LAMENTATIONS 4

Lamentations 4 Outline

  • Children Ask For Bread But No One Breaks It For Them (v1-5)
  • Those Slain By The Sword Are Better Than Those Who Die Of Hunger (v6-10)
  • The Lord Fulfilled His Fury (v11-20)
  • He Will Punish Your Iniquity O Edom (v21-22)

Key Verse: Lamentations 4:6Information Icon

Lamentations 4:6 For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and no hands were wrung for her. (ESV)

Lamentations 4

1   How the gold has grown dim,
    how the pure gold is changed!
  The holy stones lie scattered
    at the head of every street.
2   The precious sons of Zion,
    worth their weight in fine gold,
  how they are regarded as earthen pots,
    the work of a potter’s hands!
3   Even jackals offer the breast;
    they nurse their young;
  but the daughter of my people has become cruel,
    like the ostriches in the wilderness.
4   The tongue of the nursing infant sticks
    to the roof of its mouth for thirst;
  the children beg for food,
    but no one gives to them.
5   Those who once feasted on delicacies
    perish in the streets;
  those who were brought up in purple
    embrace ash heaps.
6   For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater
    than the punishment of Sodom,
  which was overthrown in a moment,
    and no hands were wrung for her.
7   Her princes were purer than snow,
    whiter than milk;
  their bodies were more ruddy than coral,
    the beauty of their form was like sapphire.
8   Now their face is blacker than soot;
    they are not recognized in the streets;
  their skin has shriveled on their bones;
    it has become as dry as wood.
9   Happier were the victims of the sword
    than the victims of hunger,
  who wasted away, pierced
    by lack of the fruits of the field.
10   The hands of compassionate women
    have boiled their own children;
  they became their food
    during the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11   The LORD gave full vent to his wrath;
    he poured out his hot anger,
  and he kindled a fire in Zion
    that consumed its foundations.
12   The kings of the earth did not believe,
    nor any of the inhabitants of the world,
  that foe or enemy could enter
    the gates of Jerusalem.
13   This was for the sins of her prophets
    and the iniquities of her priests,
  who shed in the midst of her
    the blood of the righteous.
14   They wandered, blind, through the streets;
    they were so defiled with blood
  that no one was able to touch
    their garments.
15   “Away! Unclean!” people cried at them.
    “Away! Away! Do not touch!”
  So they became fugitives and wanderers;
    people said among the nations,
    “They shall stay with us no longer.”
16   The LORD himself has scattered them;
    he will regard them no more;
  no honor was shown to the priests,
    no favor to the elders.
17   Our eyes failed, ever watching
    vainly for help;
  in our watching we watched
    for a nation which could not save.
18   They dogged our steps
    so that we could not walk in our streets;
  our end drew near; our days were numbered,
    for our end had come.
19   Our pursuers were swifter
    than the eagles in the heavens;
  they chased us on the mountains;
    they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
20   The breath of our nostrils, the LORD’s anointed,
    was captured in their pits,
  of whom we said, “Under his shadow
    we shall live among the nations.”
21   Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom,
    you who dwell in the land of Uz;
  but to you also the cup shall pass;
    you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.
22   The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter of Zion, is accomplished;
    he will keep you in exile no longer;
  but your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will punish;
    he will uncover your sins.

(ESV)

Lamentations 4 ContextInformation Icon

Book: Lamentations

Chapter: 4 of 5 Chapters

Author: Jeremiah

Written In: Hebrew

Writing Date Range: 586 B.C. - 573 B.C.

Year Events Occurred: 586 B.C.

Parallel History: 2 Kings 25

Lamentations 4 VisualsInformation Icon

Lamentations 4 TeachingsInformation Icon

Lamentations 4 TimeframeInformation Icon

4004 B.C.

Creation

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Relevant Books: Genesis

Narrative Chapters: Genesis 1, Genesis 2

2348 B.C.

Worldwide Flood

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Relevant Books: Genesis

Narrative Chapters: Genesis 6, Genesis 7, Genesis 8

1010 B.C.

David Reigns Over Judah

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Nations Involved: Judah

Relevant Books: 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles

Narrative Chapters: 2 Samuel 2, 2 Samuel 3, 2 Samuel 4

931 B.C.

Israel Divided: Israel & Judah

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Nations Involved: Israel: Northern Kingdom, Judah: Southern Kingdom

Relevant Books: 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Narrative Chapters: 1 Kings 12

740 B.C.

Isaiah Prophesies To Judah

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Nations Involved: Judah: Southern Kingdom

Relevant Books: Isaiah, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Narrative Chapters: 2 Kings 15, 2 Kings 16, 2 Kings 17, 2 Kings 18, 2 Kings 19, 2 Kings 20, 2 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 26, 2 Chronicles 27, 2 Chronicles 28, 2 Chronicles 29, 2 Chronicles 30, 2 Chronicles 31, 2 Chronicles 32, 2 Chronicles 33

722 B.C.

Assyria Conquered Israel

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Nations Involved: Israel: Northern Kingdom

Relevant Books: 2 Kings

Narrative Chapters: 2 Kings 17

625 B.C.

Jeremiah Prophesies To Judah

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Nations Involved: Judah: Southern Kingdom

Relevant Books: Jeremiah

Narrative Chapters: 2 Kings 22, 2 Kings 23, 2 Kings 24, 2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 33, 2 Chronicles 34, 2 Chronicles 35, 2 Chronicles 36

609 B.C.

Jehoahaz Reigns Over Judah

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Nations Involved: Judah: Southern Kingdom

Relevant Books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Narrative Chapters: 2 Kings 23, 2 Chronicles 36

Jehoiakim Reigns Over Judah

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Nations Involved: Judah: Southern Kingdom

Relevant Books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Narrative Chapters: 2 Kings 23, 2 Kings 24, 2 Chronicles 36

605 B.C.

Nebuchadnezzar Began To Reign In Babylon

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Nations Involved: Babylon

Relevant Books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Narrative Chapters: Jeremiah 25

Babylon Defeated Egypt At Carchemish

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Nations Involved: Egypt, Babylon

Relevant Books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Babylon Conquers Judah (1 of 3)

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Nations Involved: Judah: Southern Kingdom

Relevant Books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Narrative Chapters: 2 Kings 24, 2 Chronicles 36

Daniel Prophesies In Babylon

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Nations Involved: Babylon

Relevant Books: Daniel

Narrative Chapters: Daniel 1, Daniel 2, Daniel 3, Daniel 4, Daniel 5, Daniel 6, Daniel 7, Daniel 8, Daniel 9, Daniel 10, Daniel 11, Daniel 12

598 B.C.

Jehoiachin Reigns Over Judah

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Nations Involved: Judah: Southern Kingdom

Relevant Books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Narrative Chapters: 2 Kings 24, 2 Chronicles 36

597 B.C.

Babylon Conquers Judah (2 of 3)

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Nations Involved: Judah: Southern Kingdom

Relevant Books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Narrative Chapters: 2 Kings 24, 2 Chronicles 36

Zedekiah Reigns Over Judah

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Nations Involved: Judah: Southern Kingdom

Relevant Books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Narrative Chapters: 2 Kings 24, 2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 37, Jeremiah 38, Jeremiah 39

592 B.C.

Ezekiel Prophesies In Babylon

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Nations Involved: Babylon, Judah: Southern Kingdom

Relevant Books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Narrative Chapters: 2 Kings 24, 2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 37, Jeremiah 38, Jeremiah 39

586 B.C.

Babylon Conquers Judah (3 of 3)

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Nations Involved: Judah: Southern Kingdom

Relevant Books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Narrative Chapters: 2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 39, Jeremiah 52

Lamentations 4 Written: 586 B.C. - 573 B.C.

Lamentations 4 Events Timeframe: 586 B.C.

573 B.C.

Babylon Conquered Tyre

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Nations Involved: Tyre, Babylon

Prophecy Chapters: Ezekiel 26, Ezekiel 27, Ezekiel 28

568 B.C.

Babylon Conquered Egypt

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Nations Involved: Egypt, Babylon

Prophecy Chapters: Ezekiel 29, Ezekiel 30, Ezekiel 31, Ezekiel 32

562 B.C.

Evil-Marodach Began To Reign In Babylon

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Nations Involved: Babylon

560 B.C.

Neriglissar Began To Reign In Babylon

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Nations Involved: Babylon

556 B.C.

Nabonidus Began To Reign In Babylon

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Nations Involved: Babylon

553 B.C.

Belshazzar Began To Reign In Babylon

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Nations Involved: Babylon

Narrative Chapters: Daniel 5

536 B.C.

Cyrus Allowed Jews To Return To Jerusalem

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Nations Involved: Israel: After Babylon

516 B.C.

Temple Rebuilt

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Nations Involved: Israel: After Babylon

Relevant Books: Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah

Narrative Chapters: Ezra 5, Ezra 6

4 B.C.

Birth of Jesus

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Nations Involved: Rome, Israel

Relevant Books: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Narrative Chapters: Luke 1, Luke 2, Matthew 1

32 A.D.

Jesus Crucified & Resurrected

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Nations Involved: Israel

Relevant Books: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Narrative Chapters: Matthew 27, Matthew 28, Mark 15, Mark 16, Luke 22, Luke 23, Luke 24, John 18, John 19, John 20, John 21

Prophecy Chapters: Isaiah 53