Lamentations 4:15

Lamentations 4:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there.
• New International Version (NIV)“Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them. “Away! Away! Don’t touch us!” When they flee and wander about, people among the nations say, “They can stay here no longer.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Away! Unclean!" people cried at them. "Away! Away! Do not touch!" So they became fugitives and wanderers; people said among the nations, "They shall stay with us no longer."
• New King James Version (NKJV)They cried out to them, “Go away, unclean! Go away, go away, Do not touch us!” When they fled and wandered, Those among the nations said, “They shall no longer dwell here.”

Context of Lamentations 4:15

13Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the sins of her priests, who defiled the city by shedding innocent blood. 14They wandered blindly through the streets, so defiled by blood that no one dared touch them. “Get away!” the people shouted at them. “You’re defiled! Don’t touch us!” So they fled to distant lands and wandered among foreign nations, but none would let them stay. 16The Lord himself has scattered them, and he no longer helps them. People show no respect for the priests and no longer honor the leaders. 17We looked in vain for our allies to come and save us, but we were looking to nations that could not help us.

Lamentations 4:15 word by word

ס֣וּרוּ טָמֵ֞א קָ֣רְאוּ לָ֗מוֹ ס֤וּרוּ ס֙וּרוּ֙ אַל־תִּגָּ֔עוּ כִּ֥י נָצ֖וּ גַּם־נָ֑עוּ אָֽמְרוּ֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יפוּ לָגֽוּר׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• They criedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
• unto them, Departסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• uncleanטָמֵאţâmê' · uncleanH2931
• touchנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
• not: when they fled awayנָצָהnûts · to fleeH5132
• and wanderedנוּעַnûa‛ · to shakeH5128
• they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• among the heathenגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• They shall no moreיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
• sojournגּוּרgûr · to sojournH1481

Commentaries on Lamentations 4:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15When they fled away - These priests and prophets were so bad, that the very heathen did not like to permit them to sojourn among them. The prophet now resumes the history of the siege.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Men cried to these priests, “Away! Unclean! Away! Away! Touch not.” “Unclean” was the cry of the leper whenever he appeared in public: here it is the warning shout of those who meet the murderers. When they fled away and wandered - These priests fled away from the city, but with uncertain steps, not knowing where to find refuge. They find themselves abhorred abroad as well as at home. It is quite possible that this verse records a real occurrence, if not…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. 15It appears that these leaders fled from Jerusalem as refugees to other lands.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. They ... them--"They," that is, "men" (La 4:14). Even the very Gentiles, regarded as unclean by the Jews, who were ordered most religiously to avoid all defilements, cried unto the latter, "depart," as being unclean: so universal was the defilement of the city by blood. wandered--As the false prophets and their followers had "wandered" blind with infatuated and idolatrous crime in the city (La 4:14), so they must now "wander" among the heathen in…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