Lamentations 4:16

16 The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.

Lamentations 4:16 in Other Translations

16 The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders.

16 The LORD himself has scattered them; he will regard them no more; no honor was shown to the priests, no favor to the elders.

16 The LORD himself has scattered them, and he no longer helps them. People show no respect for the priests and no longer honor the leaders.

16 God himself scattered them. No longer does he look out for them. He has nothing to do with the priests; he cares nothing for the elders.

16 The Lord Himself has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are not respected; the elders find no favor.

Lamentations 4:16 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 4:16

The anger of the Lord hath divided them
Or, "the face of the Lord" ^F6; the anger that appeared in his face, in the dispensation of his providence, removed them out of their own land, and dispersed them among several countries and nations of the world, and as they now are: these are not the words of the Heathens continued, but of the prophet: he will no more regard them;
or, "he will not add to look on them" ^F7, with a look of love, but continue his anger and resentment: they respect not the persons of the priests, they favour not the
elders;
which is to be considered either as the sin of the false prophets and priests before described, which was the cause of their punishment; that they east great contempt on the true prophets of the Lord, as Jeremiah and others, and showed no regard to the elders of the people, or those godly magistrates; who would have corrected and restrained them: or else this is said of the nations among whom they were dispersed, as the Targum; who would pay no respect to their characters as priests, or show any pity to them on account of their age.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (hwhy ynp) "facies Domini", V. L. Montanus, Piscator.
F7 (Mjybhl Pyowy) "non addet aspicere eos", Montanus.

Lamentations 4:16 In-Context

14 Now they grope through the streets as if they were blind. They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments.

15 “Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them. “Away! Away! Don’t touch us!” When they flee and wander about, people among the nations say, “They can stay here no longer.”

16 The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.

17 Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us.

18 People stalked us at every step, so we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near, our days were numbered, for our end had come.

Cross References

• 1. Isaiah 9:14-16
• 2. Lamentations 5:12
• 3. S Lamentations 2:6