Lamentations 5:15 — Word Study
WLCשָׁבַת֙ מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ לִבֵּ֔נוּ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְאֵ֖בֶל מְחֹלֵֽנוּ׃
BSAJoymâsôws [happiness, rejoicing] has leftshâbath■ [ceased, come to an end] our heartslêb [the center of feelings, will, and intellect] our dancingmâchôwl [a round dance, a circle of celebration] has turnedhâphak■ [been overturned, completely changed] to mourningʼêbel [a state of grief, lamentation]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| שָׁבַת֙ | it has ceased | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ | [the] joy of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| לִבֵּ֔נוּ | heart our | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ | it has been changed | Verb, Niphal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| לְאֵ֖בֶל | into mourning | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| מְחֹלֵֽנוּ׃ | dancing our | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. |
| KJV | The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning. |
| ASV | The joy of our heart is ceased; Our dance is turned into mourning. |
| YLT | Ceased hath the joy of our heart, Turned to mourning hath been our dancing. |
| WEB | The joy of our heart has ceased. Our dance is turned into mourning. |
| BBE | The joy of our hearts is ended; our dancing is changed into sorrow. |
Where they part company is מְשׂוֹשׂ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of two main clauses, each expressing a significant emotional state, connected by the theme of loss.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
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 5:15
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 Lament of the Peoplegenerated
Lamentations 5:15 describes the profound sadness of the people of Israel after their city has been destroyed. The loss of joy and the transformation of their celebrations into mourning reflect the deep emotional impact of their circumstances. The surrounding verses highlight the desolation and despair felt by the community, emphasizing their grief over the loss of life and vitality.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 30:11 | You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, |
| 2 | Amos 6:4–7 | You lie on beds inlaid with ivory, and lounge upon your couches. You dine on lambs from the flock and calves from the stall. |
| 3 | Amos 8:10 | I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation. I will cause everyone to wear sackcloth and every head to be shaved. I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and its outcome like a bitter day. |
| 4 | James 4:9–10 | Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שָׁבַת, sha.Vatgenerated
The verb שָׁבַת (sha.Vat) means 'to cease' or 'to rest', indicating that joy has come to an end. This word is often associated with the observance of the Sabbath, where work ceases, but here it signifies the cessation of joy in the hearts of the people.
In this verse, the perfect tense indicates a completed action; joy has definitively left. The use of this verb emphasizes the finality of their loss, marking a significant emotional shift in their experience.
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 main verb שָׁבַת governs the sentence, indicating the action of joy ceasing. The structure is straightforward, with a subject followed by a predicate that describes the state of joy and dancing.
The sentence construction emphasizes the transition from joy to mourning, with the verbs שָׁבַת and נֶהְפַּךְ marking the significant changes in the emotional state of the community.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שָׁבַת as κατέλυσεν, meaning 'it has ceased.' This choice reflects a strong emphasis on the finality of the loss of joy, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning.
The translation of נֶהְפַּךְ as ἐστράφη suggests a complete transformation, reinforcing the idea of a radical change from joy to mourning.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 5:15 expresses the sorrow of the people of Israel, stating that joy has left their hearts and their dancing has turned into mourning. This reflects the deep grief felt after the destruction of Jerusalem and the loss of their joyful celebrations.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies a profound loss and sadness experienced by the people, indicating that their previous happiness has been replaced by grief.
The transformation from dancing to mourning reflects the drastic change in their circumstances, where celebrations have been replaced by lamentation due to the destruction they have faced.
The heart represents the center of emotions and thoughts, and its mention underscores the depth of sorrow felt by the people.
This verse encapsulates the overarching theme of Lamentations, which is the expression of grief and sorrow over the destruction of Jerusalem and the loss of joy in the lives of its people.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I can identify and express my own feelings of grief or loss?
- How can I support others who are experiencing sadness or mourning?
- In what ways can I find joy again after experiencing difficult times?
- What lessons can I learn from the lament of the people in this verse?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The verse has been referenced by early commentators, including Thomas Aquinas, who discusses the cessation of joy and the transition to mourning.
Here reference is made to the exercise of joy: "The joy of our hearts has ceased, our dincing has been turned to mourning." As the propher Amos states: "I will turn your feasts into mourning,Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 5 →
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 5:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe joy of our heart is ceased,.... ward joy was gone, as well as the external signs of it: it "sabbatized" (y), as it may be rendered; alluding perhaps to the cordial joy expressed formerly on their
Read John Gill on Lamentations 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleEither our rejoicing at our solemn festivals, and dancings there, which were usual, as appeareth from many scriptures; or all our joy and dancings, as well at other times as in our solemn festivals.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 5:15 The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.Ver. 15. The joy of our heart is ceased.] Heb., Keepeth Sabbath, i.e., is vanished, and that because we made not God’ s Sabbath our delight.
Read John Trapp 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
Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.
The joy of our heart has ceased. Our dance is turned into mourning.
Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.
Our hearts no longer have any joy; our dancing is turned to mourning.
Tyndale line
The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
The joy of our heart is ceased; Our dance is turned into mourning.
The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
The joy of our heart hath ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
The ioy of our heart is gone, our daunce is turned into mourning.
Strictly literal
The joy of our heart hath ceased; our dance is turned into mourning.
Ceased hath the joy of our heart, Turned to mourning hath been our dancing.
The joy of our heart has ceased, || Our dancing has been turned to mourning.
Ceased hath the joy of our heart: our dance is changed into mourning.
The joy of our heart has ceased and our dancing has turned into mourning.
From the Latin
The joy of our heart is ceased, our dancing is turned into mourning.
Simplified
There's no more happiness for us; our dancing has turned into mourning.
The joy of our hearts is ended; our dancing is changed into sorrow.
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 agree in their wording for this verse, indicating that the Hebrew text has been preserved accurately in the Greek translation. Both versions convey the same sense of loss and transformation.
שָׁבַת֙ מְשׂ֣וֹשׂ לִבֵּ֔נוּ נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְאֵ֖בֶל מְחֹלֵֽנוּ׃
6 of the 6 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 5:15
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.
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-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms
מָשׂוֹשׂ (masows) refers to exultation or joy, encompassing both the feeling of delight and its causes. It is derived from the root word for joy, שָׂשׂוֹן (shason). The term is used in contexts related to rejoicing and mirth.
מָשׂוֹשׂ n.m. id. [שָׂשׂוֹן];—exultation
base
H4885 מָשׂוֹשׂ id. [שָׂשׂוֹן];—exultation
4885 masows maw-soce'
from 7797; delight, concretely (the cause or object) or
abstractly (the feeling):--joy, mirth, rejoice.
see HEBREW for 07797
מָשׂוֹשׂ (ma.s.vo.s) — rejoicing.
exultation, joy, rejoicing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) means 'heart' and encompasses the inner man, mind, will, and emotions. It refers to the center of feelings, intellect, and moral character, as well as the seat of appetites and courage. The entries suggest a broad range of meanings related to human experience and thought, with a specific mention of its use in Jeremiah 51:1.
לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart
seldom of things in the midst of the sea
elsewhere of men
the inner man in contrast with the outer
the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will
specific reference to mind
spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will
spec. ref. to conscience
[various]
for the man himself
as seat of appetites
as seat of emotions and passions
seat of courage
base
לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.
ref
H3820a לֵב inner man, mind, will, heart . seldom of things in the midst of the sea
. elsewhere of men . the inner man in contrast with the outer
. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will
. specific reference to mind
. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will
. spec. ref. to conscience
. [various]
. for the man himself
. as seat of appetites
. as seat of emotions and passions
. seat of courage
H3820b לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash
3820 leb labe
a form of 3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very
widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect;
likewise for the centre of anything:--+ care for, comfortably,
consent, X considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-),
(hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart((-ed)), X
heed, X I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), X regard((-ed)), X
themselves, X unawares, understanding, X well, willingly,
wisdom.
see HEBREW for 03824
לֵב (lev) — heart.
1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding
1a) inner part, midst
1a1) midst (of things)
1a2) heart (of man)
1a3) soul, heart (of man)
1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)
1a6) conscience
1a7) heart (of moral character)
1a8) as seat of appetites
1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage
לֵב (lev) — Leb.
§ Leb- = "heart of"
(probably a cryptic name for Babylon by Atbash)
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bp
הָפַךְ (haphak) is a Hebrew verb meaning to turn or overturn, with implications of change and transformation. It can describe actions like turning back, being reversed, or even being perverse. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, including reflexive and passive uses, indicating a wide range of applications in the Old Testament.
הָפַךְ vb. turn, overturn
Qal
trans.
turn, turn about, turn over
overturn, overthrow
turn = change, transform
intrans.
turn, turn back
turn = change, change into
Niph.
reflex. & intrans.
turn oneself, turn, turn back
turn = change (oneself)
be perverse
pass.
be turned, turn over to
be reversed
be turned, changed
be overturned, overthrown
be upturned, of subterran. work of miners
Hithp.
turn this way & that, every way
transform oneself
Hoph. there have been turned upon me terrors
base
H2015 הָפַךְ turn, overturn .. trans. . turn, turn about, turn over
. overturn, overthrow
. turn = change, transform
. intrans. . turn, turn back
. turn = change, change into
. . reflex. & intrans. . turn oneself, turn, turn back
. turn = change (oneself)
. be perverse
. pass. . be turned, turn over to
. be reversed
. be turned, changed
. be overturned, overthrown
. be upturned, of subterran. work of miners
. . turn this way & that, every way
. transform oneself
. there have been turned upon me terrors
2015 haphak haw-fak'
a primitive root; to turn about or over; by implication, to
change, overturn, return, pervert:--X become, change, come, be
converted, give, make (a bed), overthrow (-turn), perverse,
retire, tumble, turn (again, aside, back, to the contrary,
every way).
הָפַךְ (ha.phakh) — to overturn.
1) to turn, overthrow, overturn
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to overturn, overthrow
1a2) to turn, turn about, turn over, turn around
1a3) to change, transform
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to turn oneself, turn, turn back
1b2) to change oneself
1b3) to be perverse
1b4) to be turned, be turned over, be changed, be turned against
1b5) to be reversed
1b6) to be overturned, be overthrown
1b7) to be upturned
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to transform oneself
1c2) to turn this way and that, turn every way
1d) (Hophal) to turn on someone
V-Niphal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person masculine singularHVNp3ms
אֵ֫בֶל (ebel) means mourning, particularly in the context of grief for the dead. It encompasses various aspects of mourning, including rites, mourning attire, and the period associated with mourning. The word is derived from a root meaning lamentation.
אֵ֫בֶל n.m. mourning
base
H60 אֵ֫בֶל mourning
60 'ebel ay'-bel
from 56; lamentation:--mourning.
see HEBREW for 056
אֵ֫בֶל (e.vel) — mourning.
1) mourning
1a) for the dead
1b) for rites of mourning (metaph)
1c) mourning garb
1d) period of mourning
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
morn'-ing.
See BURIAL; GRIEF.
One marked feature of Oriental mourning is what may be called its studies publicity and the careful observance of the prescribed ceremonies. (Genesis 23:2; Job 1:20; 2:12) Among the particular forms observed the following may be mentioned: (a) Rending the clothes. (Genesis 37:29,34; 44:13) etc. (b) Dressing in sackcloth. (Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 3:31; 21:10) etc. (c) Ashes, dust or earth sprinkled on the person. (2 Samuel 13:19; 15:32) etc. (d) Black or sad-colored garments. (2 Samuel 14:2;
The Hebrews, at the death of their friends and relations, made striking demonstrations of grief and mourning. They wept, tore their clothes, smote their breasts, threw dust upon their heads, Jos 7:6, and lay upon the ground, went barefooted, pulled their hair and beards, or cut them, Ezr 9:3 Isa 15:2, and made incisions on their breasts, or tore them with their nails, Le 19:28 21:5 Jer 16:6 48:37. The time of mourning was commonly seven days, 1Sa 31:11-13; but it was lengthened or shortened according to circumstances,
מָחוֹל (machowl) refers to a round dance or dancing. It is derived from the root word meaning to dance. The entries consistently emphasize its connection to dance without significant disagreement among the lexicons.
מָחוֹל n.m. dance
base
H4234 מָחוֹל
4234 machowl maw-khole'
from 2342; a (round) dance:--dance(-cing).
see HEBREW for 02342
מָחוֹל (ma.chol) — dance.
dance, dancing
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp1bp