Lamentations 1:8
Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Jerusalem's "grievous sin" encompassed generations of covenant breaking. Chronicles and Kings detail idolatry under various kings: Manasseh built altars to Baal in the temple courts, practiced child sacrifice, and consulted mediums (2 Kings 21:1-16). Though Josiah's reforms brought temporary revival (2 Kings 22-23), the people's hearts remained unchanged (Jeremiah 3:10).
The prophets catalogued specific sins: social injustice (Isaiah 1:21-23, Micah 3:9-12), false worship (Jeremiah 7:1-15), trusting foreign alliances instead of God (Isaiah 30:1-5), and religious hypocrisy (Jeremiah 7:9-10). Ezekiel 8 records a vision revealing secret idolatry within the temple itself—sun worship, Tammuz cults, and animal idols.
The "nakedness" metaphor draws on Ancient Near Eastern warfare practices where conquerors stripped defeated enemies as public humiliation. Assyrian and Babylonian reliefs depict naked captives being led away. For Jerusalem, once-friendly nations like Edom and Moab celebrated her downfall (Psalm 137:7, Ezekiel 25:3), fulfilling the prophecy that those who honored her would despise her when her spiritual adultery was exposed.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the 'infinitive absolute' construction (grievously sinned) challenge our tendency to minimize or excuse sin?
- What does Jerusalem's treatment as ceremonially unclean teach about the relationship between moral sin and access to God's presence?
- In what ways does Christ bear our shame and nakedness (Hebrews 12:2, Revelation 3:18) to restore us to covenant fellowship?
- How should the public nature of Jerusalem's exposed sin inform Christian accountability and the dangers of secret disobedience?
Analysis & Commentary
The verse begins with stark clarity: "Jerusalem hath grievously sinned" (chet chatah Yerushalayim, חֵטְא חָטְאָה יְרוּשָׁלִַם). The infinitive absolute construction emphasizes magnitude—"sinning, she has sinned" or "grievously sinned." The verb chata means to miss the mark, to fall short of God's standard. Jerusalem's failure was neither accidental nor minor but deliberate and egregious.
The consequence is equally clear: "therefore she is removed" (le-nidah hayetah, לְנִדָה הָיְתָה). The term nidah refers to ceremonial uncleanness, specifically menstrual impurity (Leviticus 15:19-30). This striking metaphor presents Jerusalem as ritually defiled, unable to approach God's holy presence. What was once the place of God's dwelling is now unclean, removed from covenant fellowship.
The final image deepens the humiliation: "all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness." In ancient Near Eastern culture, exposing nakedness was the ultimate shame (Genesis 9:22-23, Ezekiel 16:37). Former admirers who once honored Jerusalem now mock her exposed disgrace. Yet the verse ends with Jerusalem's response: "she sigheth, and turneth backward"—perhaps indicating shame-driven repentance, or more likely, helpless grief. True restoration requires not just sorrow but the repentance God grants (2 Corinthians 7:10).