The Degradation of Zion
How changed the fine gold!
The stones of the sanctuary are1 scattered
At the head of every street.
1Valuable as fine gold,
How they are1 regarded aas clay pots,
The work of the hands of the potter!
To nurse their young;
But the daughter of my people is cruel,
aLike ostriches in the wilderness.
To the roof of its mouth for thirst;
aThe young children ask for bread,
But no one breaks it for them.
Are desolate in the streets;
Those who were brought up in scarlet
aEmbrace ash heaps.
Is greater than the punishment of the asin of Sodom,
Which was boverthrown in a moment,
With no hand to help her!
And whiter than milk;
They were more ruddy in body than rubies,
Like sapphire in their1 appearance.
They go unrecognized in the streets;
aTheir skin clings to their bones,
It has become as dry as wood.
Than those who die of hunger;
For these apine away,
Stricken for lack of the fruits of the bfield.
Have1 cooked their bown children;
They became cfood for them
In the destruction of the daughter of my people.
aHe has poured out His fierce anger.
bHe kindled a fire in Zion,
And it has devoured its foundations.
And all inhabitants of the world,
Would not have believed
That the adversary and the enemy
Could aenter the gates of Jerusalem—
And the iniquities of her priests,
bWho shed in her midst
The blood of the just.
aThey have defiled themselves with blood,
bSo that no one would touch their garments.
“Go away, aunclean!
Go away, go away,
Do not touch us!”
When they fled and wandered,
Those among the nations said,
“They shall no longer dwell here.”
He no longer regards them.
aThe people do not respect the priests
Nor show favor to the elders.
Watching vainly for our help;
In our watching we watched
For a nation that could not save us.
So that we could not walk in our streets.
bOur end was near;
Our days were over,
For our end had come.
| << Lamentations 4:2 | Lamentations 4:4 >> |
Lamentations 4:3
Sea monsters - Rather, jackals.
Their young ones - " Their" whelps. The term is applied only to the young of dogs, lions, and the like.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Lamentations 4:3:
Job 30:29
Job 39:16
Psalms 91:13
Isaiah 2:20
Isaiah 13:21
Isaiah 13:22
Isaiah 22:4
Micah 7:5-6
| << Lamentations 4:2 | Lamentations 4:4 >> |
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