interruption of the social joys of the young.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Lamentations 5:14
Verse 14. The elders have ceased from the gate] There is now no more justice administered to the people; they are under military law, or disposed of in every sense according to the caprice of their masters.
Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 5:14
14. from the gate] the place of social enjoyment and conversation, answering to our clubs and other places of entertainment. See on Jeremiah 14:2.
Barnes' Notes on Lamentations 5:14
The gate - The gate was the place for public gatherings, for conversation, and the music of stringed instruments.
Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 5:14
14. From the gate — The place for rest and recreation, for business and social converse. In a land in which there were no public houses or public baths the gates were ordinarily the only available places of common resort.
Sermons on Lamentations 5:14
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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What Is the Spirit Doing by Dennis Kinlaw | In this sermon, the speaker reflects on their life experiences and the perspective they have gained over the years. They emphasize the importance of memory as a valuable treasure a |
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Until My Change Comes by Thomas Watson | Thomas Watson preaches on the importance of understanding the brevity and challenges of life, likening it to a day with its shortness, vicissitudes, labor, and irreversibility, urg |
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Epistle 367 by George Fox | George Fox emphasizes the necessity of living a life of righteousness and holiness, as it is essential for seeing God and maintaining peace within a community. He warns that unholi |
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(Job: An Epic in Brokenness) 2. Where Job Went Wrong by Roy Hession | In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the book of Job and explores where Job went wrong in his understanding of God's moral philosophy. The speaker explains that the ancient Orien |
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(Job: An Epic in Brokenness) 3. the Message of Elihu by Roy Hession | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the book of Job and its various chapters. He highlights how Job's friends were amazed and stopped speaking, allowing Job to finally have a ch |