Lamentations 3:38
What does Lamentations 3:38 mean?
A plain-English look at Lamentations 3:38 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Lamentations 3:38 means
From the mouth of the Most High come both “evil” and good—that is, both calamity and blessing. This does not ascribe moral evil to God; rather, it affirms His governance over all providences. Nothing falls outside His decree, including the disasters that befell Jerusalem. Such sovereignty comforts and confronts: comfort, because suffering is not meaningless; confrontation, because it removes excuses and demands humble submission. Knowing that God rules over both storm and sunshine prepares the heart to accept correction and to seek His mercy, recognizing that He can also speak restoration in due time.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good?
KJV
King James Version · 1611Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Out of the mouth of the Most High cometh there not evil and good?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Do not evil and good come from the mouth of the Most High?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862From the mouth of the Most High Go not forth the evils and the good.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Mem. Shall not both evil and good proceed out of the mouth of the Highest?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Out of the mouth of the Most High doth not there proceed evil and good?
Context
This verse completes the assertion of divine sovereignty begun in verse 37. Verse 39 will now apply it: if God rules and has spoken judgment because of sin, then the living should not complain but repent. This progression moves from high theology to practical response, paving the way for the communal call to self-examination and prayer in verses 40–41.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Amos 3:6
Shall the trumpet be blown in a city, and the people not be afraid? shall evil befall a city, and Jehovah hath not done it?
- Job 2:10
But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
- Jeremiah 32:42
For thus saith Jehovah: Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.
- Isaiah 45:7
I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I am Jehovah, that doeth all these things.
- Psalms 75:7
But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and lifteth up another.
- Proverbs 29:26
Many seek the ruler’s favor; But a man’s judgmentcomethfrom Jehovah.
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