Lamentations 5:14 — Word Study
WLCזְקֵנִים֙ מִשַּׁ֣עַר שָׁבָ֔תוּ בַּחוּרִ֖ים מִנְּגִינָתָֽם׃
BSA◂The elderszâqên [old men, aged leaders] have leftshâbath■ [ceased from, abandoned] the city gateshaʻar [place of gathering, entrance to the city] the young menbâchûwr [youth, chosen ones] [have stopped] their musicnᵉgîynâh [ceased from, given up, songs, instrumental music, melodies]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| זְקֵנִים֙ | old [men] | Adj |
| מִשַּׁ֣עַר | from [the] gate | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| שָׁבָ֔תוּ | they have ceased | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| בַּחוּרִ֖ים | young men | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| מִנְּגִינָתָֽם׃ | from music their | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music. |
| KJV | The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick. |
| ASV | The elders have ceased from the gate, The young men from their music. |
| YLT | The aged from the gate have ceased, Young men from their song. |
| WEB | The elders have ceased from the gate, and the young men from their music. |
| BBE | The old men are no longer seated in the doorway, and the music of the young men has come to an end. |
Where they part company is שָׁבָ֔תוּ — see How Translations Differ.
Two main clauses connected by a semicolon, indicating a parallel situation of loss.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectזָקֵן
verbשָׁבַת
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 5:14
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 — The Desolation of Jerusalemgenerated
Lamentations 5:14 reflects a profound sense of loss in Jerusalem, where the elders, who traditionally held authority and wisdom, have left their posts at the city gate, a critical place for community decisions and gatherings. Simultaneously, the young men, who represent the future and vitality of the city, have stopped their music, indicating a cessation of joy and celebration. This verse is part of a larger lament that captures the devastation experienced by the people of Jerusalem after destruction and exile.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamentations 1:4–19 | The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gates are deserted; her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she herself is bitter with anguish. |
| 2 | Lamentations 2:10 | The elders of the Daughter of Zion sit on the ground in silence. They have thrown dust on their heads and put on sackcloth. The young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads to the ground. |
| 3 | Deuteronomy 16:18 | You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment. |
| 4 | Job 29:7–17 | When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square, |
| 5 | Job 30:1 | “But now they mock me, men younger than I am, whose fathers I would have refused to entrust with my sheep dogs. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — זְקֵנִים֙, ze.ke.Nimgenerated
The word זְקֵנִים (zeqenim) describes the elderly or old men, often in positions of authority or leadership. It emphasizes respect and wisdom, as seen in various contexts throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. The parsing as an adjective indicates it is used here to describe a group of men who have significant roles in the community.
In this verse, the elders' departure signifies a breakdown of social order and leadership, reflecting the dire situation in Jerusalem. Their absence from the city gate, a place of gathering and decision-making, underscores the loss of guidance and stability.
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 sentence structure is straightforward, with two main clauses: זְקֵנִים֙ מִשַּׁ֣עַר and בַּחוּרִ֖ים מִנְּגִינָתָֽם. The elders are the subject of the first clause, indicating their action of leaving, while the young men are the subject of the second clause, indicating their action of stopping music.
The verb שָׁבָ֔תוּ serves as the action linking the elders' departure to the overall sense of loss, while the prepositional phrases clarify the context of their actions.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, שָׁבָ֔תוּ is rendered as κατέπαυσαν (they have ceased), which carries a similar meaning of stopping or coming to an end. This choice emphasizes the finality of the actions described in the verse.
The use of πύλης for שַׁעַר indicates a direct connection to the concept of gates, reinforcing the significance of the city gate as a place of community engagement.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 5:14 describes a scene of loss in Jerusalem, where the elders have left their important roles at the city gate, and the young men have stopped playing music. This reflects a deep sorrow and absence of joy in the community.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies a loss of leadership and authority in the community, as the elders were responsible for making decisions and guiding the people.
The cessation of music indicates a loss of joy and celebration, reflecting the somber state of the community after experiencing devastation.
The city gate was a central place for gathering, decision-making, and community life, so the elders' departure from it symbolizes a breakdown of social order.
This verse highlights the themes of loss, mourning, and the consequences of sin that permeate the book of Lamentations, as the community grapples with the aftermath of destruction.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see leadership in my community, and how can I support it?
- How do I respond to moments when joy seems to cease in my life?
- What does it mean for a community when its leaders abandon their roles?
- How can I bring music and joy back into my surroundings during difficult times?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Aquinas discusses the implications of this verse in relation to the people's lost possessions and the significance of the elders' roles.
Here misery is considered in relation to the people's lost possessions. First, as persons' offices as stated: "The old men have quit the city gate." Namely, exercising their office at the city gate.Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 5 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 5:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe elders have ceased from the gate,.... Of the sanhedrim, or court of judicature, as the Targum; from the gate of the city, where they used to sit and try causes; but now there was nothing of this
Read John Gill on Lamentations 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick. The elders have ceased from the gate.
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleOur grave men were wont to sit and execute judgment in the gates, but now there is no such thing. Our young men were wont to play on music, and to have their merry meetings, but they are also ceased.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 5:14 The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.Ver. 14. The elders have ceased from the gate.] Where they were wont to sit, to judge between party and party. The young men from their music.] From their ordinary and honest recreations and disports.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(14) Have ceased from the gate.—The gate in an Eastern city was the natural place of meeting for the elder citizens as for counsel and judgment (Rth 4:1; Joshua 20:4), and also for social converse (Job 29:7; Proverbs 31:23). The “music” of this verse and the “dancing” of the next point to a like interruption of the social joys of the young.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 14. The elders have ceased from the gate] There is now no more justice administered to the people; they are under military law, or disposed of in every sense according to the caprice of their masters.
Read AdamClarke on Lamentations 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges14. from the gate] the place of social enjoyment and conversation, answering to our clubs and other places of entertainment. See on Jeremiah 14:2.
Read Cambridge on Lamentations 5 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe gate - The gate was the place for public gatherings, for conversation, and the music of stringed instruments.
Read Albert Barnes on Lamentations 5 →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
The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.
The elders have ceased from the gate, and the young men from their music.
The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music.
The elders are gone from the city gate; the young men have stopped playing their music.
Tyndale line
The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their musick.
The elders have ceased from the gate, The young men from their music.
The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music.
The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music.
The Elders haue ceased from the gate and the yong men from their songs.
Strictly literal
The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music.
The aged from the gate have ceased, Young men from their song.
Elderly have ceased from the gate, || Young men from their song.
The elders have ceased from the gate, young men, from their singing.
The elders have left the city gate, and the young men have left their music.
From the Latin
The ancients have ceased from the gates: the young men from the choir of the singers.
Simplified
The elders have abandoned their places at the city gate; the young men have given up playing their music.
The old men are no longer seated in the doorway, and the music of the young men has come to an end.
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 and the Septuagint largely agree in this verse, with four out of five words matching. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, but it conveys the same essential meaning found in the Hebrew text.
זְקֵנִים֙ מִשַּׁ֣עַר שָׁבָ֔תוּ בַּחוּרִ֖ים מִנְּגִינָתָֽם׃
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 5:14
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.
זָקֵן (zaqen) means 'old' and is used to refer to human beings, often as a noun for 'old man' or 'elder.' It encompasses meanings related to age and authority, indicating both age and leadership roles. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to be old,' and it is consistently associated with the concept of elders in various contexts.
זָקֵן adj. old
old, of human beings
usu. as subst.
old man (or woman)
elder
base
H2205 זָקֵן old . old, of human beings
. usu. as subst. . old man (or woman)
. elder
2205 zaqen zaw-kane'
from 2204; old:--aged, ancient (man), elder(-est), old (man,
men and...women), senator.
see HEBREW for 02204
זָקֵן (za.qen) — old: elder.
: elder/leader
1) old
1a) old (of humans)
1b) elder (of those having authority)
זָקֵן (za.qen) — old.
: old
1) old
1a) old (of humans)
1b) elder (of those having authority)
Also means: za.qen (זָקֵן ": elder" H2205)
Adj — AdjHAampa
שַׁ֫עַר (sha'ar) means 'gate' and is derived from a root that signifies an opening. It encompasses various types of gates, including those of cities, palaces, and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like 'gate of heaven.' The entries consistently highlight its role as an entrance or threshold.
שַׁ֫עַר 373 n.m. gate
base
H8179 שַׁ֫עַר gate
8179 sha`ar shah'-ar
from 8176 in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or
gate:--city, door, gate, port (X -er).
see HEBREW for 08176
שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate.
: gate
1) gate
1a) gate (of entrance)
1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)
1b1) city, town
1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)
1d) heaven
שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate: town.
: town
1) gate
1a) gate (of entrance)
1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)
1b1) city, town
1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)
1d) heaven
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
gat (Hebrew normally (over 300 times) sha`ar; occasionally deleth, properly, "gateway" (but compare De 3:5); elsewhere the gateway is pethach (compare especially Ge 19:6); Aramaic tera`; Greek pulon, pule; the English Revised Version and the King James Version add caph, "threshold," in 1Ch 9:19,22; and the King James Version adds delathayim, "double-door," in Isa 45:1; thura, "door," Ac 3:2):
(1) The usual gateway was provided with double doors, swung on projections that fitted into sockets in the sill and lintel. Ordinarily the material was wood (Ne 2:3,17), but greater…
Gate
(1.) Of cities, as of Jerusalem (Jer. 37:13; Neh. 1:3; 2:3; 3:3), of Sodom (Gen. 19:1), of Gaza (Judg. 16:3).
(2.) Of royal palaces (Neh. 2:8).
(3.) Of the temple of Solomon (1 Kings 6:34, 35; 2 Kings 18:16); of the holy place (1 Kings 6:31, 32; Ezek. 41:23, 24); of the outer courts of the temple, the beautiful gate (Acts 3:2).
The gate and gateways of eastern cities anciently held and still hold an important part, not only in the defence but in the public economy of the place. They are thus sometimes taken as representing the city itself. (Genesis 22:17; 24:60; 12:12; Judges 5:8; Ruth 4:10; Psalms 87:2; 122:2) Among the special purposes for which they were used may be mentioned. As places of public resort. (Genesis 19:1; 23:10; 34:20; 24; 1 Samuel 4:18) etc. Places for public deliberation, administration of Justice, or of audience for kings and rulers or ambassadors. (16:18; 21:19; 25:7;
The gates of eastern walled towns were usually of wood, Jud 16:3, often covered with thick plates of iron or copper, Ps 107:16 Isa 45:2 Ac 12:10, secured by bolts and bars, De 3:5 1Ki 4:13, and flanked by towers, 2Sa 18:24,33. A city was usually regarded as taken when its gates were won, De 28:52 Jud 5:8. Hence "gate" sometimes signifies power, dominion; almost in the same sense as the Turkish sultan’s…
שָׁבַת (shabath) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cease or rest, often in the context of stopping work. It can also imply causing something to cease or fail, and is associated with observing the Sabbath. The entries indicate its use in various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, covering a range of meanings from simple cessation to destruction.
שָׁבַת 71 vb. cease, desist, rest
Qal 27
cease
desist from labour, rest
Niph. cease
Hiph.
40 cause to cease, put an end to
= exterminate, destroy
cause to desist from
remove
cause to fail, let be lacking
base
[שָׁבַת] vb. denom. keep, observe (sabbath)
base
H7673a שָׁבַת cease, desist, rest .. cease
. desist from labour, rest
. cease
. . cause to cease, put an end to
. = exterminate, destroy
. cause to desist from
. remove
. cause to fail, let be lacking
H7673b שָׁבַת vb. denom. keep, observe (sabbath)
7673 shabath shaw-bath'
a primitive root; to repose, i.e. desist from exertion; used
in many implied relations (causative, figurative or
specific):--(cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause
(make) to fail, keep (sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave,
put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away.
שָׁבַת (sha.vat) — to cease.
1) to cease, desist, rest
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to cease
1a2) to rest, desist (from labour)
1b) (Niphal) to cease
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to cease, put an end to
1c2) to exterminate, destroy
1c3) to cause to desist from
1c4) to remove
1c5) to cause to fail
שָׁבַת (sha.vat) — to keep.
(Qal) to keep or observe the sabbath
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
בָּחוּר (bachuwr) refers to a young man or youth, often implying someone who has been selected or chosen. The term appears in contexts that highlight youthfulness, and it is derived from a root meaning 'to select.' It is notably referenced in Isaiah 62:5.
בָּחוּר n.m. young man Is 62:5 7 t.
base
H970 בָּחוּר young man
970 bachuwr baw-khoor'
or bachur {baw-khoor'}; participle passive of 977; properly,
selected, i.e. a youth (often collective):--(choice) young
(man), chosen, X hole.
see HEBREW for 0977
בָּחוּר (ba.chur) — youth.
youth, young man
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
→ General scriptures concerning Ex 24:3-5; 1Ki 12:6-15; 2Ch 10:8; Ps 119:9; 148:12,13; Pr 1:1-33; 2:1-22; 3:1-35; 4:1-27; 5:1-23; 6:1-35; 7:1-27; 10:1; 13:1; 15:5,20; 17:2,25; 19:13,26,27; 20:29; 23:15-35; 24:1-34; 27:11; 28:7; 29:3; 31:1-3; Jer 22:18-21; Mt 19:16-22; Mr 10:17-22; Lu 15:11-32; 18:18-23; 1Ti 4:12;
נְגִינָה (ngiynah) refers to music, particularly instrumental music associated with stringed instruments. It can also denote a song or poem set to music, including taunting or mocking songs. The term appears in contexts related to musical performance, as seen in Psalm 61's title.
[נְגִינָה] n.f. music
base
H5058 [נְגִינָה] music
5058 ngiynah neg-ee-naw'
or ngiynath (Psa. 61:title) {neg-ee-nath'}; from 5059;
properly, instrumental music; by implication, a stringed
instrument; by extension, a poem set to music; specifically,
an epigram:--stringed instrument, musick, Neginoth (plural),
song.
see HEBREW for 05059
נְגִינָה (ne.gi.nah) — music.
1) music, song, taunt song
1a) music (of stringed instrument)
1b) song
1b1) taunting or mocking song
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncfsc/Sp3mp