Jeremiah 9:19
New International Version
The sound of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How ruined we are! How great is our shame! We must leave our land because our houses are in ruins.’”

New Living Translation
Hear the people of Jerusalem crying in despair, ‘We are ruined! We are completely humiliated! We must leave our land, because our homes have been torn down.’”

English Standard Version
For a sound of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How we are ruined! We are utterly shamed, because we have left the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.’”

Berean Standard Bible
For the sound of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How devastated we are! How great is our shame! For we have abandoned the land because our dwellings have been torn down.’”

King James Bible
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.

New King James Version
For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How we are plundered! We are greatly ashamed, Because we have forsaken the land, Because we have been cast out of our dwellings.’ ”

New American Standard Bible
“For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How devastated we are! We are put to great shame, For we have abandoned the land Because they have torn down our homes.’”

NASB 1995
“For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion, ‘How are we ruined! We are put to great shame, For we have left the land, Because they have cast down our dwellings.’”

NASB 1977
“For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion, ‘How are we ruined! We are put to great shame, For we have left the land, Because they have cast down our dwellings.’”

Legacy Standard Bible
For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion, ‘How we are destroyed! We are put to great shame, For we have left the land Because they have cast down our dwellings.’”

Amplified Bible
“For a sound of wailing is heard [coming] from Zion: ‘How we are ruined! We are greatly perplexed and utterly shamed, Because we have left the land, Because they have torn down our dwellings.’”

Christian Standard Bible
For a sound of lamentation is heard from Zion: How devastated we are. We are greatly ashamed, for we have abandoned the land; our dwellings have been torn down.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For a sound of lamentation is heard from Zion: How devastated we are. We are greatly ashamed, for we have abandoned the land; our dwellings have been torn down.

American Standard Version
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we ruined! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.

Contemporary English Version
Now those of us on Zion cry, 'We are ruined! We can't stand the shame. Our homes have been destroyed, and we must leave our land.'

English Revised Version
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The sound of crying is heard from Zion. "We're ruined! We're very ashamed. We must leave our land because our homes have been torn down."

Good News Translation
Listen to the sound of crying in Zion: "We are ruined! We are completely disgraced! We must leave our land; our homes have been torn down."

International Standard Version
For a sound of mourning is heard from Zion: 'How we're ruined! Our shame is very great, because we have left the land, because our houses are torn down.'"

Majority Standard Bible
For the sound of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How devastated we are! How great is our shame! For we have abandoned the land because our dwellings have been torn down.’”

NET Bible
For the sound of wailing is soon to be heard in Zion. They will wail, 'We are utterly ruined! We are completely disgraced! For our houses have been torn down and we must leave our land.'"

New Heart English Bible
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, 'How are we ruined. We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.'"

Webster's Bible Translation
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we laid waste! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.

World English Bible
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, ‘How we are ruined! We are greatly confounded because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.’”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion: How we have been spoiled! We have been greatly ashamed, "" Because we have forsaken the land, "" Because they have cast down our dwelling places.”

Young's Literal Translation
For -- a voice of wailing is heard from Zion: How have we been spoiled! We have been greatly ashamed, Because we have forsaken the land, Because they have cast down our tabernacles.

Smith's Literal Translation
For a voice of lamentation was heard from Zion: How were we laid waste! we were greatly ashamed, for we forsook the land, and cast away our dwellings.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Sion: How are we wasted and greatly confounded? because we have left the land, because our dwellings are cast down.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For a voice of lamentation has been heard from Zion: ‘How is it that we have been devastated and greatly confounded? Our tabernacles have been thrown down because we have forsaken the land.’ ”

New American Bible
The sound of the dirge is heard from Zion: We are ruined and greatly ashamed; We have left the land, given up our dwellings!

New Revised Standard Version
For a sound of wailing is heard from Zion: “How we are ruined! We are utterly shamed, because we have left the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, saying, How are we plundered! We are greatly ashamed, because we have left the land, because our tents are dismantled.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because a voice of wailing was heard from Zion that said: “How we are plundered! We are very greatly ashamed because we left the land and our tents have fallen!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: 'How are we undone! We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, Because our dwellings have cast us out.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For a voice of lamentation has been heard in Sion, How are we become wretched! we are greatly ashamed, for we have forsaken the land, and have abandoned our tabernacles!

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Lament over Zion
18Let them come quickly and take up a lament over us, that our eyes may overflow with tears, and our eyelids may gush with water. 19For the sound of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How devastated we are! How great is our shame! For we have abandoned the land because our dwellings have been torn down.’” 20Now, O women, hear the word of the LORD. Open your ears to the word of His mouth. Teach your daughters to wail, and one another to lament.…

Cross References
Lamentations 1:1-5
How lonely lies the city, once so full of people! She who was great among the nations has become a widow. The princess of the provinces has become a slave. / She weeps aloud in the night, with tears upon her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. / Judah has gone into exile under affliction and harsh slavery; she dwells among the nations but finds no place to rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her in the midst of her distress. ...

Isaiah 3:26
And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.

Ezekiel 7:16-18
The survivors will escape and live in the mountains, moaning like doves of the valley, each for his own iniquity. / Every hand will go limp, and every knee will turn to water. / They will put on sackcloth, and terror will overwhelm them. Shame will cover all their faces, and all their heads will be shaved.

Micah 1:8-9
Because of this I will lament and wail; I will walk barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and mourn like an ostrich. / For her wound is incurable; it has reached even Judah; it has approached the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem itself.

Amos 5:16-17
Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Hosts, the Lord, says: “There will be wailing in all the public squares and cries of ‘Alas! Alas!’ in all the streets. The farmer will be summoned to mourn, and the mourners to wail. / There will be wailing in all the vineyards, for I will pass through your midst,” says the LORD.

Joel 1:8-13
Wail like a virgin dressed in sackcloth, grieving for the husband of her youth. / Grain and drink offerings have been cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests are in mourning, those who minister before the LORD. / The field is ruined; the land mourns. For the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, and the oil fails. ...

Zephaniah 1:10-11
On that day,” declares the LORD, “a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second District, and a loud crashing from the hills. / Wail, O dwellers of the Hollow, for all your merchants will be silenced; all who weigh out silver will be cut off.

Hosea 10:5-8
The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn over it with its idolatrous priests—those who rejoiced in its glory—for it has been taken from them into exile. / Yes, it will be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim will be seized with shame; Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols. / Samaria will be carried off with her king like a twig on the surface of the water. ...

Isaiah 15:2-3
Dibon goes up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails over Nebo, as well as over Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard is cut off. / In its streets they wear sackcloth; on the rooftops and in the public squares they all wail, falling down weeping.

Ezekiel 27:30-32
They will raise their voices for you and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes. / They will shave their heads for you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They will weep over you with anguish of soul and bitter mourning. / As they wail and mourn over you, they will take up a lament for you: ‘Who was ever like Tyre, silenced in the middle of the sea?

Matthew 23:37-38
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! / Look, your house is left to you desolate.

Luke 19:41-44
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it / and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. / For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ...

Revelation 18:10-11
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” / And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo—

Mark 13:1-2
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look at the magnificent stones and buildings!” / “Do you see all these great buildings?” Jesus replied. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Matthew 24:2
“Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”


Treasury of Scripture

For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.

a voice.

Jeremiah 4:31
For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.

Ezekiel 7:16-18
But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity…

Micah 1:8,9
Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls…

we are.

Jeremiah 2:14
Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?

Jeremiah 4:13,20,30
Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled…

Deuteronomy 28:29
And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.

our.

Leviticus 18:25,28
And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants…

Leviticus 20:22
Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.

Lamentations 4:15
They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there.

Jump to Previous
Cast Confounded Cry Destruction Dwellings Forsaken Goes Great Greatly Heard House Houses How Laid Overcome Ruined Shame Shamed Sound Spoiled Undone Utterly Voice Wailing Waste Weeping Zion
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Cast Confounded Cry Destruction Dwellings Forsaken Goes Great Greatly Heard House Houses How Laid Overcome Ruined Shame Shamed Sound Spoiled Undone Utterly Voice Wailing Waste Weeping Zion
Jeremiah 9
1. Jeremiah laments the people for their manifold sins;
9. and for their judgment.
12. Disobedience is the cause of their bitter calamity.
17. He exhorts to mourn for their destruction;
23. and to trust not in themselves, but in God.
25. He threatens both Jews and Gentiles.














For the sound of wailing is heard from Zion
The word "wailing" in Hebrew is "nehi," which conveys a deep, mournful cry, often associated with lamentation over death or disaster. Zion, representing Jerusalem, is the spiritual heart of Israel. The sound of wailing from Zion signifies a profound national and spiritual crisis. Historically, this reflects the Babylonian siege and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem, a pivotal moment of judgment and sorrow for the Israelites. Theologically, it underscores the consequences of turning away from God, as Zion, once a place of divine presence and joy, becomes a place of lament.

‘How devastated we are!
The Hebrew root for "devastated" is "shadad," meaning to be violently destroyed or ruined. This phrase captures the utter desolation felt by the people. It is not just physical destruction but also a spiritual and emotional devastation. The exclamation reflects a realization of the severity of their situation, a moment of clarity about the consequences of their actions. In a broader spiritual context, it serves as a warning of the devastation that comes from sin and disobedience to God.

We are greatly ashamed
The Hebrew word for "ashamed" is "bosh," which implies a deep sense of disgrace and humiliation. This shame is not only due to the physical destruction but also because of the recognition of their failure to uphold their covenant with God. It is a moment of self-awareness and acknowledgment of their spiritual infidelity. From a conservative Christian perspective, this shame can be seen as a necessary step towards repentance and restoration, as it leads to a turning back to God.

for we have abandoned the land
The phrase "abandoned the land" indicates a forsaking of the inheritance given by God. The Hebrew word "azab" means to leave or forsake. This abandonment is both physical, as they are exiled from the land, and spiritual, as they have turned away from God's commandments. The land was a gift and a symbol of God's promise, and abandoning it signifies a breach of trust and relationship with God. It serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness to God's promises and commands.

because our dwellings have been torn down
The tearing down of dwellings symbolizes the complete destruction of their way of life. The Hebrew word "haras" means to demolish or overthrow. This destruction is a direct consequence of their disobedience and idolatry. It reflects the fulfillment of prophetic warnings given by Jeremiah and other prophets. In a spiritual sense, it highlights the fragility of human security and the need to build one's life on the solid foundation of God's word and promises. The tearing down of physical structures serves as a metaphor for the dismantling of spiritual complacency and the call to rebuild one's life in alignment with God's will.

(19) We have forsaken.--Better, we have left. The English version suggests a voluntary abandonment, which is not involved in the Hebrew.

Verse 19. - Forsaken; rather, left. Our dwellings have cast us out; rather, they hare cast down our dwellings.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For
כִּ֣י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the sound
ק֥וֹל (qō·wl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

of wailing
נְהִ֛י (nə·hî)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5092: A wailing, lamentation, mourning song

is heard
נִשְׁמַ֥ע (niš·ma‘)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

from Zion:
מִצִּיּ֖וֹן (miṣ·ṣî·yō·wn)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6726: Zion -- a mountain in Jerusalem, also a name for Jerusalem

‘How
אֵ֣יךְ (’êḵ)
Interjection
Strong's 349: How?, how!, where

devastated we are!
שֻׁדָּ֑דְנוּ (šud·dā·ḏə·nū)
Verb - Pual - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 7703: To deal violently with, despoil, devastate, ruin

How great
מְאֹד֙ (mə·’ōḏ)
Adverb
Strong's 3966: Vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily

is our shame,
בֹּ֤שְׁנֽוּ (bō·šə·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 954: To pale, to be ashamed, to be disappointed, delayed

for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

we have abandoned
עָזַ֣בְנוּ (‘ā·zaḇ·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 5800: To loosen, relinquish, permit

the land
אָ֔רֶץ (’ā·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

because
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

our dwellings
מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵֽינוּ׃ (miš·kə·nō·w·ṯê·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 4908: A residence, the Tabernacle

have been torn down.’”
הִשְׁלִ֖יכוּ (hiš·lî·ḵū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7993: To throw out, down, away


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 9:19 For a voice of wailing is heard (Jer.)
Jeremiah 9:18
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