Lamentations 4:6

Lamentations 4:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.
• New International Version (NIV)The punishment of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment without a hand turned to help her.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help her!

Context of Lamentations 4:6

4The nursing infant’s tongue clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any. 5Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps. The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand turned to help her. 7Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires. 8But now their appearance is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as a stick.

Lamentations 4:6 word by word

וַיִּגְדַּל֙ עֲוֹ֣ן בַּת־עַמִּ֔י מֵֽחַטַּ֖את סְדֹ֑ם הַֽהֲפוּכָ֣ה כְמוֹ־רָ֔גַע וְלֹא־חָ֥לוּ בָ֖הּ יָדָֽיִם׃ סRead the interlinear

• The punishmentעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: punishmentH5771
• of the daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• of my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• is greaterגָּדַלgâdal · to magnifyH1431
• thanחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sin: punishmentH2403
• of Sodomסְדֹםsedôm · SodomH5467
• which was overthrownהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
• inכְּמוֹkemô kâmô · likeH3644
• an instantרֶ֫גַעrega‛ · momentH7281
• withoutלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• a handיָדyâd · handH3027
• turned to helpחוּלchûl chîyl · to twist: trembleH2342

Cross-references for Lamentations 4:6

• Isaiah 1:9Unless the LORD of Hosts had left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.
• Ezekiel 16:48As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did as you and your daughters have done.
• Matthew 11:23And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
• Luke 10:12I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
• Luke 12:47That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.
• Lamentations 4:9Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.
• Genesis 19:25Thus He destroyed these cities and the entire plain, including all the inhabitants of the cities and everything that grew on the ground.
• Daniel 9:12You have carried out the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us a great disaster. For under all of heaven, nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem.
• Matthew 24:21For at that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again.

Commentaries on Lamentations 4:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6For the punishment - He thinks the punishment of Jerusalem far greater than that of Sodom. That was destroyed in a moment while all her inhabitants were in health and strength; Jerusalem fell by the most lingering calamities; her men partly destroyed by the sword, and partly by the famine. Instead of no hands stayed on her, Blayney translates, "Nor were hands weakened in her." Perhaps the meaning is, "Sodom was destroyed in a moment without any human…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Rather, “For” the iniquity “of the daughter of my people was greater than” the sin “of Sodom.” The prophet deduces this conclusion from the greatness of Judah‘s misery (compare Jeremiah 30:11; see also Luke 13:1-5). No hands stayed on her - Or, “no hands were round about her.” Sodom‘s sufferings in dying were brief: there were no starving children, no mothers cooking their offspring for food.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. 66. greater than ... Sodom--(Mt 11:23). No prophets had been sent to Sodom, as there had been to Judea; therefore the punishment of the latter was heavier than that of the former. overthrown ... in a moment--whereas the Jews had to endure the protracted and manifold hardships of a siege. no hands stayed on her--No hostile force, as the Chaldeans in the case of Jerusalem, continually pressed on her before her overthrow. Jeremiah thus shows the greater…Read the comment

Topics related to Lamentations 4:6

• Famine
• Sin
• Sodom

In the dictionaries

• Sodom
• Comparable
• Dim
• Poetry
• Acrostic
• Alphabet
• Lamentations, Book of
• Moment
• 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