Lamentations 4:1-6

1 How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed! The sacred stones lie scattered at the head of every street.

2 The precious children of Zion, worth their weight in fine gold— how they are reckoned as earthen pots, the work of a potter's hands!

3 Even the jackals offer the breast and nurse their young, but my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.

4 The tongue of the infant sticks to the roof of its mouth for thirst; the children beg for food, but no one gives them anything.

5 Those who feasted on delicacies perish in the streets; those who were brought up in purple cling to ash heaps.

6 For the chastisement of my people has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, though no hand was laid on it.

Lamentations 4:1-6 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]. Or [iniquity]
• [b]. Or [sin]
• [c]. Meaning of Heb uncertain