Lamentations 5:3
Lamentations 5:3 in Multiple Translations
We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers are widows.
We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
We are orphans and fatherless; Our mothers are as widows.
We are children without fathers, our mothers are like widows.
We have lost our fathers, and our mothers are widows.
We are fatherles, euen without father, and our mothers are as widowes.
Orphans we have been — without a father, our mothers [are] as widows.
We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are as widows.
We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
We are become orphans without a father: our mothers are as widows.
Our enemies have killed our fathers; they caused our mothers to become widows.
Berean Amplified Bible — Lamentations 5:3
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 5:3 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
יְתוֹמִ֤ים
הָיִ֨ינוּ֙
אין
וְ/אֵ֣ין
אָ֔ב
אִמֹּתֵ֖י/נוּ
כְּ/אַלְמָנֽוֹת
יְתוֹמִ֤ים
yâthôwm
H3490
orphan
N-mp
הָיִ֨ינוּ֙
hâyâh
H1961
to be
V-Qal-Perf-1cp
אין
ʼayin
H369
nothing
Part
וְ/אֵ֣ין
ʼayin
H369
nothing
Conj | Part
אָ֔ב
ʼâb
H1
father
N-ms
אִמֹּתֵ֖י/נוּ
ʼêm
H517
mother
N-fp | Suff
כְּ/אַלְמָנֽוֹת
ʼalmânâh
H490
widow
Prep | N-fp
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Lamentations 5:3
יְתוֹמִ֤ים
yâthôwm
H3490
"orphan"
N-mp
This Hebrew word refers to an orphan or a child without a father, like in Exodus where God commands the Israelites to care for the fatherless.
Definition: an orphan, fatherless
Usage: Occurs in 42 OT verses. KJV: fatherless (child), orphan. See also: Exodus 22:21; Psalms 10:18; Psalms 10:14.
הָיִ֨ינוּ֙
hâyâh
H1961
"to be"
V-Qal-Perf-1cp
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.
אין
ʼayin
H369
"nothing"
Part
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Definition: 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of
Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן). See also: Genesis 2:5; Deuteronomy 14:27; 1 Kings 15:22.
וְ/אֵ֣ין
ʼayin
H369
"nothing"
Conj | Part
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Definition: 1) nothing, not, nought n 1a) nothing, nought neg 1b) not 1c) to have not (of possession) adv 1d) without w/prep 1e) for lack of
Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare H370 (אַיִן). See also: Genesis 2:5; Deuteronomy 14:27; 1 Kings 15:22.
אָ֔ב
ʼâb
H1
"father"
N-ms
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Definition: 1) father of an individual 2) of God as father of his people 3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan 4) ancestor 4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person 4b) of people 5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art 6) of producer, generator (fig.) 7) of benevolence and protection (fig.) 8) term of respect and honour 9) ruler or chief (spec.) Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
Usage: Occurs in 1060 OT verses. KJV: chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'. See also: Genesis 2:24; Genesis 42:37; Leviticus 19:3.
אִמֹּתֵ֖י/נוּ
ʼêm
H517
"mother"
N-fp | Suff
The Hebrew word for 'mother' is used in the Bible to describe a female parent or a maternal figure. It can also refer to the source or origin of something, such as a river or a family. In some cases, it is used figuratively to describe a person's relationship to others.
Definition: 1) mother 1a) of humans 1b) of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.) 1c) of animals 2) point of departure or division
Usage: Occurs in 202 OT verses. KJV: dam, mother, [idiom] parting. See also: Genesis 2:24; 2 Kings 4:19; Psalms 22:10.
כְּ/אַלְמָנֽוֹת
ʼalmânâh
H490
"widow"
Prep | N-fp
A widow is a woman whose husband has died, often left alone and vulnerable. The Bible teaches care and compassion for widows, as seen in the stories of Ruth and Naomi. God commands his people to look out for them.
Definition: widow
Usage: Occurs in 54 OT verses. KJV: desolate house (palace), widow. See also: Genesis 38:11; Job 29:13; Psalms 68:6.
Study Notes — Lamentations 5:3
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Lamentations 5:3 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 5:3
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 5:3
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 5:3
- Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 5:3
- Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 5:3
- Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 5:3
- Barnes' Notes on Lamentations 5:3
- Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 5:3
- Sermons on Lamentations 5:3
Context — A Prayer for Restoration
1Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us. Look and see our disgrace!
2Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.
3We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers are widows.
4We must buy the water we drink; our wood comes at a price. 5We are closely pursued; we are weary and find no rest.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 18:21 | Therefore, hand their children over to famine; pour out the power of the sword upon them. Let their wives become childless and widowed; let their husbands be slain by disease, their young men struck down by the sword in battle. |
| 2 | Exodus 22:24 | My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 15:8 | I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. I will bring a destroyer at noon against the mothers of young men. I will suddenly bring upon them anguish and dismay. |
| 4 | Hosea 14:3 | Assyria will not save us, nor will we ride on horses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods!’ to the work of our own hands. For in You the fatherless find compassion.” |
Lamentations 5:3 Summary
Lamentations 5:3 describes a heartbreaking situation where people have lost their fathers and mothers, leaving them feeling alone and unprotected. This verse reminds us that, just like the Israelites, we can feel abandoned and disconnected from God at times (as in Psalm 22:1). However, we can find comfort in knowing that God is our ultimate Father and Provider, who promises to care for us and never leave us (as in Deuteronomy 31:6 and Matthew 28:20). By turning to Him, we can experience His love and provision, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to be 'fatherless orphans' in Lamentations 5:3?
In this context, it means that the people of Judah have lost their spiritual and physical leaders, much like orphans who have lost their fathers, as seen in Jeremiah 31:9 where God promises to be a Father to His people.
How does the phrase 'our mothers are widows' relate to the overall theme of Lamentations 5:3?
The phrase emphasizes the loss and devastation experienced by the people of Judah, highlighting the breakdown of family structures and the absence of protectors and providers, similar to the desolation described in Isaiah 47:8-9.
Is Lamentations 5:3 only talking about physical orphanhood, or is there a spiritual aspect to it?
While the verse does describe physical circumstances, it also alludes to a deeper spiritual sense of abandonment and disconnection from God, as expressed in Psalm 27:10 where David says, 'For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in.'
How can we apply the emotions and sentiments expressed in Lamentations 5:3 to our own lives?
We can relate to the feelings of loss and desperation in our own experiences of hardship, and turn to God as our ultimate Father and Comforter, as encouraged in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 where God is called the 'Father of mercies and God of all comfort.'
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways in which I have felt 'fatherless' or 'orphaned' in my own life, and how has God been my comfort and provision during those times?
- How can I, like the prophet Jeremiah, lament and mourn the spiritual and physical devastation around me, and yet still find hope in God's promises?
- In what ways can I offer support and care to those who are truly fatherless, motherless, or widowed, reflecting God's heart of love and compassion?
- What are some ways in which God has been my 'Father' and 'Husband' to me, as described in Isaiah 54:5, and how can I deepen my relationship with Him?
Gill's Exposition on Lamentations 5:3
We are orphans and fatherless,.... In every sense; in a natural sense, their fathers having been cut off by the sword, famine, or pestilence; in a civil sense, their king being taken from them; and
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Lamentations 5:3
We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows. We are ... fatherless - our whole land is full of orphans (Calvin). Or, "we are fatherless," being abandoned by thee our "Father" (Jeremiah 3:19).
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Lamentations 5:3
We are all of us without a king, (who is the common father of the country,) we are deprived of thy fatherly care and protection, many young children amongst us are left without an earthly parent. Our mothers are as widows; either our great cities are like widows, wanting magistrates; or, our women that were married are left widows.
Trapp's Commentary on Lamentations 5:3
Lamentations 5:3 We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers [are] as widows.Ver. 3. We are orphans and fatherless.] And so are become thy clients, just objects of thy pity.
Ellicott's Commentary on Lamentations 5:3
(3) Our mothers are as widows—i.e., their husbands, though living, were carried into exile, and they were as destitute as though they had been deprived of them by death. The Chaldee paraphrase gives the same meaning to the last clause also, “We are like orphans.”
Cambridge Bible on Lamentations 5:3
3. orphans and fatherless] the fathers being in exile and the mothers thus “as widows,” without protection.
Barnes' Notes on Lamentations 5:3
Our mothers are as widows - The particle “as” suggests that the whole verse is metaphorical. Our distress and desolation is comparable only to that of fatherless orphans or wives just bereaved of their husbands.
Whedon's Commentary on Lamentations 5:3
3. Fatherless — Without a father. Many expositors find here a specific meaning, and understand by the term father, king; and others understand by mothers, the cities of Judah.
Sermons on Lamentations 5:3
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Guardian of the Fatherless by C.H. Spurgeon | C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes that God serves as the guardian for the fatherless, providing mercy and support when earthly protectors are absent. He encourages believers to cast away al |