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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Lamentations 4</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/bsb/spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/lamentations/4.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc//lamentations/4-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="/lamentations/">Lamentations</a> > Lamentations 4</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../lamentations/3.htm" title="Lamentations 3">◄</a> Lamentations 4 <a href="../lamentations/5.htm" title="Lamentations 5">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div align="center" id="jump2"><a href="/niv/lamentations/4.htm">NIV</a> • <a href="/nlt/lamentations/4.htm">NLT</a> • <a href="/esv/lamentations/4.htm">ESV</a> • <a href="/kjv/lamentations/4.htm">KJV</a> • <a href="/nkjv/lamentations/4.htm">NKJ</a> • <a href="/nasb/lamentations/4.htm">NAS</a></div><br /><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="1%" valign="top">BSB</td><td width="99%" valign="top" align="right"><a href="/parallel/lamentations/4.htm" style="font-weight:normal" title="Parallel Chapters">Parallel Chapters ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><A name="2"></a><p class="hdg">The Distress of Zion<p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>How<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">a</a></span> the gold has become tarnished, <p class="indent2"> the pure gold has become dull! <p class="indent1"> The gems of the temple lie scattered <p class="indent2"> on every street corner. <A name="3"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>How the precious sons of Zion, <p class="indent2"> once worth their weight in pure gold, <p class="indent1"> are now esteemed as jars of clay, <p class="indent2"> the work of a potter’s hands! <A name="4"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Even jackals<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">b</a></span> offer their breasts <p class="indent2"> to nurse their young, <p class="indent1"> but the daughter of my people has become cruel, <p class="indent2"> like an ostrich in the wilderness. <A name="5"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>The nursing infant’s tongue <p class="indent2"> clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. <p class="indent1"> Little children beg for bread, <p class="indent2"> but no one gives them any. <A name="6"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Those who once ate delicacies <p class="indent2"> are destitute in the streets; <p class="indent1"> those brought up in crimson <p class="indent2"> huddle in ash heaps. <A name="7"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>The punishment<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">c</a></span> of the daughter of my people <p class="indent2"> is greater than that of Sodom, <p class="indent1"> which was overthrown in an instant <p class="indent2"> without a hand turned to help her. <A name="8"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, <p class="indent2"> whiter than milk; <p class="indent1"> their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, <p class="indent2"> their appearance<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">d</a></span> like sapphires.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">e</a></span> <A name="9"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>But now their appearance is blacker than soot; <p class="indent2"> they are not recognized in the streets. <p class="indent1"> Their skin has shriveled on their bones; <p class="indent2"> it has become as dry as a stick. <A name="10"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Those slain by the sword are better off <p class="indent2"> than those who die of hunger, <p class="indent1"> who waste away, pierced with pain <p class="indent2"> because the fields lack produce. <A name="11"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>The hands of compassionate women <p class="indent2"> have cooked their own children, <p class="indent1"> who became their food <p class="indent2"> in the destruction of the daughter of my people. <A name="12"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>The LORD has exhausted His wrath; <p class="indent2"> He has poured out His fierce anger; <p class="indent1"> He has kindled a fire in Zion, <p class="indent2"> and it has consumed her foundations. <A name="13"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>The kings of the earth did not believe, <p class="indent2"> nor any people of the world, <p class="indent1"> that an enemy or a foe <p class="indent2"> could enter the gates of Jerusalem. <A name="14"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>But this was for the sins of her prophets <p class="indent2"> and the guilt of her priests, <p class="indent1"> who shed the blood of the righteous <p class="indent2"> in her midst. <A name="15"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>They wandered blind in the streets, <p class="indent2"> defiled by this blood, <p class="indent1"> so that no one dared <p class="indent2"> to touch their garments. <A name="16"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>“Go away! Unclean!” <p class="indent2"> men shouted at them. <p class="indent1">“Away, away! Do not touch us!” <p class="indent2"> So they fled and wandered. <p class="indent1"> Among the nations it was said, <p class="indent2">“They can stay here no longer.” <A name="17"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>The presence of the LORD has scattered them; <p class="indent2"> He regards them no more. <p class="indent1"> The priests are shown no honor; <p class="indent2"> the elders find no favor. <A name="18"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>All the while our eyes were failing <p class="indent2"> as we looked in vain for help. <p class="indent1"> We watched from our towers <p class="indent2"> for a nation that could not save us. <A name="19"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>They stalked our every step, <p class="indent2"> so that we could not walk in our streets. <p class="indent1"> Our end drew near, our time ran out, <p class="indent2"> for our end had come! <A name="20"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Those who chased us were swifter <p class="indent2"> than the eagles in the sky; <p class="indent1"> they pursued us over the mountains <p class="indent2"> and ambushed us in the wilderness. <A name="21"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, <p class="indent2"> was captured in their pits. <p class="indent1"> We had said of him, <p class="indent2">“Under his shadow we will live among the nations.” <A name="22"></a><p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>So rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, <p class="indent2"> you who dwell in the land of Uz. <p class="indent1"> Yet the cup will pass to you as well; <p class="indent2"> you will get drunk and expose yourself. <p class="indent1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/lamentations/4-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>O Daughter of Zion, your punishment is complete; <p class="indent2"> He will not prolong your exile.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">f</a></span> <p class="indent1"> But He will punish your iniquity, O Daughter of Edom; <p class="indent2"> He will expose your sins.</p><A name="fn"></a><div id="fnlink"><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br><br><span class="fnverse">1</span> <span class="footnotesbot">a</span> This chapter is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.<br><span class="fnverse">3</span> <span class="footnotesbot">b</span> Or <i>serpents</i><span class="thin"> </span> or <i>dragons</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">6</span> <span class="footnotesbot">c</span> Or <i>iniquity</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">7</span> <span class="footnotesbot">d</span> Or <i>their polishing</i><span class="thin"> </span> or <i>their hair</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">7</span> <span class="footnotesbot">e</span> Hebrew <i>lapis lazuli</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">22</span> <span class="footnotesbot">f</span> Or <i>He will not exile you again</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><br /></div><br /></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Berean Bible (<a href=http://berean.bible>www.Berean.Bible</a>) <a href=http://bereanbible.com>Berean Study Bible (BSB)</a> © 2016, 2020 by <a href=http://biblehub.com>Bible Hub</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible>Berean.Bible</a>. 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