Lamentations 3:20 — Word Study
WLCזָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃
BSA◂Surelyzâkar my soulnephesh [the essence of a person] ◂rememberszâkar▸ [to recall, to mark] and is humbledshûwach▸ [bowed down, sinking into depression] within meʻal [upon my heart, in my inner being]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| זָכ֣וֹר | continually | Verb, Qal, infinitive absolute |
| תִּזְכּ֔וֹר | it remembers | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person feminine singular |
| וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ | so it may bow down | Conjunction, verb qal third person feminine singular |
| עָלַ֖י | on me | Preposition, suffix |
| נַפְשִֽׁי׃ | self my | Noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Surely my soul remembers and is humbled within me. |
| KJV | My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. |
| ASV | My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me. |
| YLT | Remember well, and bow down doth my soul in me. |
| WEB | My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me. |
| BBE | My soul still keeps the memory of them; and is bent down in me. |
Where they part company is וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence structure reveals a primary action of remembering, followed by a response of humility, emphasizing the emotional impact of memory.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbזָכַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Lamentations 3:20
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Reflections on Sufferinggenerated
Lamentations 3:20 is part of a larger lament where the speaker recalls their suffering and the bitterness of their experiences. This verse emphasizes the internal struggle of the soul and the humility that arises from remembering past afflictions. The preceding verses highlight the pain of remembrance, while the following verse introduces a glimmer of hope despite the suffering.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 21:6 | When I remember, terror takes hold, and my body trembles in horror. |
| 2 | Psalm 42:5–6 | Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him for the salvation of His presence. |
| 3 | Psalm 43:5 | Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God. |
| 4 | Psalm 146:8 | the LORD opens the eyes of the blind, the LORD lifts those who are weighed down, the LORD loves the righteous. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — זָכַר, za.Khorgenerated
The Hebrew word זָכַר (zakar) means 'to remember' and is built from a primitive root implying recognition. It encompasses a range of meanings, including recalling thoughts and commemorating significant events. In this context, it emphasizes the act of remembering one's afflictions, which leads to a state of humility.
This word is used in various grammatical forms, indicating its versatility. Here, it is in the infinitive absolute form, which adds emphasis to the act of remembering, suggesting that it is a continual and significant action for the speaker.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of two main clauses: the first describes the act of remembering, while the second expresses the resulting state of humility. The structure emphasizes the connection between memory and emotional response.
The finite verb תִּזְכּ֔וֹר (tizkor) governs the sentence, indicating that the act of remembering leads to the subsequent feeling of being humbled. The prepositional phrase עָלַ֖י (alai) adds depth by specifying that this humility is felt within the speaker.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תִּזְכּ֔וֹר as μνησθήσεται, which carries the meaning of 'to be remembered'. This choice indicates a focus on the act of memory as a divine action, emphasizing the importance of remembrance in the context of suffering.
The Greek word καταδολεσξήσει for וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ suggests a similar notion of sinking or bowing down, aligning with the emotional weight of the Hebrew term.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 3:20 reflects on personal suffering, where the speaker's soul remembers past troubles and feels humbled as a result. This verse highlights the connection between memory and emotional response, illustrating how recalling pain can lead to a sense of humility.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
In this context, remembering refers to the act of recalling past afflictions, which can evoke feelings of sadness and humility.
Remembering past sufferings can bring a sense of vulnerability and awareness of one's own limitations, leading to humility.
This verse encapsulates the themes of suffering and reflection that permeate Lamentations, emphasizing the emotional turmoil experienced by the speaker.
This verse teaches that acknowledging and remembering our struggles can lead to humility and a deeper understanding of ourselves.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I respond when I remember difficult times in my life?
- What role does humility play in my personal reflections on suffering?
- In what ways can remembering my past help me grow spiritually?
- How can I support others who are struggling with their memories and feelings?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 3:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleMy soul hath [them] still in remembrance,.... That is, according to our version, affliction and misery, compared to wormwood and gall: but the words, "my soul", are fetched from the next clause,
Read John Gill on Lamentations 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryRemembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThat is, I cannot forget them, and the thoughts of them sink my spirits.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 3:20 My soul hath [them] still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.Ver. 20. My soul hath them still in remembrance.] But it is not good to plod overly much in this case. Such bitter pills should be swallowed whole, and not chewed upon, unless it be for our further humiliation.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(20) My soul hath . . .—The verb, as in Lamentations 3:17, may be either in the second person or the third; the former gives, Thou wilt surely remember that my soul is humbled. Psalms 42:4 supports the Authorised version.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 3 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 20. By soul - is humbled in me.] It is evident that in the preceding verses there is a bitterness of complaint against the bitterness of adversity, that is not becoming to man when under the chastising hand of God; and, while indulging this feeling, all hope fled. Here we find a different feeling; he humbles himself under the mighty hand of God, and then his hope revives, Lamentations 3:21.
Read AdamClarke on Lamentations 3 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Surely my soul remembers and is humbled within me.
My soul still remembers them, and is bowed down within me.
Surely my soul remembers and is humbled within me.
I continually think about this, and I am depressed.
Tyndale line
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is bowed down within me.
My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
My soule hath them in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
Strictly literal
My soul hath [them] constantly in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
Remember well, and bow down doth my soul in me.
Remember well, and my soul bows down in me.
Remembering [this] continually my soul is bowed down deeply within me.
I continually remember it and I am bowed down within me.
From the Latin
Zain. I will be mindful and remember, and my soul shall languish within me.
Simplified
I certainly haven't forgotten. I remember it all too well, so I sink into depression.
My soul still keeps the memory of them; and is bent down in me.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text of Lamentations 3:20 reads, "זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃", which translates to "Surely my soul remembers and is humbled within me." The Septuagint, while not providing a direct translation in this instance, shares a similar sentiment with four out of five words matching the Hebrew text. However, the exact wording and structure differ due to the nature of the Greek translation. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variants for this verse, thus supporting the reading found in the Masoretic Text.
זָכ֣וֹר תִּזְכּ֔וֹר וְתָשׁ֥וֹחַ עָלַ֖י נַפְשִֽׁי׃
4 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Lamentations 3:20
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word זָכַר (zakar) means 'to remember' and is built from a primitive root implying recognition. It covers a range of meanings, including recalling thoughts, commemorating days, and causing others to remember. The entries also note its use in various grammatical forms, such as being remembered or making a memorial.
זָכַר vb. remember
Qal
Human subj.
remember, recall, call to mind, usu. as affecting present feeling, thought or action
remember persons (human subj.)
remember י׳
remember
think of or on, call to mind something present or future
remember a day, to observe, commemorate it
remember, with implied mention of, obj.
Subj. י׳ (אלהִם)
remember persons
remember the distress of his servants
their devotion
remember his own covenant (with them)
his mercy
extenuating circumstances
remember sins, idolatries
Niph.
be brought to remembrance, remembered, thought of, usu. c. neg.
neg. be not remembered = no longer exist, of name of Israel, as nation
be remembered, of particular days, in order to be observed, commemorated
Hiph.
cause to remember, remind
cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance
mention
record, only pt.
of sacrifice, make a memorial
base
H2142 זָכַר remember .. Human subj. . remember, recall, call to mind, usu. as affecting present feeling, thought or action
. remember persons (human subj.)
. remember י׳
. remember
. think of or on, call to mind something present or future
. remember a day, to observe, commemorate it
. remember, with implied mention of, obj.
. Subj. י׳ (אלהִם) . remember persons
. . remember the distress of his servants
. their devotion
. . remember his own covenant (with them)
. his mercy
. extenuating circumstances
. remember sins, idolatries
. . be brought to remembrance, remembered, thought of, usu. c. neg.
. neg. be not remembered = no longer exist, of name of Israel, as nation
. be remembered, of particular days, in order to be observed, commemorated
. . cause to remember, remind
. cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance
. mention
. record, only pt.
. of sacrifice, make a memorial
2142 zakar zaw-kar'
a primitive root; properly, to mark (so as to be recognized),
i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; also (as
denominative from 2145) to be male:--X burn (incense), X
earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount,
record(-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call,
come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, X still, think on, X
well.
see HEBREW for 02145
זָכַר (za.khar) — to remember.
1) to remember, recall, call to mind
1a) (Qal) to remember, recall
1b) (Niphal) to be brought to remembrance, be remembered, be thought of, be brought to mind
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to remember, remind
1c2) to cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance
1c3) to mention
1c4) to record
1c5) to make a memorial, make remembrance
V-Qal-Ptc — Verb · Qal · infinitive absoluteHVqaa
The Hebrew word זָכַר (zakar) means 'to remember' and is built from a primitive root implying recognition. It covers a range of meanings, including recalling thoughts, commemorating days, and causing others to remember. The entries also note its use in various grammatical forms, such as being remembered or making a memorial.
זָכַר vb. remember
Qal
Human subj.
remember, recall, call to mind, usu. as affecting present feeling, thought or action
remember persons (human subj.)
remember י׳
remember
think of or on, call to mind something present or future
remember a day, to observe, commemorate it
remember, with implied mention of, obj.
Subj. י׳ (אלהִם)
remember persons
remember the distress of his servants
their devotion
remember his own covenant (with them)
his mercy
extenuating circumstances
remember sins, idolatries
Niph.
be brought to remembrance, remembered, thought of, usu. c. neg.
neg. be not remembered = no longer exist, of name of Israel, as nation
be remembered, of particular days, in order to be observed, commemorated
Hiph.
cause to remember, remind
cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance
mention
record, only pt.
of sacrifice, make a memorial
base
H2142 זָכַר remember .. Human subj. . remember, recall, call to mind, usu. as affecting present feeling, thought or action
. remember persons (human subj.)
. remember י׳
. remember
. think of or on, call to mind something present or future
. remember a day, to observe, commemorate it
. remember, with implied mention of, obj.
. Subj. י׳ (אלהִם) . remember persons
. . remember the distress of his servants
. their devotion
. . remember his own covenant (with them)
. his mercy
. extenuating circumstances
. remember sins, idolatries
. . be brought to remembrance, remembered, thought of, usu. c. neg.
. neg. be not remembered = no longer exist, of name of Israel, as nation
. be remembered, of particular days, in order to be observed, commemorated
. . cause to remember, remind
. cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance
. mention
. record, only pt.
. of sacrifice, make a memorial
2142 zakar zaw-kar'
a primitive root; properly, to mark (so as to be recognized),
i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention; also (as
denominative from 2145) to be male:--X burn (incense), X
earnestly, be male, (make) mention (of), be mindful, recount,
record(-er), remember, make to be remembered, bring (call,
come, keep, put) to (in) remembrance, X still, think on, X
well.
see HEBREW for 02145
זָכַר (za.khar) — to remember.
1) to remember, recall, call to mind
1a) (Qal) to remember, recall
1b) (Niphal) to be brought to remembrance, be remembered, be thought of, be brought to mind
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to remember, remind
1c2) to cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance
1c3) to mention
1c4) to record
1c5) to make a memorial, make remembrance
V-Qal-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singularHVqi3fs
שׁוּחַ (shuwach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sink down, which can refer to a physical act of bowing or a figurative sense of humility or mental depression. It appears in various forms, including Qal and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of the action. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.
[שׁוּחַ] vb. sink down
Qal
Hiph.
Hithp.
base
H7743 שׁוּחַ
7743 shuwach shoo'-akh
a primitive root; to sink, literally or figuratively:--bow
down, incline, humble.
שׁוּחַ (shu.ach) — to sink.
1) to sink down, be bowed down, be humble
1a) (Qal) to sink down
1b) (Hiphil) of depression of the mind
Conj | V-Hiphil-Imperf-3fs — Conjunction · verb qal third person feminine singularHC/Vqu3fs
The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
עַל, עָ֑ל
subst. height
As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed
—
of clothing, etc., which any one wears
With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears
. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it
. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him
. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him
. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him
. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)
5921 `al al
properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the
singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a
particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always
in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great
variety of applications (as follow):--above, according
to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because
of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both
and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in
(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,
through(-out), to, touching, X with.
see HEBREW for 05920
עַל (al) — upon.
prep
1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against
1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards
1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)
1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)
1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)
1e) over (of suspension or extension)
1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)
1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)
1h) to (as a dative)
[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.
conj
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bs
The Hebrew word נֶ֫פֶשׁ (*nephesh*) broadly means 'soul' or 'living being,' encompassing concepts like life, self, person, desire, and emotion. It is derived from the root meaning 'to breathe' and signifies both physical and mental aspects of existence. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, including as the seat of appetites and emotions, though its application to will and character is uncertain.
נֶ֫פֶשׁ 756 n.f. soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
= that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
The נפשׁ becomes a living being
The נפשׁ is specif.
The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
נ׳ in D
base
H5315 נֶ֫פֶשׁ soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion . = that which breathes, the breathing substance or being
. The נפשׁ becomes a living being
. The נפשׁ is specif.
. The נפשׁ as the essential of man stands for the man himself
. נפשׁ = seat of the appetites, in all periods (46 t.)
. נ׳ = seat of emotions and passions
. נפשׁ is used occasionally for mental acts
. נפשׁ for acts of the will is dub.
. נפשׁ = character is still more dub.
. נ׳ in D
5315 nephesh neh'-fesh
from 5314; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of
(abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal,
accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental):--any,
appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire,
X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y),
(hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me,
mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-,
thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they,
thing, (X she) will, X would have it.
see HEBREW for 05314
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
1g1) uncertain
1h) activity of the will
1h1) uncertain
1i) activity of the character
1i1) uncertain
נֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) — soul: life.
1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion
1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man
1b) living being
1c) living being (with life in the blood)
1d) the man himself, self, person or individual
1e) seat of the appetites
1f) seat of emotions and passions
1g) activity of mind
N-cs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHNcfsc/Sp1bs