Lamentations 2:9 Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and shattered their bars. Her king and her princes are exiled among the nations, the law is no more, and even her prophets find no vision from the LORD.

Bible > Lamentations > Chapter 2 > Verse 9

◄ Lamentations 2:9 ►

New International Version
Her gates have sunk into the ground; their bars he has broken and destroyed. Her king and her princes are exiled among the nations, the law is no more, and her prophets no longer find visions from the LORD.

New Living Translation
Jerusalem’s gates have sunk into the ground. He has smashed their locks and bars. Her kings and princes have been exiled to distant lands; her law has ceased to exist. Her prophets receive no more visions from the LORD.

English Standard Version
Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has ruined and broken her bars; her king and princes are among the nations; the law is no more, and her prophets find no vision from the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and shattered their bars. Her king and her princes are exiled among the nations, the law is no more, and even her prophets find no vision from the LORD.

King James Bible
Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the LORD.

New King James Version
Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations; The Law is no more, And her prophets find no vision from the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
Her gates have sunk into the ground, He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her leaders are among the nations; The Law is gone. Her prophets, too, find No vision from the LORD.

NASB 1995
Her gates have sunk into the ground, He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations; The law is no more. Also, her prophets find No vision from the LORD.

NASB 1977
Her gates have sunk into the ground, He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations; The law is no more; Also, her prophets find No vision from the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations; The law is no more. Also, her prophets find No vision from Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are [exiled] among the nations; The law is no more. Also, her prophets no longer find Vision from the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
Zion’s gates have fallen to the ground; he has destroyed and shattered the bars on her gates. Her king and her leaders live among the nations, instruction is no more, and even her prophets receive no vision from the LORD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Zion’s gates have fallen to the ground; He has destroyed and shattered the bars on her gates. Her king and her leaders live among the nations, instruction is no more, and even her prophets receive no vision from the LORD.

American Standard Version
Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: Her king and her princes are among the nations where the law is not; Yea, her prophets find no vision from Jehovah.

Contemporary English Version
Zion's gates have fallen facedown on the ground; the bars that locked the gates are smashed to pieces. Her king and royal family are prisoners in foreign lands. Her priests don't teach, and her prophets don't have a message from the LORD.

English Revised Version
Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the nations where the law is not; yea, her prophets find no vision from the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"[Zion's] gates have sunk into the ground. [The LORD] destroyed and shattered the bars across its [gates]. Its king and influential people are [scattered] among the nations. There is no longer any instruction [from Moses' Teachings]. Its prophets can find no visions from the LORD.

Good News Translation
The gates lie buried in rubble, their bars smashed to pieces. The king and the noblemen now are in exile. The Law is no longer taught, and the prophets have no visions from the LORD.

International Standard Version
Jerusalem's gates collapsed to the ground; he destroyed and broke the bars of her gates. Both king and prince have gone into captivity. There is no instruction, and the prophets receive no vision from the LORD.

Majority Standard Bible
Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and shattered their bars. Her king and her princes are exiled among the nations, the law is no more, and even her prophets find no vision from the LORD.

NET Bible
Her city gates have fallen to the ground; he smashed to bits the bars that lock her gates. Her king and princes were taken into exile; there is no more guidance available. As for her prophets, they no longer receive a vision from the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
Her gates are sunk into the ground; he has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations where the law is no more, and her prophets find no vision from the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more: her prophets also find no vision from the LORD.

World English Bible
Her gates have sunk into the ground. He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations where the law is not. Yes, her prophets find no vision from Yahweh.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
Sunk into the earth have her gates, "" He has destroyed and broken her bars, "" Her king and her princes [are] among the nations, "" There is no law, also her prophets "" Have not found vision from YHWH.

Young's Literal Translation
Sunk into the earth have her gates, He hath destroyed and broken her bars, Her king and her princes are among the nations, There is no law, also her prophets Have not found vision from Jehovah.

Smith's Literal Translation
Her gates sank into the earth; he destroyed and broke her bars: her king and her chiefs among the nations: no law: also her prophets found not a vision from Jehovah.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Teth. Her gates are sunk into the ground: he hath destroyed, and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more, and her prophets have found no vision from the Lord.

Catholic Public Domain Version
TETH. Her gates have been buried in the ground. He has ruined and crushed its bars. Her king and her princes are with the Gentiles. There is no law, and her prophets have found no vision from the Lord.

New American Bible
Her gates sank into the ground; he smashed her bars to bits. Her king and her princes are among the nations; instruction is wanting, Even her prophets do not obtain any vision from the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
Her gates have sunk into the ground; he has ruined and broken her bars; her king and princes are among the nations; guidance is no more, and her prophets obtain no vision from the LORD.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Her gates are sunk into the ground; he has destroyed and broken her bars; her kings and her princes are among the Gentiles; the law is no more; her prophets also find no visions from the LORD.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Teth Her gates have sunk into the ground, and they destroyed and broke her bars. Her Kings and her Princes are among the Gentiles. There is no Law, also her Prophets have not found a vision from LORD JEHOVAH

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Her gates are sunk into the ground; He hath destroyed and broken her bars; Her king and her princes are among the nations, Instruction is no more; Yea, her prophets find No vision from the LORD.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
TETH. Her gates are sunk into the ground: he has destroyed and broken to pieces her bars, and her king and her prince among the Gentiles: there is no law, nay, her prophets have seen no vision from the Lord.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

God's Anger over Jerusalem
…8The LORD determined to destroy the wall of the Daughter of Zion. He stretched out a measuring line and did not withdraw His hand from destroying. He made the ramparts and walls lament; together they waste away. 9Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and shattered their bars. Her king and her princes are exiled among the nations, the law is no more, and even her prophets find no vision from the LORD. 10The 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.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Jeremiah 14:2
“Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 52:7
Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled the city by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah,

Isaiah 3:26
And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.

Ezekiel 7:22-24
I will turn My face away from them, and they will defile My treasured place. Violent men will enter it, and they will defile it. / Forge the chain, for the land is full of crimes of bloodshed, and the city is full of violence. / So I will bring the most wicked of nations to take possession of their houses. I will end the pride of the mighty, and their holy places will be profaned.

Jeremiah 39:2-3
And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city was breached. / Then all the officials of the king of Babylon entered and sat in the Middle Gate: Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-sarsekim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.

2 Kings 25:10
And the whole army of the Chaldeans under the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 1:3
And they told me, “The remnant who survived the exile are there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”

Isaiah 24:10
The city of chaos is shattered; every house is closed to entry.

Ezekiel 26:10
His multitude of horses will cover you in their dust. When he enters your gates as an army entering a breached city, your walls will shake from the noise of cavalry, wagons, and chariots.

Jeremiah 15:1
Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go!

Matthew 23:38
Look, your house is left to you desolate.

Luke 19:43-44
For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. / They will level you to the ground—you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”

Matthew 24:2
“Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Mark 13:2
“Do you see all these great buildings?” Jesus replied. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Luke 21:6
“As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Treasury of Scripture

Her gates are sunk into the ground; he has destroyed and broken her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more; her prophets also find no vision from the LORD.

gates

Nehemiah 1:3
And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

Jeremiah 39:2,8
And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up…

Jeremiah 51:30
The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are broken.

her king

Lamentations 1:3
Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.

Lamentations 4:15,20
They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there…

Deuteronomy 28:36
The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.

the law

2 Chronicles 15:3
Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

Ezekiel 7:26
Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.

Hosea 3:4
For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:

her prophets

Psalm 74:9
We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.

Amos 8:11,12
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: …

Micah 3:6,7
Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them…

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Lamentations 2

1. Jeremiah laments the misery of Jerusalem
20. He complains thereof to God

Berean Study Bible

Her gates have sunk into the ground
The imagery of gates sinking into the ground symbolizes the complete collapse and vulnerability of Jerusalem. In ancient cities, gates were crucial for defense and commerce, representing strength and security. The Hebrew word for "gates" (שַׁעַר, sha'ar) often signifies power and authority. The sinking of these gates into the ground indicates a profound humiliation and loss of protection, suggesting that the city's defenses have been rendered utterly useless. This reflects the historical context of the Babylonian siege, where Jerusalem's defenses were breached, leading to its downfall.

He has destroyed and shattered her bars
The "bars" (בְּרִיחַ, beriach) refer to the metal or wooden beams used to secure the gates. The destruction and shattering of these bars emphasize the total dismantling of Jerusalem's security. This phrase underscores God's active role in allowing this destruction as a form of judgment. Historically, this aligns with the Babylonian conquest, where the city's fortifications were systematically dismantled. Theologically, it serves as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God's covenant, as the city that once stood as a symbol of divine protection now lies exposed.

Her king and her princes are exiled among the nations
The exile of the king and princes signifies the loss of national leadership and identity. The Hebrew word for "exiled" (גָּלָה, galah) conveys the idea of being uncovered or removed. This reflects the historical deportation of Judah's elite to Babylon, stripping the nation of its political and social structure. Theologically, it highlights the fulfillment of prophetic warnings given by Jeremiah and others, that disobedience would lead to dispersion among the nations. This dispersion serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences of forsaking God's laws and the resulting loss of divine favor.

the law is no more
The absence of "the law" (תּוֹרָה, torah) indicates a spiritual and moral vacuum. The Torah, representing God's instructions and covenant with Israel, was central to the nation's identity and relationship with God. Its absence suggests a breakdown in religious practice and understanding. Historically, this reflects the period of exile when the temple, the center of religious life, was destroyed, and the people were cut off from their traditional worship practices. Spiritually, it underscores the dire consequences of neglecting God's word, leading to a society without divine guidance or moral compass.

and even her prophets no longer find visions from the LORD
The cessation of prophetic visions (חָזוֹן, chazon) signifies a silence from God, a withdrawal of divine communication. Prophets were the intermediaries between God and His people, providing guidance, warning, and hope. The lack of visions indicates a period of spiritual desolation and judgment. Historically, this aligns with the Babylonian exile, a time when prophetic voices were rare, and the people felt abandoned. Theologically, it serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of persistent disobedience, where even the channels of divine revelation are closed, leaving the people in spiritual darkness.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) Her gates . . .--The picture of ruin is completed. The gates are broken, and hidden by heaps of rubbish as if they had been buried in the earth; they cannot be closed, for the bars are gone. King and princes are captives to the Chaldaeans. The Law was practically repealed, for the conditions of its observance were absent, and prophecy had become a thing of the past. The outward desolation was but the shadow of that of the nation's spiritual life.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - Are sunk into the ground; i.e. are broken down and buried in the dust. The Law is no more. The observance of the Law being rendered impossible by the destruction of the temple. Comp. this and the next clause with Ezekiel 7:26.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Her gates
שְׁעָרֶ֔יהָ (šə·‘ā·re·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

have sunk
טָבְע֤וּ (ṭā·ḇə·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2883: To sink, sink down

into the ground;
בָאָ֙רֶץ֙ (ḇā·’ā·reṣ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

He has destroyed
אִבַּ֥ד (’ib·baḏ)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

and shattered
וְשִׁבַּ֖ר (wə·šib·bar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces

their bars.
בְּרִיחֶ֑יהָ (bə·rî·ḥe·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1280: A bolt

Her king
מַלְכָּ֨הּ (mal·kāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

and her princes
וְשָׂרֶ֤יהָ (wə·śā·re·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 8269: Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

are [exiled] among the nations,
בַגּוֹיִם֙ (ḇag·gō·w·yim)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

the law
תּוֹרָ֔ה (tō·w·rāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8451: Direction, instruction, law

is no more,
אֵ֣ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

and even
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

her prophets
נְבִיאֶ֕יהָ (nə·ḇî·’e·hā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5030: A spokesman, speaker, prophet

find
מָצְא֥וּ (mā·ṣə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

no
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

vision
חָז֖וֹן (ḥā·zō·wn)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2377: A sight, a dream, revelation, oracle

from the LORD.
מֵיְהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

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OT Prophets: Lamentations 2:9 Her gates are sunk into the ground (Lam. La Lm)