Jeremiah 15:5
New International Version
“Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will stop to ask how you are?

New Living Translation
“Who will feel sorry for you, Jerusalem? Who will weep for you? Who will even bother to ask how you are?

English Standard Version
“Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem, or who will grieve for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

Berean Standard Bible
Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

King James Bible
For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?

New King James Version
“For who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Or who will bemoan you? Or who will turn aside to ask how you are doing?

New American Standard Bible
“Indeed, who will have pity on you, Jerusalem, Or who will mourn for you, Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

NASB 1995
“Indeed, who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem, Or who will mourn for you, Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

NASB 1977
“Indeed, who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem, Or who will mourn for you, Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

Legacy Standard Bible
“Indeed, who will spare you, O Jerusalem, Or who will console you, Or who will turn aside to ask about your well-being?

Amplified Bible
“For who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem, Or who will mourn for you, Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

Christian Standard Bible
Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will show sympathy toward you? Who will turn aside to ask about your well-being?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will show sympathy toward you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

American Standard Version
For who will have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who will bemoan thee? or who will turn aside to ask of thy welfare?

Contemporary English Version
People of Jerusalem, who will feel sorry for you? Will anyone bother to ask if you are well?

English Revised Version
For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall turn aside to ask of thy welfare?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
No one will take pity on you, Jerusalem. No one will mourn for you. No one will bother to ask how you are doing.

Good News Translation
The LORD says, "Who will pity you, people of Jerusalem, and who will grieve over you? Who will stop long enough to ask how you are?

International Standard Version
"Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem, and who will grieve for you? Who will go out of his way to ask about your welfare?

Majority Standard Bible
Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

NET Bible
The LORD cried out, "Who in the world will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will grieve over you? Who will stop long enough to inquire about how you are doing?

New Heart English Bible
For who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Or who will bemoan you? Or who will turn aside to ask of your welfare?

Webster's Bible Translation
For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask concerning thy welfare?

World English Bible
For who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will mourn you? Who will come to ask of your welfare?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For who has pity on you, O Jerusalem? And who bemoans for you? And who turns aside to ask of your welfare?

Young's Literal Translation
For who hath pity on thee, O Jerusalem? And who doth bemoan for thee? And who turneth aside to ask of thy welfare?

Smith's Literal Translation
For who shall have compassion upon thee, O Jerusalem? and who shall bewail for thee? and who shall turn aside to ask for thy peace?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For who shall have pity on thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go to pray for thy peace?

Catholic Public Domain Version
For who will take pity on you, O Jerusalem? Or who will feel sorrow for you? Or who will go to prayer for the sake of your peace?

New American Bible
Who will pity you, Jerusalem, who will grieve for you? Who will stop to ask about your welfare?

New Revised Standard Version
Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem, or who will bemoan you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For who shall have pity upon you, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan you? or who shall go aside to inquire about your peace?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Who will show pity upon you, Jerusalem, and to whom will you sorrow for yourself, and who will turn aside to ask about your peace?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? Or who shall bemoan thee? Or who shall turn aside to ask of thy welfare?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Who will spare thee, O Jerusalem? and who will fear for thee? or who will turn back to ask for thy welfare?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judgment to Continue
4I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem. 5 Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare? 6You have forsaken Me, declares the LORD. You have turned your back. So I will stretch out My hand against you and I will destroy you; I am weary of showing compassion.…

Cross References
Lamentations 1:12
Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see! Is there any sorrow like mine, which was inflicted on me, which the LORD made me suffer on the day of His fierce anger?

Isaiah 51:19
These pairs have befallen you: devastation and destruction, famine and sword. Who will grieve for you? Who can comfort you?

Nahum 3:7
Then all who see you will recoil from you and say, ‘Nineveh is devastated; who will grieve for her?’ Where can I find comforters for you?”

Psalm 69:20
Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one.

Isaiah 49:15
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you!

Ezekiel 24:16-18
“Son of man, behold, I am about to take away the desire of your eyes with a fatal blow. But you must not mourn or weep or let your tears flow. / Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.” / So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And the next morning I did as I had been commanded.

Isaiah 14:31
Wail, O gate! Cry out, O city! Melt away, all you Philistines! For a cloud of smoke comes from the north, and there are no stragglers in its ranks.

Isaiah 27:11
When its limbs are dry, they are broken off. Women come and use them for kindling; for this is a people without understanding. Therefore their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor.

Ezekiel 5:11-13
Therefore as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable idols and abominations, I Myself will withdraw My favor; I will not look upon you with pity, nor will I spare you. / A third of your people will die by plague or be consumed by famine within you, a third will fall by the sword outside your walls, and a third I will scatter to every wind and unleash a sword behind them. / And when My anger is spent and I have vented My wrath against them, I will be appeased. And when I have spent My wrath on them, they will know that I, the LORD, in My zeal have spoken.

Hosea 13:14
I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from Death. Where, O Death, are your plagues? Where, O Sheol, is your sting? Compassion is hidden from My eyes.

Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Luke 19:41-44
As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it / and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes. / For the days will come upon you when your enemies will barricade you and surround you and hem you in on every side. ...

Revelation 18:10
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

Revelation 18:17-19
For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance / and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim. / Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”

Matthew 9:36
When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.


Treasury of Scripture

For who shall have pity on you, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan you? or who shall go aside to ask how you do?

for who.

Jeremiah 16:5
For thus saith the LORD, Enter not into the house of mourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them: for I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the LORD, even lovingkindness and mercies.

Jeremiah 21:7
And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.

Job 19:21
Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.

how thou doest.

Exodus 18:7
And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.

Judges 18:15
And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.

1 Samuel 10:4
And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands.

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Bemoan Indeed Jerusalem Mourn Pity Sorrow Stop Turn Turneth Way Welfare
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Bemoan Indeed Jerusalem Mourn Pity Sorrow Stop Turn Turneth Way Welfare
Jeremiah 15
1. The utter rejection and manifold judgments of the people.
10. Jeremiah, complaining of their spite, receives a promise for himself;
12. and a threatening for them.
15. He prays;
19. and receives a gracious promise.














Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem?
This phrase reflects the dire situation of Jerusalem during the time of Jeremiah. The city is facing impending judgment due to its persistent sin and rebellion against God. Historically, Jerusalem was the center of Jewish worship and identity, yet it had turned away from God, leading to its desolation. The rhetorical question emphasizes the lack of compassion from surrounding nations, who often viewed Jerusalem as an adversary. This can be connected to Lamentations 1:12, where Jerusalem laments its own suffering and the absence of comforters. The phrase also foreshadows the ultimate compassion found in Christ, who weeps over Jerusalem in Luke 19:41, showing divine pity and love.

Who will mourn for you?
Mourning in ancient Israel was a significant cultural practice, often involving public displays of grief. The absence of mourners signifies complete abandonment and isolation. This reflects the severity of Jerusalem's situation, as even its allies and neighbors would not lament its downfall. The lack of mourning can be seen as a consequence of the city's own actions, having broken covenant with God and ignored prophetic warnings. This phrase echoes the sentiment found in Isaiah 51:19, where desolation and destruction leave none to console. It also points to the future mourning over the rejection of the Messiah, as seen in Zechariah 12:10, where the inhabitants of Jerusalem will mourn for the one they pierced.

Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?
Turning aside implies a deliberate action to show concern or interest. In the context of Jeremiah, it highlights the complete neglect and disregard for Jerusalem's plight. This neglect is a result of the city's own spiritual adultery and idolatry, leading to its alienation from God and man. The phrase suggests a lack of intercessors or advocates, contrasting with the role of Christ as the ultimate intercessor who cares for the welfare of His people (Hebrews 7:25). It also serves as a reminder of the importance of community and compassion, as seen in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:33), where true neighborly love is demonstrated by those who turn aside to help the afflicted.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver messages of judgment and hope to the people of Judah. His ministry was marked by deep personal struggle and opposition.

2. Jerusalem
The capital city of Judah, central to Jewish identity and worship. At this time, it was facing impending judgment due to the people's persistent sin and rebellion against God.

3. God's Judgment
The context of this verse is God's pronouncement of judgment on Jerusalem for its unfaithfulness. The city is personified as a forsaken entity, highlighting the severity of its situation.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Sin
Sin leads to separation from God and others. Jerusalem's plight is a direct result of its persistent rebellion against God.

The Importance of Repentance
God desires repentance and a return to Him. The absence of comforters for Jerusalem underscores the need for genuine repentance to restore relationship with God.

God's Faithfulness Amidst Judgment
Even in judgment, God remains faithful to His covenant. His ultimate goal is restoration, not destruction.

Empathy and Compassion
The rhetorical questions in the verse challenge us to consider our own responses to those in distress. Are we willing to show compassion and concern for others?

The Role of the Prophet
Jeremiah's role as a prophet was to speak truth, even when it was difficult. We are called to be faithful in delivering God's message, regardless of the response.(5) To ask how thou doest?--This is a fair paraphrase of the original, but it wants the Oriental colouring of the more literal to ask after thy peace. As "Peace be with thee" was the usual formula of salutation, sc.," Is it peace?" was the equivalent for our more prosaic question, "How do you do?" (Genesis 43:27; Judges 18:15). The same phrase meets us in Exodus 18:7, "They asked each other of their welfare," literally, of their peace.

Verse 5. - For who shall have pity? or, for who can have pity, etc.? (the imperfect in its potential sense). The horror which will seize upon the spectators will effectually preclude pity. Who shall go aside? As one turns aside to call at a house. So Genesis 19:2 (literally, turn aside, not "turn in").

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Who
מִֽי־ (mî-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

will have pity
יַחְמֹ֤ל (yaḥ·mōl)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2550: To commiserate, to spare

on you,
עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ (‘ā·la·yiḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

O Jerusalem?
יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם (yə·rū·šā·lim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

Who
וּמִ֖י (ū·mî)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

will mourn
יָנ֣וּד (yā·nūḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5110: To nod, waver, to wander, flee, disappear, to console, deplore, taunt

for you?
לָ֑ךְ (lāḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew

Who
וּמִ֣י (ū·mî)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

will turn aside
יָס֔וּר (yā·sūr)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

to ask
לִשְׁאֹ֥ל (liš·’ōl)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 7592: To inquire, to request, to demand

about your welfare?
לְשָׁלֹ֖ם (lə·šā·lōm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7965: Safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 15:5 For who will have pity on you (Jer.)
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