Lamentations 4:19

Lamentations 4:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
• New International Version (NIV)Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the desert.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heavens. They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

Context of Lamentations 4:19

17[And as for us,] yet our eyes failed, Looking in vain for help. Watching [from the towers] we watched For a nation that could not save. 18The enemy hunted our steps, So that we could not walk in our streets; Our end drew near, Our days were finished For our end had come. Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the sky; They pursued us on the mountains, They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness. 20The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord [our king], Was captured in their snares, He of whom we had said, “Under his shadow We shall live among the nations.” 21Rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, Who lives in the land of Uz. But the cup [of the wine of God’s wrath] will pass to you as well; You will become drunk and make yourself naked.

Lamentations 4:19 word by word

קַלִּ֤ים הָיוּ֙ רֹדְפֵ֔ינוּ מִנִּשְׁרֵ֖י שָׁמָ֑יִם עַל־הֶהָרִ֣ים דְּלָקֻ֔נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֖ר אָ֥רְבוּ לָֽנוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Our persecutorsרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
• are swifterקַלqal · swiftH7031
• than the eaglesנֶשֶׁרnesher · eagleH5404
• of the heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• they pursuedדָּלַקdâlaq · to burn/pursueH1814
• us upon the mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
• they laid waitאָרַב'ârab · to ambushH693
• for us in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057

Cross-references for Lamentations 4:19

• Deuteronomy 28:49“The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, [as swift] as the eagle swoops down [to attack], a nation whose language you will not understand,
• Isaiah 5:26He will lift up a flag to [call] the distant nations [to bring His judgment on Judah], And will whistle for them from the ends of the earth; And indeed, they will come with great speed swiftly.
• Isaiah 30:16And you said, “No! We will flee on horses!” Therefore you will flee [from your enemies]! And [you said], “We will ride on swift horses!” Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift.
• Jeremiah 4:13“Behold, the enemy comes up like clouds, His chariots like the whirlwind; His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe (judgment is coming) to us, for we are ruined!”
• Hosea 8:1Set the trumpet to your lips [announcing impending judgment]! Like a [great] vulture the enemy comes against the house of the Lord, Because they have broken My covenant And transgressed and rebelled against My law.
• Habakkuk 1:8Their horses are swifter than leopards And keener than [hungry] wolves in the evening, Their horsemen come galloping, Their horsemen come from far away; They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour.
• Matthew 24:27For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming [in glory] of the Son of Man [everyone will see Him clearly].
• Amos 2:14Flight will be lost to the swift [so they will be unable to escape], And the strong shall not strengthen nor maintain his power, Nor shall the mighty man save his own life.
• Amos 9:1I saw [in a vision] the Lord standing at the altar, and He said, “Destroy the capitals (tops) of the pillars so that the thresholds will shake, And break them on the heads of all of the people! Then I will kill the rest of them with the sword; They will not have a fugitive who will get away, Or a survivor who will escape.

Commentaries on Lamentations 4:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19They pursued us upon the mountains - They hunted down the poor Jews like wild beasts in every part of the country by their marauding parties, whilst the great army besieged Jerusalem. But this may apply to the pursuit of Zedekiah. See what follows.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17-20Verses 17-20 A rapid sketch of the last days of the siege and the capture of the king. Lamentations 4:17 Rather, “Still do our eyes waste away looking for our vain help.” In our watching - Or, “on our watchtower.” Lamentations 4:18 Or, They hunted “our steps that we could not go out into the streets. To hunt” means here to lie in ambush, and catch by snares; and the streets are literally “the wide places,” especially at the gates. Toward the end of the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-20Verses 13-20 Nothing ripens a people more for ruin, nor fills the measure faster, than the sins of priests and prophets. The king himself cannot escape, for Divine vengeance pursues him. Our anointed King alone is the life of our souls; we may safely live under his shadow, and rejoice in Him in the midst of our enemies, for He is the true God and eternal life.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-22Although God’s people still experience his judgment, they will soon experience restoration.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. The last times just before the taking of the city. There was no place of escape; the foe intercepted those wishing to escape from the famine-stricken city, "on the mountains and in the wilderness." swifter ... than ... eagles--the Chaldean cavalry (Jr 4:13). pursued--literally, "to be hot"; then, "to pursue hotly" (Ge 31:36). Thus they pursued and overtook Zedekiah (Jr 52:8, 9). Resh.Read the comment

Topics related to Lamentations 4:19

• Eagle

In the dictionaries

• Comparable
• Dim
• Heaven
• Poetry
• Acrostic
• Alphabet
• Lamentations, Book of
• Poetry, Hebrew
• Proverbs, the Book of

Commentaries on Lamentations 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings