Amplified Bible
Lamentations 4:2
2The [noble and] precious sons of Zion, [Once] worth their weight in fine gold, How they are regarded [merely] as earthen jars, The work of a potter’s hands!
Lamentations 4:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
- New International Version (NIV)How the precious children of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter’s hands!
- English Standard Version (ESV)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!
- New King James Version (NKJV)The precious sons of Zion, Valuable as fine gold, How they are regarded as clay pots, The work of the hands of the potter!
Context of Lamentations 4:2
1How dark and dim the gold has become, How the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones [of the temple] are poured out and scattered At the head of every street. The [noble and] precious sons of Zion, [Once] worth their weight in fine gold, How they are regarded [merely] as earthen jars, The work of a potter’s hands! 3Even the jackals offer the breast, They nurse their young; But the daughter of my people has become cruel Like ostriches in the wilderness [that desert their young]. 4The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth because of thirst; The little ones ask for food, But no one gives it to them.
Read all of Lamentations 4Lamentations 4:2 word by word
בְּנֵ֤י צִיּוֹן֙ הַיְקָרִ֔ים הַמְסֻלָּאִ֖ים בַּפָּ֑ז אֵיכָ֤ה נֶחְשְׁבוּ֙ לְנִבְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶשׂ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יְדֵ֥י יוֹצֵֽר׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The preciousיָקָרyâqâr · preciousH3368
- sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
- comparableסָלָאsâlâ' · to weighH5537
- to fine goldפַּזpâz · pure goldH6337
- how are they esteemedחָשַׁבchâshab · to devise: countH2803
- as earthenחֶ֫רֶשׂchereώ · earthenwareH2789
- pitchersנֵ֫בֶלnebel nêbel · bagH5035
- the workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
- of the handsיָדyâd · handH3027
- of the potterיָצַרyâtsar · to form: potterH3335
Cross-references for Lamentations 4:2
- Isaiah 51:18There is no one to guide her among all the sons she has borne, Nor is there anyone to take her by the hand among all the sons she has reared.
- Zechariah 9:13For I will bend Judah as My bow, I will fit the bow with Ephraim [as My arrow]. And I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, And will make you [Israel] like the sword of a warrior.
- Lamentations 2:21The young and the old Lie on the ground in the streets; My virgins and my young men Have fallen by the sword. You have killed them in the day of Your anger, You have slaughtered, not sparing.
- Lamentations 5:12Princes were hung by their hands; Elders were not respected.
- Isaiah 30:14Whose collapse is like the smashing of a potter’s jar, Crushed so savagely that there cannot be found among its pieces a potsherd [large enough] To take [coals of] fire from a fireplace, Or to scoop water from a cistern.”
- Jeremiah 19:11and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “This is the way I will break this people and this city as one breaks a potter’s vessel, so that it cannot be mended. They will bury [corpses] in Topheth until there is no more room left [in that place] to bury [the dead].
- Jeremiah 22:28Is this man [King] Coniah a despised, broken jar? Is he a vessel in which no one takes pleasure? Why are he and his [royal] descendants hurled out And cast into a land which they do not know or understand?
- Romans 9:21Does the potter not have the right over the clay, to make from the same lump [of clay] one object for honorable use [something beautiful or distinctive] and another for common use [something ordinary or menial]?
- 2 Corinthians 4:7But we have this precious treasure [the good news about salvation] in [unworthy] earthen vessels [of human frailty], so that the grandeur and surpassing greatness of the power will be [shown to be] from God [His sufficiency] and not from ourselves.
- 2 Timothy 2:20Now in a large house there are not only vessels and objects of gold and silver, but also vessels and objects of wood and of earthenware, and some are for honorable (noble, good) use and some for dishonorable (ignoble, common).
Commentaries on Lamentations 4:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The precious sons of Zion - The Jewish priests and Jewish believers. Comparable to fine gold - Who were of the pure standard of holiness; holy, because God who called them is holy; but now esteemed no better than earthen pitchers - vessels of dishonor in comparison of what they once were.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2The precious sons of Zion - The whole nation was consecrated to God, and formed “a kingdom of priests” Exodus 19:6: in this respect, a type of the Christian Church 1 Peter 2:5. Comparable to fine gold - literally, “weighed with” solid gold, and so equal to their weight in it. With this is contrasted the hollow pitcher easily broken, and made of materials of no intrinsic value.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. 22. comparable to ... gold--(Job 28:16, 19). earthen pitchers--(Is 30:14; Jr 19:11). Gimel.Read the comment
Topics related to Lamentations 4:2
In the dictionaries
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
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