Lamentations 1:15
What does Lamentations 1:15 mean?
A plain-English look at Lamentations 1:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Lamentations 1:15 means
The Lord has rejected the city’s warriors and convened an “assembly” not for worship but for judgment, to crush her young men. The final image is dreadful: “The Lord hath trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah.” What should have been festival becomes trampling. The winepress symbolizes wrath and the extracting of life under divine feet. The humiliation touches the strongest and the tenderest—mighty men and maiden daughter alike—signaling a total judgment. This is the opposite of protection; it is exposure to divine treading. The verse compels readers to feel the offense of sin and the righteousness of God’s response, even as the heart breaks at the cost.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000The Lord hath set at nought all my mighty men in the midst of me; He hath called a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men: The Lord hath trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah.
KJV
King James Version · 1611The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901The Lord hath set at nought all my mighty men in the midst of me; He hath called a solemn assembly against me to crush my young men: The Lord hath trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949The Lord has made sport of all my men of war in me, he has got men together against me to send destruction on my young men: the virgin daughter of Judah has been crushed like grapes under the feet of the Lord.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Trodden down all my mighty ones hath the Lord in my midst, He proclaimed against me an appointed time, To destroy my young men, A wine-press hath the Lord trodden, To the virgin daughter of Judah.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Samech. The Lord hath taken away all my mighty men out of the midst of me: he hath called against me the time, to destroy my chosen men: the Lord hath trodden the winepress for the virgin daughter of Juda.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890The Lord hath cast down all my mighty men in the midst of me; he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men; the Lord hath trodden as a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah.
Context
After acknowledging the yoke of transgressions (verse 14), the lament describes God’s communal judgment (verse 15) using sacrificial and festival imagery turned upside down. This sets the tone for verse 16’s outpouring of tears over the absence of a comforter and the desolation of children. The alternating pattern of theology and emotion continues: divine action explained, then grief expressed. It also keeps attention on the Lord as the principal actor, preparing for the confession of his righteousness (verse 18) and the later appeal that he would judge gloating enemies in due time (verse 21).
v.14The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand; They are knit together, they are come up upon my neck; he hath made my strength to fail: The Lord hath delivered me into their hands, against whom I am not able to stand.
v.15This passage
v.16For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water; Because the comforter that should refresh my soul is far from me: My children are desolate, because the enemy hath prevailed.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Jeremiah 14:17
And thou shalt say this word unto them, Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.
- Isaiah 63:3
I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the peoples there was no man with me: yea, I trod them in mine anger, and trampled them in my wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my raiment.
- Revelation 14:19
And the angel cast his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth, and cast it into the winepress, the great winepress, of the wrath of God.
- 2 Kings 24:14
And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths; none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.
- Deuteronomy 28:33
The fruit of thy ground, and all thy labors, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway;
- 2 Kings 9:33
And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down; and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trod her under foot.
Related questions readers ask
Keep reading
Want to dig deeper? Explore Lamentations 1
Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Lamentations 1.
Topics that quote it
Topic
Bible Verses About Faithfulness
Faithfulness describes a person’s loyal and steadfast devotion to God, and also God’s unchanging, unfailing character.
Topic
Bible Verses About the Faithfulness of God
God’s faithfulness is a cornerstone of our hope, revealing His unwavering character and His commitment to His promises through all generations.
Topic
Bible Verses About the Mercy of God
God’s mercy is a profound aspect of His character, showing His compassionate love and steadfast faithfulness toward humanity
What the Bible says about…
Verses for this moment
Verses for
Bible Verses for Morning Work Anxiety
Start the workday from a steadier place — verses to pray with coffee.
Verses for
Bible Verses for the Anniversary of a Loss
When the calendar remembers — verses for the day you can't forget.
Verses for
Bible Verses for When You Feel Hopeless
When the future has gone gray — verses that don't lecture, only hold.