Lamentations 3:17 — Word Study
WLCוַתִּזְנַ֧ח מִשָּׁל֛וֹם נַפְשִׁ֖י נָשִׁ֥יתִי טוֹבָֽה׃
BSAMy soulnephesh [the essence of a person] has been deprivedzânach▸ [removed far off, cast away] of peaceshâlôwm [shalom, completeness and wellness] I have forgottennâshâh■ [neglected, disregarded] what prosperity isṭôwb [good, welfare, means, entails, includes]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַתִּזְנַ֧ח | and it has excluded | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect second person masculine singular |
| מִשָּׁל֛וֹם | from peace | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| נַפְשִׁ֖י | self my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| נָשִׁ֥יתִי | I have forgotten | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| טוֹבָֽה׃ | good | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | My soul has been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is. |
| KJV | And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. |
| ASV | And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace; I forgat prosperity. |
| YLT | And Thou castest off from peace my soul, I have forgotten prosperity. |
| WEB | You have removed my soul far away from peace. I forgot prosperity. |
| BBE | My soul is sent far away from peace, I have no more memory of good. |
Translations agree on the key themes of deprivation and forgetfulness in this verse.
The verse consists of a main clause followed by a prepositional phrase and a subordinate clause, emphasizing the speaker's emotional state.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbזָנַח
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Lamentations 3:17
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Lament of Distressgenerated
Lamentations 3:17 reflects the emotional state of the speaker, who feels a profound absence of peace and has forgotten the meaning of prosperity. This lamentation captures the essence of suffering and the longing for restoration, common themes in the book of Lamentations, which mourns the destruction of Jerusalem and the resulting despair of its people.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamentations 1:16 | For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears. For there is no one nearby to comfort me, no one to revive my soul. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed. |
| 2 | Psalm 119:155 | Salvation is far from the wicked because they do not seek Your statutes. |
| 3 | Isaiah 38:17 | Surely for my own welfare I had such great anguish; but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. |
| 4 | Isaiah 54:10 | Though the mountains may be removed and the hills may be shaken, My loving devotion will not depart from you, and My covenant of peace will not be broken,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. |
| 5 | Isaiah 59:11 | We all growl like bears and moan like doves. We hope for justice, but find none, for salvation, but it is far from us. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 12 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — זָנַח, va.tiz.Nachgenerated
The verb זָנַח (zanach) means to reject or spurn, indicating a strong sense of being cast away or forsaken. This word is often associated with feelings of disgust or being unwanted, as seen in other biblical contexts.
The parsing indicates it is a sequential imperfect verb in the second person masculine singular, suggesting an ongoing action or state. The use of this verb here emphasizes the speaker's experience of exclusion from peace.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, the verse is read in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the term deprived to convey the sense of being cut off from peace.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is תִּזְנַ֧ח (tiznach), which governs the structure. The sentence includes a prepositional phrase indicating the source of deprivation, a noun phrase for the subject, and another clause that expresses forgetting.
The word order emphasizes the speaker's soul as the subject, highlighting the personal nature of the lament.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates זָנַח as ἀπώσατο, which means 'to cast away' or 'to reject'. This choice reflects a similar sense of exclusion found in the Hebrew, emphasizing the speaker's feeling of being removed from peace.
This translation maintains the original's emotional weight, underscoring the depth of the speaker's distress.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 3:17 shows the speaker feeling a deep loss of peace and forgetting what it means to have a good life. The verse captures the pain of being cut off from well-being and reflects the sorrowful tone of the entire book.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Being deprived of peace refers to a state of turmoil and unrest, where one feels disconnected from tranquility and well-being.
The speaker's forgetfulness of prosperity suggests a profound sense of loss and despair, where previous experiences of well-being are overshadowed by current suffering.
This verse encapsulates the themes of loss and mourning present in Lamentations, as the speaker expresses deep sorrow over the destruction of Jerusalem and the resulting emotional turmoil.
This lament teaches us about the human experience of suffering and the longing for peace and restoration, reminding us of the importance of acknowledging our pain.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced feelings of loss or deprivation in my own life?
- How can I find peace during difficult times, as the speaker longs for?
- What does prosperity mean to me, and how can I recognize it in my life?
- How can I support others who are feeling lost or deprived of peace?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Thomas Aquinas comments on the afflictions described in this verse, illustrating the depth of the speaker's suffering.
The afflictions are here pursued. As claimed: "He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes." That is, like to the warriors by whom defended, and like to teeth of beasts on gravel.Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 3 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 3:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd thou hast removed my soul far off from peace,.... From the time the city was besieged by the Chaldeans, and now the people was carried captive; who could have no true peace, being in a foreign
Read John Gill on Lamentations 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHe hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes.
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BiblePeace here signifieth prosperity, rather than a freedom from war. Though during the siege they were far from peace in a strict sense, yet in their captivity they had that peace; but both their minds were far off from quiet, and their persons from prosperity: the prophet owneth God as the cause of this. They had in Canaan lived prosperously, but now they thought of it no more, nor understood what such a thing meant.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 3:17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.Ver. 17. And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace.] Prosperity and I are twain; we are utterly unacquainted.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) Thou hast removed my soul far off from peace.—The verb is found in this sense in Psalms 88:14. By some critics it is taken as passive, and in the 3rd person feminine. My soul loathes peace, i.e., has lost even the desire of better things; or, My soul is despised of peace, i.e., is shut out from it. But the Authorised version is preferable.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 3 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 17. Thou hast removed my soul] Prosperity is at such an utter distance from me, that it is impossible I should ever reach it; and as to happiness, I have forgotten whether I have ever tasted of it.
Read AdamClarke on Lamentations 3 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges17. thou hast removed (mg. cast off) my soul] The change to the second person is abrupt. LXX have “he has thrust away,” the Syr. (and so Targ.) “my soul is thrust away,” but, as Pe. remarks, this is improbable in view of Lam 3:31. The writer there, however, need not be the same as here; see intr. note. By adopting the 3rd person we should avoid the introduction of a direct address to God, which seems not to come earlier than Lamentations 3:19.
Read Cambridge on Lamentations 3 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible17. Hast removed my soul far off from peace — Other renderings of this verse have been proposed, but this is to be preferred, and is really beautiful.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Lamentations 3 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
My soul has been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is.
You have removed my soul far away from peace. I forgot prosperity.
My soul has been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is.
I am deprived of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is.
Tyndale line
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace; I forgat prosperity.
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace; I forgat prosperity.
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity.
Thus my soule was farre off from peace: I forgate prosperitie,
Strictly literal
And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I have forgotten prosperity.
And Thou castest off from peace my soul, I have forgotten prosperity.
And You cast off my soul from peace, || I have forgotten prosperity.
And my soul hath given up all thoughts of peace: I forget happiness.
My soul is deprived of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is.
From the Latin
Vau. And my soul is removed far off from peace, I have forgotten good things.
Simplified
Peace has been torn away from me; I've forgotten all that's good in life.
My soul is sent far away from peace, I have no more memory of good.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all five words matched. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the speaker's lament across these ancient texts.
וַתִּזְנַ֧ח מִשָּׁל֛וֹם נַפְשִׁ֖י נָשִׁ֥יתִי טוֹבָֽה׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Lamentations 3:17
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
זָנַח (zanach) is a Hebrew verb that primarily means to reject or spurn, with nuances of casting off or forsaking. It also has a secondary meaning related to emitting a stench, as noted in Isaiah 19:6. The word is built from a primitive root, indicating a strong sense of pushing aside or removing.
זָנַח vb. reject, spurn
Qal reject
Hiph. (late) reject
base
[זָנַח] stink, emit stench;—only Hiph. Is 19:6
ref
H2186a זָנַח reject, spurn H2186b זָנַח stink, emit stench
2186 zanach zaw-nakh'
a primitive root meaning to push aside, i.e. reject, forsake,
fail:--cast away (off), remove far away (off).
זָנַח (za.nach) — to reject.
1) to cast off, reject, spurn
1a) (Qal) to reject
1b) (Hiphil) to forcefully reject someone
זָנַח (za.nach) — to stink.
1) to stink, emit stench, become odious
1a) (Hiphil) stink (perfect)
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect second person masculine singularHc/Vqw2ms
שָׁלוֹם (shalom) conveys a range of meanings including completeness, soundness, welfare, and peace. It can refer to physical safety and health, as well as emotional states like tranquility and friendship, particularly in human relationships and with God. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to be complete' and is used in various contexts, including greetings.
שָׁלוֹם 237 n.m. completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
completeness in no.
safety, soundness, in body
welfare, health, prosperity
peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment
peace, friendship
peace from war
as adj. those at peace with him
base
H7965 שָׁלוֹם completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
7965 shalowm shaw-lome'
or shalom {shaw-lome'}; from 7999; safe, i.e. (figuratively)
well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health,
prosperity, peace:--X do, familiar, X fare, favour, + friend,
X great, (good) health, (X perfect, such as be at)
peace(-able, -ably), prosper(-ity, -ous), rest, safe(-ty),
salute, welfare, (X all is, be) well, X wholly.
see HEBREW for 07999
שָׁלוֹם (sha.lom) — peace.
: peace
1) completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
1a) completeness (in number)
1b) safety, soundness (in body)
1c) welfare, health, prosperity
1d) peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment
1e) peace, friendship
1e1) of human relationships
1e2) with God especially in covenant relationship
1f) peace (from war)
1g) peace (as adjective)
שָׁלוֹם (ye.ho.vah sha.lom) — Peace.
This name means completeness, peace
Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
שָׁלוֹם (sha.lom) — peace: well-being.
: well-being
1) completeness, soundness, welfare, peace
1a) completeness (in number)
1b) safety, soundness (in body)
1c) welfare, health, prosperity
1d) peace, quiet, tranquillity, contentment
1e) peace, friendship
1e1) of human relationships
1e2) with God especially in covenant relationship
1f) peace (from war)
1g) peace (as adjective)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
pes (shalom; eirene):
1. In the Old Testament:
Is a condition of freedom from disturbance, whether outwardly, as of a nation from war or enemies, or inwardly, within the soul. The Hebrew word is shalom (both adjective and substantive), meaning, primarily, "soundness," "health," but coming also to signify "prosperity," well-being in general, all good in relation to both man and God. In early times, to a people harassed by foes, peace was the primary blessing. In Ps 122:7, we have "peace" and "prosperity," and in 35:27; 73:3, shalom is translated "prosperity." In 2Sa 11:7 the King James Version, David asked of Uriah "how Joab did" (margin "of the peace of Joab"), "and how the people did (the Revised Version (British and American) "fared," literally, "of the peace of the people"), and…
The Hebrew word נֶ֫פֶשׁ (*nephesh*) broadly means 'soul' or 'living being,' encompassing concepts like life, self, person, desire, and emotion. It is derived from the root meaning 'to breathe' and signifies both physical and mental aspects of existence. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, including as the seat of appetites and emotions, though its application to will and character is uncertain.
נֶ֫פֶשׁ 756 n.f. soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
= that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
The נפשׁ becomes a living being
The נפשׁ is specif.
The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
נ׳ in D
base
H5315 נֶ֫פֶשׁ soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion . = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
. The נפשׁ becomes a living being
. The נפשׁ is specif.
. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
. נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
. נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
. נ׳ in D
5315 nephesh neh'-fesh
from 5314; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of
(abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal,
accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):--any,
appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire,
X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y),
(hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me,
mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-,
thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they,
thing, (X she) will, X would have it.
see HEBREW for 05314
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
1g1) uncertain
1h) activity of the will
1h1) uncertain
1i) activity of the character
1i1) uncertain
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul: life.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs
נָשָׁה (nashah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to forget.' It can also imply neglect or the act of depriving. The word has different forms, including Qal (to forget), Niphal (to be forgotten), Piel (to cause to forget), and Hiphil (to allow to be forgotten). The entries suggest its use in various contexts, including personal and divine forgetfulness.
[נָשָׁה] vb. forget
Qal I will forget you finally
Niph. thou shalt not be forgotten of me
Pi. God hath made me forget
Hiph. God caused her (the ostrich) to forget wisdom
base
H5382 [נָשָׁה] forget
5382 nashah naw-shaw'
a primitive root; to forget; figuratively, to neglect;
causatively, to remit, remove:--forget, deprive, exact.
נָשָׁה (na.shah) — to forget.
1) to forget, deprive
1a) (Qal) to forget
1b) (Niphal) to be forgotten
1c) (Piel) to cause to forget
1d) (Hiphil) to cause to forget, allow to be forgotten
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
טוֹב (tov) is a Hebrew word meaning good or pleasant, encompassing a wide range of meanings from agreeable to the senses to ethical goodness. It can function as an adjective, noun, or adverb, referring to things like welfare, happiness, and prosperity. The feminine form, טוֹבָה (tovah), specifically denotes welfare or good things.
טוֹב adj. pleasant, agreeable, good
pleasant, agreeable to the senses
pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well
good, excellent, of its kind
good, rich, valuable in estimation
good, appropriate, becoming
c. מִן compar. = better
of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous
of man's intellectual nature, good understanding
good, kind, benign
good (ethical), right
base
טוֹב n.m. a good thing, benefit, welfare
welfare, prosperity, happiness
good things
good = benefit
moral good
base
טוֹבָה n.f. welfare, benefit, good things, good
welfare, prosperity, happiness
good things
bounty, good
base
H2896a טוֹב pleasant, agreeable, good . pleasant, agreeable to the senses
. pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity, and so agreeable, pleasing, well
. good, excellent, of its kind
. good, rich, valuable in estimation
. good, appropriate, becoming
. c. מִן compar. =better
. of man's sensuous nature, glad, happy, prosperous
. of man's intellectual nature, good understanding
. good, kind, benign
. good (ethical), right
H2896b טוֹב a good thing, benefit, welfare H2896c טוֹבָה welfare, benefit, good things, good
2896 towb tobe
from 2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used
likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine,
the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a
good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or
women), also as an adverb (well):--beautiful, best, better,
bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour,
fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s),
graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving,
merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious,
prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well
((-favoured)).
see HEBREW for 02895
טוֹב (tov) — pleasant.
adj
1) good, pleasant, agreeable
1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses)
1b) pleasant (to the higher nature)
1c) good, excellent (of its kind)
1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation
1e) good, appropriate, becoming
1f) better (comparative)
1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature)
1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature)
1i) good, kind, benign
1j) good, right (ethical)
Aramaic equivalent: tav (טָב "fine" H2869)
טוֹב (tov) — good.
1) a good thing, benefit, welfare
1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness
1b) good things (collective)
1c) good, benefit
1d) moral good
טוֹבָה (to.vah) — welfare.
1) welfare, benefit, good things
1a) welfare, prosperity, happiness
1b) good things (collective)
1c) bounty
Adj — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
good (Tobh, Tubh, yaTabh; agathos, agathon, kalos, kalon): In English "good" is used in various senses, most of which are represented in the Bible.
(1) In the Old Testament the commonest word is Tobh, occurring very frequently and translated in a great variety of ways. Of the different shades of meaning, which frequently run into each other, the following may be distinguished:
(a) Possessing desirable qualities, beneficial, agreeable, e.g. "good for food" (Ge 2:9); "We will do thee good" (Nu 10:29); Who will show us any good?" (Ps 4:6); "good tidings of good" (Isa 52:7).