Old Testament · 5 chapters
Read Lamentations.
Lamentations mourns Jerusalem’s destruction through five poems of grief, confession, and pleading. It gives suffering a voice and places fragile hope in God’s mercy without minimizing the reality of devastation.
Choose a chapter Lamentations · 5 chapters
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Choose a chapter for the complete Bible text and a short summary to guide your reading.
Chapter 1.
Jerusalem is portrayed as a bereaved woman deserted by former allies. Her grief gives voice to the devastation of exile, defeat, and acknowledged wrongdoing.
Read chapter 22 versesChapter 2.
The destruction of the city and sanctuary is described as an overwhelming act of judgment. The community is urged to pour out its anguish before God.
Read chapter 66 versesChapter 3.
A sufferer recounts deep affliction yet recalls God’s renewed mercies. Hope is joined with patient waiting, self-examination, and a plea for justice.
Read chapter 22 versesChapter 4.
The city’s former splendor is contrasted with hunger, humiliation, and failed leadership. The poem closes by addressing Edom and anticipating an end to Zion’s punishment.
Read chapter 22 versesChapter 5.
A communal prayer lists the losses and indignities of life after devastation. It asks God to remember and restore the people while ending with an unresolved question.
Read chapterKing James Version (KJV). Bible text supplied by eBible.org and the CrossWire Bible Society. Summaries are written with AI assistance and are separate from Scripture. Read the chapter itself when considering its meaning.