Lamentations 4:8

Lamentations 4:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.
• New International Version (NIV)But now they are 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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now their appearance is blacker than soot; They go unrecognized in the streets; Their skin clings to their bones, It has become as dry as wood.

Context of Lamentations 4:8

6The 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. But 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. 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. 10The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

Lamentations 4:8 word by word

חָשַׁ֤ךְ מִשְּׁחוֹר֙ תָּֽאֳרָ֔ם לֹ֥א נִכְּר֖וּ בַּחוּצ֑וֹת צָפַ֤ד עוֹרָם֙ עַל־עַצְמָ֔ם יָבֵ֖שׁ הָיָ֥ה כָעֵֽץ׃ סRead the interlinear

• But now their appearanceתֹּ֫אַרtô'ar · appearanceH8389
• is blackerחָשַׁךְchâshak · to darkenH2821
• than sootשְׁחוֹרshechôr · blacknessH7815
• they are notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• recognizedנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
• in the streetsחוּץchûts chûts · outsideH2351
• Their skinעוֹר‛ôr · skinH5785
• has shriveledצָפַדtsâphad · to shrivelH6821
• onעַל‛al · uponH5921
• their bonesעֶ֫צֶם‛etsem · boneH6106
• it has becomeהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• as dryיָבֵשׁyâbêsh · to witherH3001
• as a stickעֵץ‛êts · tree: woodH6086

Cross-references for Lamentations 4:8

• Lamentations 5:10Our skin is as hot as an oven with fever from our hunger.
• Job 30:17Night pierces my bones, and my gnawing pains never rest.
• Joel 2:6Nations writhe in horror before them; every face turns pale.
• Nahum 2:10She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and laid waste! Hearts melt, knees knock, bodies tremble, and every face grows pale!
• Lamentations 4:1How the gold has become tarnished, the pure gold has become dull! The gems of the temple lie scattered on every street corner.
• Ruth 1:19So Naomi and Ruth traveled until they came to Bethlehem. When they entered Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women of the town exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”
• Job 2:12When they lifted up their eyes from afar, they could barely recognize Job. They began to weep aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust in the air over his head.
• Isaiah 52:14Just as many were appalled at Him— His appearance was disfigured beyond that of any man, and His form was marred beyond human likeness—
• Job 19:20My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.
• Job 33:21His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude.
• Psalms 32:4For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat. Selah
• Psalms 38:3There is no soundness in my body because of Your anger; there is no rest in my bones because of my sin.
• Psalms 102:3For my days vanish like smoke, and my bones burn like glowing embers.
• Psalms 119:83Though I am like a wineskin dried up by smoke, I do not forget Your statutes.

Commentaries on Lamentations 4:8

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Their visage … - Their form (their whole person, see 1 Samuel 28:14) … as in the margin. See Job 30:30. It is withered, it is become like a stick - Or, It has become dry like a piece of wood.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Skin sticking to bones is symptomatic of the final stages of starvation, just before death.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. blacker than ... coal--or, "than blackness" itself (Joe 2:6; Na 2:10). like a stick--as withered as a dry stick. Teth.Read the comment

Topics related to Lamentations 4:8

• Famine

In the dictionaries

• Coal
• Colour
• Comparable
• Dim
• 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