Lamentations 3:61 — Word Study
WLCשָׁמַ֤עְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם֙ יְהוָ֔ה כָּל־ מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם עָלָֽי׃
BSAO LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] You have heardshâmaʻ■ [listened with attention and obedience] their insultscherpâh [reproach, scorn, or shame] allkôl [everything, every kind] their plotsmachăshâbâh [devices, imaginations, or plans] against meʻal
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ | you have heard | Verb, Qal, perfect second person masculine singular |
| חֶרְפָּתָם֙ | reproach their | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
| יְהוָ֔ה | O Yahweh | Noun proper |
| כָּל־ | all | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם | plans their | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| עָלָֽי׃ | on me | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | O LORD, You have heard their insults, all their plots against me— |
| KJV | Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me; |
| ASV | Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, and all their devices against me, |
| YLT | Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, All their thoughts against me, |
| WEB | You have heard their reproach, Yahweh, and all their plans against me, |
| BBE | Their bitter words have come to your ears, O Lord, and all their designs against me; |
Where they part company is in the rendering of חֶרְפָּתָם — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a main clause followed by two noun phrases and a prepositional phrase, clearly outlining the speaker's grievances.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁמַע
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 3:61
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 3:61 expresses a heartfelt plea to God, recognizing that He hears the speaker's pain and the insults cast upon them. This verse is situated in a broader context of lamentation, where the speaker reflects on their suffering and the malice of their enemies, as seen in the surrounding verses. The speaker seeks comfort in God's attentiveness to their plight, emphasizing the relational aspect of their appeal to the divine amidst distress.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamentations 3:30 | Let him offer his cheek to the one who would strike him; let him be filled with reproach. |
| 2 | Lamentations 5:1 | Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us. Look and see our disgrace! |
| 3 | Psalm 74:18 | Remember how the enemy has mocked You, O LORD, how a foolish people has spurned Your name. |
| 4 | Psalm 89:50 | Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants, which I bear in my heart from so many people— |
| 5 | Zephaniah 2:8 | “I have heard the reproach of Moab and the insults of the Ammonites, who have taunted My people and threatened their borders. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שָׁמַע, sha.Ma'.tagenerated
The verb שָׁמַע (sha.Ma') means 'to hear' and implies not just auditory perception but also attention and obedience. It is a perfect tense verb, indicating a completed action in the second person masculine singular, directly addressing God. This word is often used in contexts where listening is tied to obedience, as in the commandments given to the Israelites.
In this verse, the use of שָׁמַע underscores the speaker's belief that God is not only aware of their situation but is also engaged and responsive. The connection between hearing and action is significant, especially in the context of lament, where the speaker seeks divine intervention.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the rendering of שָׁמַע as you have heard, reflecting the speaker's direct appeal to God.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ (you have heard) governs the entire verse, with two noun phrases following it: חֶרְפָּתָם (their insults) and מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם (their plots). The structure indicates that the speaker is presenting two specific items of concern to God.
The order of the phrases places emphasis on the speaker's grievances, highlighting both the insults and the plots as significant issues that the speaker feels God must address.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שָׁמַע as ἤκουσας (you have heard), which retains the meaning of attentive listening. This choice reinforces the idea of God not just hearing but also responding to the speaker's plight.
The translation aligns closely with the Hebrew, maintaining the focus on God's awareness of the speaker's suffering and the malicious actions of others.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 3:61 shows the speaker crying out to God, saying that He has heard the insults and plans against them. This verse is part of a larger lament where the speaker expresses their distress and seeks God's attention to their suffering.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The speaker is acknowledging that God is aware of the hurtful words and actions directed against them.
Using 'Yahweh' emphasizes a personal relationship with God, highlighting His covenantal nature and faithfulness.
The insults likely refer to slanderous remarks and mockery from the speaker's enemies, which cause emotional pain.
This verse reflects the deep anguish and plea for divine intervention that characterizes the book of Lamentations, as the speaker seeks comfort in God's attentiveness.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I seek God's attention when I feel wronged or insulted?
- How can I find comfort in knowing that God hears my cries?
- What are some examples in my life where I have felt the weight of reproach from others?
- How can I respond to insults or plots against me in a way that honors God?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 3:61 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou hast heard their reproach, O Lord,.... Their reproachful words uttered against the prophet and his people, against God himself; their spiteful language, their taunts, and scoffs and jeers: [and]
Read John Gill on Lamentations 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me; Thou hast heard their reproach - their reproachful language against me. Verse 62. The lips - the speeches. Verse 63.
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhatever knowledge men get of things done from their eye or ear, thou hast from thy omnisciency; thou knowest not only their malicious actions, but words and thoughts.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 3:61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, [and] all their imaginations against me;Ver. 61. Thou hast heard their reproach.] Their spiteful speeches and taunting terms have come into thine ears. And all their imaginations.] Heb., Their contrivements. As the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers, so he both seeth the ill carriage and heareth the ill language of graceless persons against the godly.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(61) Thou hast heard.—The verb governs the “lips” of the next verse as well as the “reproaches” of this. In the last clause we note the emphasis of iteration, the natural dwelling on what was prominent in the prophet’s thoughts.
Read Charles John Ellicott 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
O LORD, You have heard their insults, all their plots against me—
You have heard their reproach, Yahweh, and all their plans against me,
O LORD, You have heard their insults, all their plots against me—
You have heard their taunts, O Lord, all their plots against me.
Tyndale line
Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;
Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, and all their devices against me,
Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their devices against me;
Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their imaginations against me;
Thou hast heard their reproch, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me:
Strictly literal
Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, all their imaginations against me;
Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, All their thoughts against me,
You have heard their reproach, O YHWH, || All their thoughts against me,
Thou hast heard their reviling, O Lord, all their plans against me,
You have heard their scorn, Yahweh, and all their plans regarding me.
From the Latin
Sin. Thou hast heard their reproach, O Lord, all their imaginations against me.
Simplified
Lord, you have heard how they've insulted me, and what they've plotted against me,
Their bitter words have come to your ears, O Lord, and all their designs against me;
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 largely agree in content, with five of the six words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide a version that is partially restored, with six words supplied by an editor, indicating some damage in the original text. However, the essential meaning remains consistent across these witnesses.
שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ חֶרְפָּתָם֙ יְהוָ֔ה כָּל־ מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖ם עָלָֽי׃
5 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.
[שמעת] [חרפת׳ם] [יהוה] [כל] [מחשבת׳ם] [על׳י]
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 3:61
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.
The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear
Qal 1052
subj. pers. hum.
י׳ (God) subj.
Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound
be heard of
be regarded, obeyed
= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.
Pi. he caused the people to hear
Hiph. 63
of man
י׳ subj.
base
H8085 שָׁמַע hear
8085 shama` shaw-mah'
a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with
implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to
tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X
carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,
declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make
to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)
obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,
regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,
understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.
: hear
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to
1a5) to understand (language)
1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)
1a7) to listen, give heed
1a7a) to consent, agree
1a7b) to grant request
1a8) to listen to, yield to
1a9) to obey, be obedient
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)
1b2) to be heard of
1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed
1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound
1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)
1d3) to make proclamation, summon
1d4) to cause to be heard
n m
2) sound
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.
: obey
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
V-Qal-Perf-2ms — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singularHVqp2ms
חֶרְפָּה (cherpah) means reproach or taunt, often associated with shame or disgrace. It can refer to the condition of being reproached or the object of reproach itself. The word is derived from חָרַף (charaf), which relates to scorn or rebuke.
חֶרְפָּה n.f. reproach
taunt of enemy
reproach which rests upon one, condition of shame, disgrace
a reproach, the object of reproach, the person or thing reproached
base
H2781 חֶרְפָּה reproach . taunt of enemy
. reproach which rests upon one, condition of shame, disgrace
. a reproach, the object of reproach, the person or thing reproached
2781 cherpah kher-paw'
from 2778; contumely, disgrace, the pudenda:--rebuke,
reproach(-fully), shame.
see HEBREW for 02778
חֶרְפָּה (cher.pah) — reproach.
1) reproach, scorn
1a) taunt, scorn (upon enemy)
1b) reproach (resting upon condition of shame, disgrace)
1c) a reproach (an object)
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp3mp
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(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 HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
מַחֲשָׁבָה (machashabah) refers to thoughts, devices, plans, or inventions, encompassing both good and bad intentions. It is derived from a root meaning to contrive or devise. The entries consistently highlight its use in contexts relating to intention and creativity.
מַחֲשָׁבָה n.f. thought, device
thought
device, plan, purpose
invention
base
H4284 מַחֲשָׁבָה thought, device . thought
. device, plan, purpose
. invention
4284 machashabah makh-ash-aw-baw'
or machashebeth {makh-ash-eh'-beth}; from 2803; a
contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or
(abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good,
advice):--cunning (work), curious work, device(-sed),
imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought.
see HEBREW for 02803
מַחֲשָׁבָה (ma.cha.sha.vah) — plot.
1) thought, device
1a) thought
1b) device, plan, purpose
1c) invention
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp3mp
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 | Suff — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bs