Lamentations 5:3 — Word Study
WLCיְתוֹמִ֤ים הָיִ֙ינוּ֙ וְאֵ֣ין אָ֔ב אִמֹּתֵ֖ינוּ כְּאַלְמָנֽוֹת׃
BSAWe have becomehâyâh■ [children without fathers, orphans] fatherlessʼayin [without a father, as in a family with no patriarch] ◂orphansyâthôwm [bereaved of a father, without paternal care] our mothersʼêm [female parents, maternal figures] are widowsʼalmânâh [like, as if they were, women whose husbands have died, left alone]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יְתוֹמִ֤ים | fatherless ones | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| הָיִ֙ינוּ֙ | we have become | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common plural |
| וְאֵ֣ין | and there not | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| אָ֔ב | [is] a father | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| אִמֹּתֵ֖ינוּ | mothers our | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| כְּאַלְמָנֽוֹת׃ | [are] like widows | Preposition, noun common feminine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers are widows. |
| KJV | We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows. |
| ASV | We are orphans and fatherless; Our mothers are as widows. |
| YLT | Orphans we have been — without a father, our mothers [are] as widows. |
| WEB | We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are as widows. |
| BBE | We are children without fathers, our mothers are like widows. |
The translations agree on the core meaning of the verse, emphasizing the community's loss and vulnerability.
The structure presents a main clause followed by two subordinate clauses, emphasizing the community's plight and the state of their mothers.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאָב
verbהָיָה
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 5:3
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 5:3 conveys the profound grief of a community that feels abandoned, describing their state as fatherless orphans and their mothers as widows. This verse reflects a broader theme of loss and desolation found throughout the book of Lamentations, where the people mourn their suffering and seek understanding of their plight in light of their covenant with God.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exodus 22:24 | My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will become widows and your children will be fatherless. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 18:21 | Therefore, hand their children over to famine; pour out the power of the sword upon them. Let their wives become childless and widowed; let their husbands be slain by disease, their young men struck down by the sword in battle. |
| 3 | Hosea 14:3 | Assyria will not save us, nor will we ride on horses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods!’ to the work of our own hands. For in You the fatherless find compassion.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יְתוֹמִ֤ים, ye.to.Mimgenerated
The word יָתוֹם (yathowm) refers specifically to an orphan or a child without a father. It is derived from a root that suggests loneliness or bereavement, emphasizing the vulnerability of those left without paternal care.
In this verse, it highlights the community's loss and the lack of protection and guidance that comes from the absence of fathers. The term encapsulates the emotional and social implications of being fatherless, as it invokes the need for care and support.
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: יְתוֹמִ֤ים fatherless orphans and אִמֹּתֵ֖ינוּ our mothers, with the verb הָיִ֙ינוּ֙ we have become linking them. This structure highlights the connection between the loss of fathers and the state of the mothers.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the plight of the children first, followed by the condition of the mothers, underscoring the community's collective suffering.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יְתוֹמִ֤ים as ὀρφανοὶ (orphanoi), which means 'orphans'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the absence of paternal care.
The use of ἡμῶν (hēmōn) for 'our mothers' reflects a direct connection to the Hebrew term, maintaining the familial aspect of the lament.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 5:3 expresses the community's sorrow, stating they are fatherless orphans and their mothers are like widows. This reflects their deep sense of loss and vulnerability, highlighting the emotional and social implications of their situation.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
A fatherless orphan refers to a child who has lost their father, leaving them without paternal care and support, which can lead to feelings of vulnerability and abandonment.
The mothers are described as widows to illustrate their own loss and vulnerability, as they are left alone without their husbands, similar to the plight of their children.
This verse captures the essence of communal grief and loss, reflecting the broader themes of abandonment and desolation found throughout Lamentations.
The verse highlights the need for divine protection and care for the vulnerable, such as orphans and widows, which is a recurring theme in the Hebrew Scriptures.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does the loss of a father impact a child's life in a community?
- What responsibilities do we have towards orphans and widows today?
- In what ways can we provide support to those who are vulnerable in our communities?
- How can understanding the plight of the fatherless and widowed deepen our compassion and empathy?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The verse has been commented on by early scholars. Here, a Father reflects on the implications of being fatherless and the need for divine guidance.
Regarding divine protection Verse 3 declares: "We have become orphans, fatherless;". That is, we are destitute of divine direction, like to a paternal consolation. And: " our mothers are like widows." Since definite security is called for.Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 5 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 5:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWe are orphans and fatherless,.... In every sense; in a natural sense, their fathers having been cut off by the sword, famine, or pestilence; in a civil sense, their king being taken from them; and
Read John Gill on Lamentations 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWe are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows. We are ... fatherless - our whole land is full of orphans (Calvin). Or, "we are fatherless," being abandoned by thee our "Father" (Jeremiah 3:19).
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWe are all of us without a king, (who is the common father of the country,) we are deprived of thy fatherly care and protection, many young children amongst us are left without an earthly parent. Our mothers are as widows; either our great cities are like widows, wanting magistrates; or, our women that were married are left widows.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 5:3 We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers [are] as widows.Ver. 3. We are orphans and fatherless.] And so are become thy clients, just objects of thy pity.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) Our mothers are as widows—i.e., their husbands, though living, were carried into exile, and they were as destitute as though they had been deprived of them by death. The Chaldee paraphrase gives the same meaning to the last clause also, “We are like orphans.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. orphans and fatherless] the fathers being in exile and the mothers thus “as widows,” without protection.
Read Cambridge on Lamentations 5 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleOur mothers are as widows - The particle “as” suggests that the whole verse is metaphorical. Our distress and desolation is comparable only to that of fatherless orphans or wives just bereaved of their husbands.
Read Albert Barnes on Lamentations 5 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible3. Fatherless — Without a father. Many expositors find here a specific meaning, and understand by the term father, king; and others understand by mothers, the cities of Judah.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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
We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers are widows.
We are orphans and fatherless. Our mothers are as widows.
We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers are widows.
We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers have become widows.
Tyndale line
We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
We are orphans and fatherless; Our mothers are as widows.
We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
We are fatherles, euen without father, and our mothers are as widowes.
Strictly literal
We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.
Orphans we have been — without a father, our mothers [are] as widows.
Orphans we have been—without a father, our mothers [are] as widows.
Orphans are we become, and [we are] without a father, our mothers are like widows.
We have become orphans, the fatherless, and our mothers are like widows.
From the Latin
We are become orphans without a father: our mothers are as widows.
Simplified
We have lost our fathers, and our mothers are widows.
We are children without fathers, our mothers are like widows.
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 on the core wording of the verse, with six words matched in both texts. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain a partial text with some words supplied by an editor, but they also convey a similar sentiment of loss.
יְתוֹמִ֤ים הָיִ֙ינוּ֙ וְאֵ֣ין אָ֔ב אִמֹּתֵ֖ינוּ כְּאַלְמָנֽוֹת׃
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.
יתומים [היינו] [אין] אב אמותי׳נו לא בנות ואלמנות
6 words on the leather — 2 supplied entire by an editor.
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 5:3
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.
יָתוֹם (yathowm) means 'orphan' and is derived from a root that suggests loneliness or bereavement. The term specifically refers to a fatherless child or a bereaved person. All entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
יָתוֹם n.[m.] orphan
base
H3490 יָתוֹם orphan
3490 yathowm yaw-thome'
from an unused root meaning to be lonely; a bereaved
person:--fatherless (child), orphan.
יָתוֹם (ya.tom) — orphan.
an orphan, fatherless
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
V-Qal-Perf-1cp — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common pluralHVqp1cp
be-kum':
(1) Greek ginomai, used in New Testament for a change of state, corresponding to Hebrew hayah of Old Testament. Compare Mt 18:3 with De 27:9.
(2) For what is fitting, suitable, proper, in New Testament: "prepei" (Mt 3:15; Eph 5:3; 1Ti 2:10); in Old Testament, na'awah, na'ah, Ps 93:5: "Holiness becometh thy house." in this sense, the adverb "becomingly" must be interpreted: "Walk becomingly toward them that are without" (1Th 4:12), i.e. in a way that is consistent with your profession.
אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.
אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought
to nothing, as nothing
cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
in circumst. clauses
with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
with prefixes
base
H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing
. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not
. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not
. in circumst. clauses
. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …
. with prefixes
369 'ayin ah'-yin
as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not
exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative
particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,
in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,
thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),
well-nigh, without. Compare 370.
see HEBREW for 0370
אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.
1) nothing, not, nought n
1a) nothing, nought neg
1b) not
1c) to have not (of possession) adv
1d) without w/prep
1e) for lack of
Part — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.
אָב 1101 n.m. father
father of individual
of God as father of his people
head of household, family or clan
ancestor
originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
fig. of producer, generator
fig. of benevolence & protection
term of respect & honor
specif., ruler, chief (late)
base
H1 אָב father . father of individual
. of God as father of his people
. head of household, family or clan
. ancestor
. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
. fig. of producer, generator
. fig. of benevolence & protection
. term of respect & honor
. specif., ruler, chief (late)
1 'ab awb
a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or
figurative and remote application):--chief,
(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names
in "Abi-".
אָב (av) — father.
1) father of an individual
2) of God as father of his people
3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan
4) ancestor
4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person
4b) of people
5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
6) of producer, generator (fig.)
7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)
8) term of respect and honour
9) ruler or chief (spec.)
Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;
Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)
אָב (av) — father of.
The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;
son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);
HNcmsa — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
fa'-ther (Anglo-Saxon, Foeder; German, Vater; Hebrew 'abh, etymology uncertain, found in many cognate languages; Greek pater, from root pa, "nourisher," "protector," "upholder"):
1. Immediate Male Ancestor:
Immediate male ancestor. The father in the Hebrew family, as in the Roman, had supreme rights over his children, could dispose of his daughter in marriage (Ge 29), arrange his son's marriage (Ge 24), sell his children (Ex 21:7), but not his daughter to a stranger (Ne 5:5), had power of life and death, as in the case of Isaac (Ge 22), Jephthah's daughter (Jud 11:34), the sacrificing of his children to Molech (Le 18:21; 20:3-5), etc. Respect, reverence and affection for…
Father
A name applied (1) to any ancestor (Deut. 1:11; 1 Kings 15:11; Matt. 3:9; 23:30, etc.); and (2) as a title of respect to a chief, ruler, or elder, etc. (Judg. 17:10; 18:19; 1 Sam. 10:12; 2 Kings 2:12; Matt. 23:9, etc.). (3) The author or beginner of anything is also so called; e.g., Jabal and Jubal (Gen. 4:20, 21; comp. Job 38:28).
The position and authority of the father as the head of the family are expressly assumed and sanctioned in Scripture, as a likeness of that of the Almighty over his creatures. It lies of course at the root of that so-called patriarchal government, (Genesis 3:16; 1 Corinthians 11:3) which was introductory to the more definite systems which followed, and which in part, but not wholly, superseded it. The father’s blessing was regarded as conferring special benefit, but his malediction special injury, on those on whom it fell, (Genesis 9:25,27; 27:27-40; 48:15,20; 49:1) ... and so also the sin of a parent was held to affect, in certain cases, the welfare of his descendants. (2 Kings…
Is often synonymous with ancestor, founder, or originator, as Ge 4:20-21 Joh 8:56 Ro 4:16. Joseph was a father to Pharoah, Ge 45:8, as his counselor and provider. God is the FATHER of men, as their Creator, De 32:6 Isa 63:16 64:8 Lu 3:38. But as we have forfeited the rights of children by our sins, it is only through Christ that we can call God by that endearing name, "our Father," Joh 20:17 Ro 8:15-17.
The Hebrew word אֵם (em) means 'mother' and can refer to a human mother, an animal's dam, or even a figurative sense, such as Deborah's nurturing role for her people. It also conveys the idea of a point of departure or division. This word is built from a primitive root and encompasses both literal and figurative meanings.
אֵם 221 n.f. mother
lit. (human) mother
fig. of Deborah as caring for her people
of animals, dam
= point of departure or division
base
H517 אֵם mother . lit. (human) mother
. fig. of Deborah as caring for her people
. of animals, dam
. = point of departure or division
517 'em ame
a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a
wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like 1):--dam,
mother, X parting.
see HEBREW for 01
אֵם (em) — mother.
1) mother
1a) of humans
1b) of Deborah's relationship to the people (fig.)
1c) of animals
2) point of departure or division
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp1bp
The Hebrew word אַלְמָנָה (*almanah*) means 'widow' and is derived from the root of another word. It can also refer to a desolate place, such as a desolate house or palace. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning as 'widow'.
אַלְמָנָה 61 n.f. widow
base
H490 אַלְמָנָה widow
490 'almanah al-maw-naw'
fem of 488; a widow; also a desolate place:--desolate house
(palace), widow.
see HEBREW for 0488
אַלְמָנָה (al.ma.nah) — widow.
widow
Prep | N-fp — Preposition · noun common feminine plural absoluteHR/Ncfpa
Widows
To be treated with kindness (Ex. 22:22; Deut. 14:29; 16:11, 14; 24:17, 19-21; 26:12; 27:19, etc.). In the New Testament the same tender regard for them is inculcated (Acts 6:1-6; 1 Tim. 5:3-16) and exhibited.