Lamentations 4:10-20

10 With their own hands kind women cook their own children. They became food when my people were destroyed.

11 The Lord turned loose all of his anger; he poured out his strong anger. He set fire to Jerusalem, burning it down to the foundations.

12 Kings of the earth and people of the world could not believe that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem.

13 It happened because her prophets sinned and her priests did evil. They killed in the city those who did what was right.

14 They wandered in the streets as if they were blind. They were dirty with blood, so no one would touch their clothes.

15 "Go away! You are unclean," people shouted at them. "Get away! Get away! Don't touch us!" So they ran away and wandered. Even the other nations said, "Don't stay here."

16 The Lord himself scattered them and did not look after them anymore. No one respects the priests or honors the older leaders.

17 Also, our eyes grew tired, looking for help that never came. We kept watch from our towers for a nation to save us.

18 Our enemies hunted us, so we could not even walk in the streets. Our end is near. Our time is up. Our end has come.

19 Those who chased us were faster than eagles in the sky. They ran us into the mountains and ambushed us in the desert.

20 The Lord's appointed king, who was our very breath, was caught in their traps. We had said about him, "We will be protected by him among the nations."

Lamentations 4:10-20 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.