Lamentations 4:20

Lamentations 4:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The breath of our nostrils, the Lord's anointed, was captured in their pits, of whom we said, "Under his shadow we shall live among the nations."
• New King James Version (NKJV)The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, Was caught in their pits, Of whom we said, “Under his shadow We shall live among the nations.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)Our king—the Lord’s anointed, the very life of our nation— was caught in their snares. We had thought that his shadow would protect us against any nation on earth!

Context of Lamentations 4:20

18People stalked us at every step, so we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near, our days were numbered, for our end had come. 19Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the desert. The Lord’s anointed, our very life breath, was caught in their traps. We thought that under his shadow we would live among the nations. 21Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom, you who live in the land of Uz. But to you also the cup will be passed; you will be drunk and stripped naked. 22Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion; he will not prolong your exile. But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom, and expose your wickedness.

Lamentations 4:20 word by word

ר֤וּחַ אַפֵּ֙ינוּ֙ מְשִׁ֣יחַ יְהוָ֔ה נִלְכַּ֖ד בִּשְׁחִיתוֹתָ֑ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֔רְנוּ בְּצִלּ֖וֹ נִֽחְיֶ֥ה בַגּוֹיִֽם׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The breathרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
• of our nostrilsאַף'aph · face: noseH639
• the anointedמָשִׁיחַmâshîyach · anointedH4899
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• was takenלָכַדlâkad · to captureH3920
• in their pitsשְׁחִיתshechîyth · pitH7825
• of whom we saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Under his shadowצֵלtsêl · shadowH6738
• we shall liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• among the heathenגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471

Cross-references for Lamentations 4:20

• Lamentations 2:9Her gates have sunk into the ground; their bars he has broken and destroyed. Her king and her princes are exiled among the nations, the law is no more, and her prophets no longer find visions from the Lord.
• Genesis 2:7Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
• Genesis 44:30“So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father, and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life,
• 2 Samuel 18:3But the men said, “You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.”
• 1 Samuel 12:3Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right.”
• 1 Samuel 16:6When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”
• 1 Samuel 24:6He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.”
• 1 Samuel 26:9But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?
• 2 Samuel 1:14David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
• 2 Samuel 19:21Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the Lord’s anointed.”
• Psalms 89:20I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him.
• Jeremiah 39:5But the Babylonian army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him.
• Jeremiah 52:8but the Babylonian army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered,
• Ezekiel 12:13I will spread my net for him, and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylonia, the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, and there he will die.
• Ezekiel 17:18He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he had given his hand in pledge and yet did all these things, he shall not escape.
• Ezekiel 19:4The nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit. They led him with hooks to the land of Egypt.

Commentaries on Lamentations 4:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord - That is, Zedekiah the king, who was as the life or the city, was taken in his flight by the Chaldeans, and his eyes were put out; so that he was wholly unfit to perform any function of government; though they had fondly hoped that if they surrendered and should be led captives, yet they should be permitted to live under their own laws and king in the land of their bondage.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17-20Verses 17-20 A rapid sketch of the last days of the siege and the capture of the king. Lamentations 4:17 Rather, “Still do our eyes waste away looking for our vain help.” In our watching - Or, “on our watchtower.” Lamentations 4:18 Or, They hunted “our steps that we could not go out into the streets. To hunt” means here to lie in ambush, and catch by snares; and the streets are literally “the wide places,” especially at the gates. Toward the end of the…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. 20The LORD’s anointed … was captured: This refers to King Zedekiah. He tried to escape from Jerusalem, but the Babylonian army captured him. King Nebuchadnezzar treated him cruelly after his capture (2 Kings 25:4–7; Jeremiah 39:4–7; 52:9–11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. breath ... anointed of ... Lord--our king, with whose life ours was bound up. The original reference seems to have been to Josiah (2Ch 35:25), killed in battle with Pharaoh-necho; but the language is here applied to Zedekiah, who, though worthless, was still lineal representative of David, and type of Messiah, the "Anointed." Viewed personally the language is too favorable to apply to him. live among the heathen--Under him we hoped to live securely…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Comparable
• Dim
• Josiah
• Poetry
• Acrostic
• Alphabet
• Lamentations, Book of
• Messiah
• 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