Lamentations 3:54 — Word Study
WLCצָֽפוּ־ מַ֥יִם עַל־ רֹאשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥רְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ ס
BSAThe watersmayim flowedtsûwph■ [flooding] overʻal my headrôʼsh [the chief or upper part of the body] and I thoughtʼâmar■ [said to myself, considered] I was going to diegâzar■ [be cut off, perish, as if severed from life]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| צָֽפוּ־ | they overflowed | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| מַ֥יִם | waters | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| עַל־ | over | Preposition |
| רֹאשִׁ֖י | head my | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| אָמַ֥רְתִּי | I said | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ ס | I have been cut off | Verb, Niphal, perfect first person common singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die. |
| KJV | Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off. |
| ASV | Waters flowed over my head; I said, I am cut off. |
| YLT | Flowed have waters over my head, I have said, I have been cut off. |
| WEB | Waters flowed over my head. I said, “I am cut off.” |
| BBE | Waters were flowing over my head; I said, I am cut off. |
The translations agree on the key phrases in this verse, particularly regarding the imagery of flooding and being cut off.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with two subordinate clauses that express the speaker's thoughts and feelings.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectמַיִם
verbצוּף
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 3:54
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 3:54 captures a moment of despair where the speaker feels as if they are drowning in troubles. The preceding verses set the stage, illustrating the depths of suffering faced, and the subsequent verses reflect a cry for help. This lament is part of a larger theme of sorrow and seeking divine intervention, as seen throughout the book of Lamentations.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 18:4 | The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me. |
| 2 | Psalm 69:1–2 | Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck. |
| 3 | Psalm 124:4–5 | then the floods would have engulfed us, then the torrent would have overwhelmed us, |
| 4 | Jonah 2:3–5 | For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me. |
| 5 | Lamentations 3:18 | So I say, “My strength has perished, along with my hope from the LORD.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נִגְזָֽרְתִּי, nigzar'tigenerated
The verb גָּזַר (gazár) means to cut or divide. In this context, it conveys a sense of being severed from life or hope, emphasizing the speaker's feeling of being overwhelmed and isolated. The Niphal form indicates a passive experience, suggesting that the speaker feels acted upon by external forces.
This word appears in various contexts in the Bible, often relating to destruction or exclusion. Here, it powerfully conveys the speaker's sense of impending death, as if they have been cut off from all that sustains life.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses flowed for צָֽפוּ־ and cut off for נִגְזָֽרְתִּי, aligning with the emotional weight of the original Hebrew.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb צָֽפוּ governs the verse, indicating the action of the waters overflowing. The structure includes a prepositional phrase that describes where this action occurs, followed by a clause that expresses the speaker's internal response.
The syntax emphasizes the overwhelming nature of the waters and the subsequent realization of danger, with the verbs clearly marking the speaker's emotional state.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates צָֽפוּ as ὑπερεξύθη, which conveys a sense of overflowing or exceeding. This choice highlights the intensity of the flooding experience, aligning with the original Hebrew's portrayal of distress.
The Greek word used for נִגְזָֽרְתִּי is ἀπῶσμαι, which also carries the connotation of being cut off, maintaining the sense of separation from life.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 3:54 expresses a deep feeling of despair as the speaker describes waters flowing over their head, leading them to believe they are about to die. This vivid imagery captures the overwhelming nature of their suffering and the fear of being cut off from life.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This phrase symbolizes feeling overwhelmed by troubles and despair, as if drowning.
Feeling cut off conveys a sense of hopelessness and isolation, as if all connection to life and support is severed.
This verse reflects the deep sorrow and cries for help that permeate the book, illustrating the pain of exile and suffering.
The lament teaches us about the importance of expressing our pain and seeking help in times of distress.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some times in my life when I felt overwhelmed, and how did I respond?
- How can I better express my feelings of despair to God, as the speaker does in this verse?
- In what ways can I support others who are feeling overwhelmed or cut off?
- What does it mean to me to feel connected to life and hope during difficult times?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 3:54 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWaters flowed over mine head,.... As in a pit or dungeon, where there is not only mire and clay, but much water, into which persons being put, sink, and are covered therewith; see Psalms 69:1; this
Read John Gill on Lamentations 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause. Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird - which is destitute of counsel and strength. The allusion seems to be to Proverbs 1:17 (Calvin).
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleAfflictions often in Scripture are called waters, ,18 59:19. I am cut off; that is, I am utterly undone, there is no hope for me.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 3:54 Waters flowed over mine head; [then] I said, I am cut off.Ver. 54. Waters flowed over mine head.] Many and great miseries have overwhelmed and oppressed me, both in body and soul. These are frequently compared to waters. Then I said, I am cut off,] sc., From the land of the living; but God was better to me than my hopes.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 3 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges54. Waters flowed over mine head] figuratively. So in Psalms 42:7; Psalms 69:2, which latter Ps. was traditionally ascribed to Jeremiah. I am cut off] Cp. Psalms 31:22; Psalms 88:5; 2 Chronicles 26:21; Isaiah 53:8.
Read Cambridge on Lamentations 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWaters flowed over mine head - A figurative expression for great mental trouble.
Read Albert Barnes on Lamentations 3 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible54. Waters flowed — Figurative language, but such as would be very naturally suggested from the circumstance of using underground cisterns for dungeons.
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
The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
Waters flowed over my head. I said, “I am cut off.”
The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
The waters closed over my head; I thought I was about to die.
Tyndale line
Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.
Waters flowed over my head; I said, I am cut off.
Waters flowed over mine head; I said, I am cut off.
Waters flowed over my head; then I said, I am cut off.
Waters flowed ouer mine head, then thought I, I am destroyed.
Strictly literal
Waters streamed over my head; I said, I am cut off.
Flowed have waters over my head, I have said, I have been cut off.
Waters have flowed over my head, I have said, I have been cut off.
Waters streamed over my head: I said, I am cut off.
and they caused waters to overflow, covering my head. I said, 'I have been cut off!'
From the Latin
Sade. Waters have flowed over my head: I said: I am cut off.
Simplified
Water flooded over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
Waters were flowing over my head; I said, I am cut off.
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 closely in their wording, with all six words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain the same words, though the text is reconstructed by an editor, indicating a shared tradition in this lament.
צָֽפוּ־ מַ֥יִם עַל־ רֹאשִׁ֖י אָמַ֥רְתִּי נִגְזָֽרְתִּי׃ ס
6 of the 6 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.
[צפו] [מים] [על] [ראש׳י] [אמרתי] [נגזרתי]
nothing on the leather here — 6 supplied entire by an editor.
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 3:54
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.
צוּף (tsuwph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to flow, overflow, or float. It can describe the action of flooding or causing something to overflow in its Qal form, while the Hiphil form indicates causing something to flow over or float. The word appears in Lamentations 3:54.
[צוּף] vb. flow, overflow, [float]
Qal La 3:54 (fig.).
Hiph.
cause to flow over
cause to float
base
H6687 [צוּף] flow, overflow, [float]
6687 tsuwph tsoof
a primitive root; to overflow:--(make to over-)flow, swim.
צוּף (tsuph) — to flow.
1) to flow, overflow, flood, float
1a) (Qal) to flood
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to flow over
1b2) to cause to float
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 mayim mah'-yim
dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);
water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+
piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
wo'-terz (mayim, plural of may, "water"; in the New Testament hudor, "water"; kindunois potamon (2Co 11:26), the King James Version "perils of waters," is in the Revised Version (British and American) "perils of rivers"): In the New Testament there is frequent reference to the water of baptism. Pilate washes his hands with water to signify his guiltlessness. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman of the living water. The Lamb shall guide the redeemed unto fountains of waters of life.
The uses of mayim are well classified in BDB, especially the figurative references, as follows: a symbol of distress, "when thou passest through the waters" (Isa 43:2); of force, "like the breach of waters" (2Sa 5:20); of that which is overwhelming, "a…
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep — PrepositionHR
רֹאשׁ (ro'sh) means 'head' and encompasses various meanings related to position and rank. It can refer to the head of a person or animal, the top of a mountain, or a chief in various contexts, such as a city or nation. The word also signifies beginnings and sums, appearing in phrases related to enumeration. Additionally, it serves as a proper noun for 'Rosh,' a title for a chief or prince.
רֹאשׁ 599 n.m.
(c. 230 t.) head, of human being
head, of animals
top (88 t.)
height, of stars
head = chief (man)
= chief (city)
chief nation
= chief (place, position)
= chief priest
= head of a family
head = front, leader's place
of time, beginning, of night watch
of things, river-heads
chief, choicest, best, of spices
head = division of army, company, band
= sum, esp. in phr. take sum of, enumerate
other phr.
base
רֹאשׁ n.pr.gent. Rôsh
base
H7218a רֹאשׁ . . (c. 230 t.) head, of human being
. head, of animals
. . top (88 t.)
. height, of stars
. . head = chief (man)
. = chief (city)
. chief nation
. = chief (place, position)
. = chief priest
. = head of a family
. . head = front, leader's place
. of time, beginning, of night watch
. of things, river-heads
. chief, choicest, best, of spices
. head = division of army, company, band
. = sum, esp. in phr. take sum of, enumerate
. other phr.
H7218b רֹאשׁ n. pr. gent. Rôsh
7218 ro'sh roshe
from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as
most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many
applications, of place, time, rank, itc.):--band, beginning,
captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company,
end, X every (man), excellent, first, forefront, ((be-))head,
height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), X lead, X poor,
principal, ruler, sum, top.
רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head.
: head
1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning
1a) head (of man, animals)
1b) top, tip (of mountain)
1c) height (of stars)
1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)
1e) head, front, beginning
1f) chief, choicest, best
1g) head, division, company, band
1h) sum
רֹאשׁ (rosh) — prince.
Rosh, a tite for a chief or prince
רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head: leader.
: leader
1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning
1a) head (of man, animals)
1b) top, tip (of mountain)
1c) height (of stars)
1d) chief, head (of man, city, nation, place, family, priest)
1e) head, front, beginning
1f) chief, choicest, best
1g) head, division, company, band
1h) sum
רֹאשׁ (rosh) — head: top.
: top/best
1) head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning
1a) head (of man, animals)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bs
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
גָּזַר (gazár) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cut or divide. It encompasses a range of actions including cutting down, cutting off, and making decrees. The word can also imply destruction or exclusion. Notably, it is used in contexts such as dividing the Red Sea, indicating its significance in biblical narratives.
גָּזַר vb. cut, divide
Qal
divide, cut in two
divide the Red Sea
cut down
cut off (piece of meat to eat, but obj. not expr.)
cut off, i.e. destroy, exterminate
decree
Niph.
be cut off, separated, excluded
be cut off = destroyed, exterminate
be decreed
base
H1504 גָּזַר cut, divide .. divide, cut in two
. divide the Red Sea
. cut down
. cut off (piece of meat to eat, but obj. not expr.)
. cut off, i.e. destroy, exterminate
. decree
. . be cut off, separated, excluded
. be cut off = destroyed, exterminate
. be decreed
1504 gazar gaw-zar'
a primitive root; to cut down or off; (figuratively) to
destroy, divide, exclude, or decide:--cut down (off), decree,
divide, snatch.
גָּזַר (ga.zar) — to cut.
1) to cut, divide, cut down, cut off, cut in two, snatch, decree
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to cut in two, divide
1a2) to cut down
1a3) to cut off, destroy, exterminate
1a4) to decree
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be cut off, separated, excluded
1b2) to be destroyed, cut off
1b3) to be decreed
V-Niphal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Niphal · perfect first person common singularHVNp1cs