Lamentations 4:16

Lamentations 4:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The anger of the Lord hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders.
• New International Version (NIV)The Lord himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The Lord himself has scattered them; he will regard them no more; no honor was shown to the priests, no favor to the elders.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The face of the Lord scattered them; He no longer regards them. The people do not respect the priests Nor show favor to the elders.

Context of Lamentations 4:16

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.” Adonai Himself has scattered them. He will look on them no more. They did not respect the kohanim. They did not favor the elders. 17Even now our eyes waste away looking in vain for our help. From our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us. 18They hunted our steps, so we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near. Our days were numbered, for our end had come.

Lamentations 4:16 word by word

פְּנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ חִלְּקָ֔ם לֹ֥א יוֹסִ֖יף לְהַבִּיטָ֑ם פְּנֵ֤י כֹהֲנִים֙ לֹ֣א נָשָׂ֔אוּ וּזְקֵנִ֖ים לֹ֥א חָנָֽנוּ׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The angerפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• hath dividedחָלַקchâlaq · to divideH2505
• them; he will no moreיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
• regardנָבַטnâbaţ · to lookH5027
• them: they respectedנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: kindnessH5375
• not the personsפָּנֶהpânîym · face: kindnessH6440
• of the priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• they favouredחָנַןchânan · be graciousH2603
• not the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205

Cross-references for Lamentations 4:16

• Genesis 49:7Cursed be their anger for it was strong and their rage for it was cruel— I will disperse them in Jacob, I will scatter them in Israel.
• Leviticus 26:33I will scatter you among the nations and I will draw out the sword after you. So your land will become a desolation and your cities will become a waste.
• Deuteronomy 28:25“Adonai will bring you to defeat before your enemies. You will go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them. You will become a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
• Deuteronomy 32:26I would have said, ‘I will hack them to pieces, make the memory of them cease from mankind,’
• Jeremiah 15:4“So I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.
• Jeremiah 24:9I will even give them as a horror, as an evil thing, among all the kingdoms of the earth—as a disgrace and a proverb, a taunt and a curse—in all places where I will drive them.
• Psalms 106:44Yet He saw their distress, when He heard their cry,
• Hebrews 8:9It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not remain in My covenant, and I did not care for them, says Adonai.
• Lamentations 5:12Princes are hung up by their hands; elders are dishonored.
• 2 Kings 25:18Then the captain of the guard took away Seraiah the chief kohen, Zephaniah the deputy kohen, and the three doorkeepers.
• 2 Chronicles 36:17Therefore He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the House of their Temple. He had no pity on young man or virgin, elderly or infirm—He gave them all into his hand.
• Isaiah 9:14The elder and the man of rank— he is the head. The prophet who teaches falsehood— he is the tail.

Commentaries on Lamentations 4:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Literally, The countenance of Yahweh hath scattered them, has driven these outlawed priests here and there, “and He will no more regard them” with favor.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. 1616. Ain and Pe are here transposed (La 4:16, 17), as in La 2:16, 17; 3:46-51. anger--literally, "face"; it is the countenance which, by its expression, manifests anger (Psa 34:16). Gesenius translates, "the person of Jehovah"; Jehovah present; Jehovah Himself (Ex 33:14; 2Sa 17:11). divided--dispersed the Jews. they respected not ... priests--This is the language of the Gentiles. "The Jews have no hope of a return: for they respected not even good priests"…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