Lamentations 4:16

Lamentations 4:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The anger of the Lord hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders.
• New International Version (NIV)The Lord himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The Lord himself has scattered them; he will regard them no more; no honor was shown to the priests, no favor to the elders.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The face of the Lord scattered them; He no longer regards them. The people do not respect the priests Nor show favor to the elders.

Context of Lamentations 4:16

14Blind, they stumbled in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments. 15“Stay away! Unclean!” people shouted at them. “Away, away! Don’t touch us!” So they wandered aimlessly. It was said among the nations, “They can stay here no longer.” The Lord himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are not respected; the elders find no favor. 17All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help; we watched from our towers for a nation that would not save us. 18Our steps were closely followed so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end approached; our time ran out. Our end had come!

Lamentations 4:16 word by word

פְּנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ חִלְּקָ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יף לְהַבִּיטָ֑ם פְּנֵ֤י כֹהֲנִים֙ לֹ֣א נָשָׂ֔אוּ וּזְקֵנִ֖ים לֹ֥א חָנָֽנוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The angerפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• hath dividedחָלַקchâlaq · to divideH2505
• them; he will no moreיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
• regardנָבַטnâbaţ · to lookH5027
• them: they respectedנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: kindnessH5375
• not the personsפָּנֶהpânîym · face: kindnessH6440
• of the priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• they favouredחָנַןchânan · be graciousH2603
• not the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205

Cross-references for Lamentations 4:16

• Genesis 49:7Their anger is cursed, for it is strong, and their fury, for it is cruel! I will disperse them throughout Jacob and scatter them throughout Israel.
• Leviticus 26:33But I will scatter you among the nations, and I will draw a sword to chase after you. So your land will become desolate, and your cities will become ruins.
• Deuteronomy 28:25The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them from one direction but flee from them in seven directions. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
• Deuteronomy 32:26“I would have said: I will cut them to pieces and blot out the memory of them from mankind,
• Jeremiah 15:4I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.
• Jeremiah 24:9I will make them an object of horror and a disaster to all the kingdoms of the earth, an example for disgrace, scorn, ridicule, and cursing, wherever I have banished them.
• Psalms 106:44When he heard their cry, he took note of their distress,
• Hebrews 8:9not like the covenant that I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. I showed no concern for them, says the Lord, because they did not continue in my covenant.
• Lamentations 5:12Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders are shown no respect.
• 2 Kings 25:18The captain of the guards also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of the second rank, and the three doorkeepers.
• 2 Chronicles 36:17So he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their fit young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary. He had no pity on young men or young women, elderly or aged; he handed them all over to him.
• Isaiah 9:14So the Lord cut off Israel’s head and tail, palm branch and reed in a single day.

Commentaries on Lamentations 4:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Literally, The countenance of Yahweh hath scattered them, has driven these outlawed priests here and there, “and He will no more regard them” with favor.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. 1616. Ain and Pe are here transposed (La 4:16, 17), as in La 2:16, 17; 3:46-51. anger--literally, "face"; it is the countenance which, by its expression, manifests anger (Psa 34:16). Gesenius translates, "the person of Jehovah"; Jehovah present; Jehovah Himself (Ex 33:14; 2Sa 17:11). divided--dispersed the Jews. they respected not ... priests--This is the language of the Gentiles. "The Jews have no hope of a return: for they respected not even good priests"…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• 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