Lamentations 4:13

Lamentations 4:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her,
• New International Version (NIV)But it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed within her the blood of the righteous.
• English Standard Version (ESV)This was for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who shed in her midst The blood of the just.

Context of Lamentations 4:13

11Adonai has vented His fury. He has poured out His burning anger. Yes, He kindled a fire in Zion that devoured her foundations. 12The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did the inhabitations of the world, that enemy and foe would enter the gates of Jerusalem. Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her kohanim, who shed in her midst the blood of the tzadikim . 14They wander in the streets, like blind men. They are so defiled with blood, no one can touch their garments. 15“Turn away! Unclean!” They cry to them. “Turn away, turn away! Don’t touch!” So they fled and wandered about. People among the nations say, “They can stay here no longer.”

Lamentations 4:13 word by word

מֵֽחַטֹּ֣את נְבִיאֶ֔יהָ עֲוֹנ֖וֹת כֹּהֲנֶ֑יהָ הַשֹּׁפְכִ֥ים בְּקִרְבָּ֖הּ דַּ֥ם צַדִּיקִֽים׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For the sinsחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
• of her prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• the iniquitiesעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
• of her priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• that have shedשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: killH8210
• the bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• of the justצַדִּיקtsaddîyq · righteousH6662
• in the midstקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: amongH7130

Cross-references for Lamentations 4:13

• Lamentations 2:14Your prophets have seen for you false and worthless visions. They did not expose your iniquity, so as to restore your captivity. Rather, they have seen for you false and worthless oracles.
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy falsely, the kohanim rule by their own authority, and My people love it this way! But what will you do in the end?”
• Jeremiah 6:13“For from the least to the greatest, all of them are greedy for gain, and from prophet even to kohen, everyone practices deceit.
• Jeremiah 14:14Then Adonai said to me: “The prophets prophesy lies in My Name! I did not send them, nor commanded them, nor did I speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, divination, futility, a delusion of their heart.”
• Jeremiah 23:11For both prophet and kohen are ungodly. Even in My House I found their evil.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
• Ezekiel 22:26Her kohanim have done violence to My Torah and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, nor have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean. They shut their eyes to My Shabbatot. So I am profaned among them.
• Micah 3:11Her leaders give judgment for a bribe. Her priests give direction for a price. Her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean on Adonai by saying: “Is not Adonai in our midst? No calamity will come upon us!”
• Zephaniah 3:3Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are wolves of the night, leaving nothing but bones for morning.
• Jeremiah 2:20“Indeed, long ago I broke your yoke and tore off your bonds. You said, ‘I will not serve!’ Instead, on every high hill and under every green tree you sprawled out as a prostitute.
• Jeremiah 26:8Now when Jeremiah finished speaking all that Adonai had commanded him to speak to all the people, the kohanim and the prophets and all the people laid hold on him, saying: “You will surely die!
• Matthew 23:31So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.
• Luke 11:47“Woe to you, for you build the tombs of the prophets whom your own fathers killed!
• Acts 7:52Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed the ones who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. Now you have become His betrayers and murderers—
• 1 Thessalonians 2:15who killed both the Lord Yeshua and the prophets and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God and hostile to all people,

Commentaries on Lamentations 4:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests - These most wretched beings, under the pretense of zeal for the true religion, persecuted the genuine prophets, priests, and people of God, and caused their blood to be shed in the midst of the city, in the most open and public manner; exactly as the murderous priests, and blood-thirsty preachers, under the reign of bloody Queen Mary, did in England. However, the profligate priests and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13The blood of the just - Jeremiah 26:7-24 exhibits priests and prophets as the prime movers in an attempt to silence the word of God by putting Jeremiah to death. Compare the margin reference to Matthew.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. 1313. prophets--the false prophets (Jr 23:11, 21). Supply the sense thus: "For the sins ... these calamities have befallen her." shed the blood of the just--(Mt 23:31, 37). This received its full fulfilment in the slaying of Messiah and the Jews' consequent dispersion (Jas 5:6). Nun.Read the comment

Topics related to Lamentations 4:13

• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Comparable
• Dim
• Poetry
• Acrostic
• Alphabet
• Lamentations, Book of
• Poetry, Hebrew
• Proverbs, the Book of
• Ostrich

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