Lamentations 5:12-16 The Suffering of Jerusalem

12 Princes have been hung up by their hands;
elders are shown no respect.

13 Young men toil at the millstones;
boys stagger under loads of wood.

14 The elders are gone from the city gate;
the young men have stopped their music.

15 Joy is gone from our hearts;
our dancing has turned to mourning.

16 The crown has fallen from our head.
Woe to us, for we have sinned!

Meaning of Lamentations 5:12-16

Lamentations 5:12 captures the profound grief and the utter degradation experienced during the fall of Jerusalem: "Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders are shown no respect." This verse highlights the deep sorrow over the loss of honor and the reversal of societal order, compelling us to reflect on the consequences of forsaking God's ways.

Cross References for Lamentations 5:12-16

Leviticus 19:32 - “‘Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the ... Click to read the verse Leviticus 19:32 Click to read the verse Leviticus 19:32

Jeremiah 52:10-11 - There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also k... Click to read the verse Jeremiah 52:10-11 Click to read the verse Jeremiah 52:10-11

Isaiah 47:6 - I was angry with my people and desecrated my inheritance; I gave them into your hand, and you s... Click to read the verse Isaiah 47:6 Click to read the verse Isaiah 47:6

Lamentations 2:20 - “Look, O Lord, and consider: Whom have you ever treated like this? Should women eat their offsp... Click to read the verse Lamentations 2:20 Click to read the verse Lamentations 2:20

Lamentations 2:6 - He has laid waste his dwelling like a garden; he has destroyed his place of meeting. The Lord h... Click to read the verse Lamentations 2:6 Click to read the verse Lamentations 2:6

Lamentations 2:10 - The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence; they have sprinkled dust on th... Click to read the verse Lamentations 2:10 Click to read the verse Lamentations 2:10

Jeremiah 39:6-7 - There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also k... Click to read the verse Jeremiah 39:6-7 Click to read the verse Jeremiah 39:6-7

Lamentations 4:16 - The Lord himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no h... Click to read the verse Lamentations 4:16 Click to read the verse Lamentations 4:16

Lamentations 4:2 - How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of c... Click to read the verse Lamentations 4:2 Click to read the verse Lamentations 4:2

Lamentations 1:19 - “I called to my allies but they betrayed me. My priests and my elders perished in the city whil... Click to read the verse Lamentations 1:19 Click to read the verse Lamentations 1:19

Ezekiel 19:1 - A Lament for Israel’s Princes “Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel Click to read the verse Ezekiel 19:1 Click to read the verse Ezekiel 19:1

Jeremiah 52:25-27 - Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and seven royal ... Click to read the verse Jeremiah 52:25-27 Click to read the verse Jeremiah 52:25-27