Lamentations 1:8 Meaning and Explanation
“Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jerusalem's grave sin has made her an object of contempt, exposed and ashamed, turning away in disgrace.
What Does Lamentations 1:8 Mean?
The confession is blunt and unsparing: Jerusalem has grievously sinned. The poem will not soften it or shift the blame. Her removal from honor is the direct fruit of that sin, and those who once admired her now look on with contempt. Shame, here, is the public face of guilt laid bare.
'They have seen her nakedness' speaks of exposure, the stripping away of every protection and pretense. There is nowhere left to hide. She sighs and turns backward, shrinking from the gaze of the world. The verse captures the particular humiliation of sin found out, when what was done in secret stands revealed before all.
Lamentations 1:8 in the Original Language
chet' (חֵטְא), 'sin' -- to miss the mark, to fall short of the way one was made to walk.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lamentations 1:8
What does Lamentations 1:8 mean?
Jerusalem's grave sin has made her an object of contempt, exposed and ashamed, turning away in disgrace.