Lamentations 4:2

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 the gold has become, How the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones are spilled out At the corner of every street. The precious sons of Zion, Weighed against pure gold, How they are regarded as earthenware jars, The work of a potter’s hands! 3Even jackals offer the breast, They nurse their young; But the daughter of my people has proved herself cruel, Like ostriches in the wilderness. 4The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth because of thirst; The children ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them.

Lamentations 4:2 word by word

בְּנֵ֤י צִיּוֹן֙ הַיְקָרִ֔ים הַמְסֻלָּאִ֖ים בַּפָּ֑ז אֵיכָ֤ה נֶחְשְׁבוּ֙ לְנִבְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶשׂ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יְדֵ֥י יוֹצֵֽר׃ סRead the interlinear

• The preciousיָקָרyâqâr · preciousH3368
• sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
• Weighedסָלָאsâlâ' · to weighH5537
• against pureפַּזpâz · pure goldH6337
• they are regardedחָשַׁבchâshab · to devise: countH2803
• earthenwareחֶ֫רֶשׂchereώ · earthenwareH2789
• jarsנֵ֫בֶלnebel nêbel · bagH5035
• The workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
• of a potter’sיָצַרyâtsar · to form: potterH3335
• handsיָדyâd · handH3027

Cross-references for Lamentations 4:2

• Isaiah 51:18There is no one to guide her among all the sons to whom she has given birth, Nor is there anyone to take her by the hand among all the sons she has raised.
• Zechariah 9:13For I will bend Judah as My bow, I will fill the bow with Ephraim. And I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece; And I will make you like a warrior’s sword.
• Lamentations 2:21On the ground in the streets Lie young and old; My virgins and my young men Have fallen by the sword. You have put them to death on the day of Your anger, You have slaughtered, without sparing.
• Lamentations 5:12Leaders were hung by their hands; Elders were not respected.
• Isaiah 30:14Whose collapse is like the smashing of a potter’s jar, So ruthlessly shattered That a shard will not be found among its pieces To take fire from a hearth Or to scoop water from a cistern.”
• Jeremiah 19:11and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “To the same extent I will break this people and this city, just as one breaks a potter’s vessel, which cannot again be repaired; and they will bury their dead in Topheth, because there is no other place for burial.
• Jeremiah 22:28Is this man Coniah a despised, shattered jar? Or is he an undesirable vessel? Why have he and his descendants been hurled out And cast into a land that they had not known?
• Romans 9:21Or does the potter not have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one object for honorable use, and another for common use?
• 2 Corinthians 4:7But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;
• 2 Timothy 2:20Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver implements, but also implements of wood and of earthenware, and some are for honor while others are for dishonor.

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

• Art
• Pitcher
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• Comparable
• Dim
• Poetry
• Pottery
• Acrostic
• Alphabet
• Earthen Vessels
• Esteem
• Fine
• Gold

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