Lamentations 4 Notes, Meaning, and Commentary

Lamentations 4

 

Lamentations 4:1

How is the gold become dim! [how] is the most pure gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.

Lamentations 4:2

The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

Lamentations 4:3

Even the jackals draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: The daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.

Lamentations 4:4

The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: The young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.

Lamentations 4:5

They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

Lamentations 4:6

For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid upon her.

Lamentations 4:7

Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire.

Lamentations 4:8

Their visage is blacker than a coal; They are not known in the streets: Their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.

Lamentations 4:9

They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

Lamentations 4:10

The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

Lamentations 4:11

Jehovah hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger; And he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof.

Lamentations 4:12

The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.

Lamentations 4:13

[It is] because of the sins of her prophets, [and] the iniquities of her priests, That have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

Lamentations 4:14

They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men cannot touch their garments.

Lamentations 4:15

Depart ye, they cried unto them, Unclean! depart, depart, touch not! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn [here].

Lamentations 4:16

The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; He will no more regard them: They respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders.

Lamentations 4:17

Our eyes do yet fail [in looking] for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

Lamentations 4:18

They hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets: Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.

Lamentations 4:19

Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens: They chased us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.

Lamentations 4:20

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.

Lamentations 4:21

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass through unto thee also; thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.

Lamentations 4:22

The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; He will no more carry thee away into captivity: He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will uncover thy sins.

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