Lamentations 4:8-18

8 [Now] their appearance is blacker than soot, they are not recognized in the streets; their skin has shriveled on their bones, it has become dry like wood.
9 Happier were [the] victims of [the] sword than the victims of famine; they have pined away, very hungry for the crops of my field.
10 [The] hands of compassionate women, have cooked their children; they became as something to eat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
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}."
16 The presence of Yahweh has scattered them, he will no longer watch over them; {they did not honor the priests}, they did not show mercy [to] elders.
17 Still our eyes failed, [looking for] our help in vain; in our watchtower, we kept watch for a nation that could not save.
18 They hunted our steps, from walking in our streets; our end has come near, {our days are finished}, our end has come.

Lamentations 4:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LAMENTATIONS 4

The prophet begins this chapter with a complaint of the ill usage of the dear children of God, and precious sons of Zion, La 4:1,2; relates the dreadful effects of the famine during the siege of Jerusalem, La 4:3-10; the taking and destruction of that city he imputes to the wrath of God; and represents it as incredible to the kings and inhabitants of the earth, La 4:11,12; the causes of which were the sins of the prophets, priests, and people, La 4:13-16; expresses the vain hopes they once had, but now were given up entirely, their king being taken, La 4:17-20; and the chapter is concluded with a prophecy of the destruction of the Edomites, and of the return of the Jews from captivity, La 4:21,22.

Footnotes 5

  • [a]. Literally "the fierce anger of his nose"
  • [b]. Or "its"
  • [c]. Literally "They will no longer be [here] as aliens"
  • [d]. Literally "they did not lift up the faces of the priests"
  • [e]. Literally "our days are filled"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.