Lamentations 4:1-10

1 How is the gold become dim! the most pure gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary poured out at the top of all the streets!

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

3 Even the jackals offer the breast, they give suck to their young; the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.

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

5 They that fed delicately are desolate in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dung-hills.

6 And the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the reward of the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were violently laid upon her.

7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, whiter than milk; they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their figure was as sapphire.

8 Their visage is darker than blackness, they are not known in the streets; their skin cleaveth to their bones, it is withered, it is become like a stick.

9 The slain with the sword are happier than the slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

10 The hands of pitiful women have boiled their own children: they were their meat in the ruin of the daughter of my people.

Lamentations 4:1-10 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

• [a]. * The Hebrew word is used for iniquity, also the punishment of iniquity, as here and ver. 22, and three times in Ezek. 14.10. First used in Gen. 4.13: see Zech. 14.19, where, however, a different word is used. See Lam. 3.39.
• [b]. Or 'princes.'