English Standard Version
Lamentations 3:39
39Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?
Lamentations 3:39 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
- New International Version (NIV)Why should the living complain when punished for their sins?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment of his sins?
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins?
Context of Lamentations 3:39
37Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? 38Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come? Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins? 40Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord! 41Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven:
Read all of Lamentations 3Lamentations 3:39 word by word
מַה־יִּתְאוֹנֵן֙ אָדָ֣ם חָ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר עַל־חֲטָאָֽיו׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Lamentations 3:39
- Lamentations 3:22The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
- Numbers 11:11Moses said to the Lord, "Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?
- Proverbs 19:3When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.
- Isaiah 38:17Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.
- Genesis 4:5but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
- Leviticus 26:41so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies—if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity,
- Numbers 16:41But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the Lord."
- Numbers 17:12And the people of Israel said to Moses, "Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone.
- Joshua 7:6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads.
- 2 Samuel 6:7And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.
- 2 Kings 3:13And Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother." But the king of Israel said to him, "No; it is the Lord who has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab."
- 2 Kings 6:32Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Now the king had dispatched a man from his presence, but before the messenger arrived Elisha said to the elders, "Do you see how this murderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door fast against him. Is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?"
- Ezra 9:13And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this,
- Job 11:6and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.
- Isaiah 51:20Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of the Lord, the rebuke of your God.
- Jonah 2:3For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me.
Commentaries on Lamentations 3:39
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39Wherefore doth a living man complain - He who has his life still lent to him has small cause of complaint. How great soever his affliction may be, he is still alive; therefore, he may seek and find mercy unto eternal life. Of this, death would deprive him; therefore let not a living man complain.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 37-39Verses 37-39 Why then does a loving God, who disapproves of suffering when inflicted by man upon man, Himself send sorrow and misery? “Because of sins.” Lamentations 3:37 Literally, “Who is this that spake and it was done, though אדני 'ădonāy commanded it not?” Lamentations 3:39 So long as God spares a man‘s life, why does he complain? The chastisement is really for his good; only let him use it aright, and he will be thankful for it in the end. A man…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 37-41Verses 37-41 While there is life there is hope; and instead of complaining that things are bad, we should encourage ourselves with the hope they will be better. We are sinful men, and what we complain of, is far less than our sins deserve. We should complain to God, and not of him. We are apt, in times of calamity, to reflect on other people's ways, and blame them; but our duty is to search and try our own ways, that we may turn from evil to God. Our…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 37-39Some disasters have natural causes (Luke 13:1–5). Bad things happen to both good and bad people (Matthew 5:45). No matter what happens, we should give thanks and not complain (1 Thessalonians 5:18).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 37-3937-39. Who is it that can (as God, Psa 33:9) effect by a word anything, without the will of God?Read the comment
Topics related to Lamentations 3:39
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Lamentations 3
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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