Lamentations 4:13

13 Because of the sins of her prophets, the guilt of her priests, who shed blood in her midst, of righteous people.

Lamentations 4:13 Meaning and Commentary

Lamentations 4:13

For the sins of her prophets, [and] the iniquities of her
priests
Aben Ezra interprets this of the prophets of Baal, and the priests of the high places; but though false prophets and wicked priests are meant, yet such as were among the Jews, made choice of and approved of by them: see ( 2 Chronicles 36:14 ) ; not that the people were faultless, but these were the principals, who by their examples led on and encouraged the common people in sin: that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her;
not the blood of innocent children, sacrificed to them by Moloch; but of good men in general, whom they persecuted and slew; and of the true prophets of the Lord in particular, whose blood they shed; and was the sin that brought on the destruction of their city by the Romans, as well as of that by the Chaldeans; see ( Matthew 23:35-38 ) ( James 5:6 ) .

Lamentations 4:13 In-Context

11 Yahweh has completed his anger, he has poured out {his fierce anger}; he has kindled a fire in Zion, it consumed her foundations.

12 [The] kings of [the] earth did not believe, and all [the] inhabitants of [the] world, that a foe and an enemy could enter into the gates of Jerusalem.

13 Because of the sins of her prophets, the guilt of her priests, who shed blood in her midst, of righteous people.

14 They wander blindly in the streets; they were defiled with the blood, their clothes could not be touched.

15 "Go away! Defiled!" they shout to them. "Go away! Go away! Do not touch!" so they left, they left; it was said among the nations, "{They will no longer dwell with us}."