Lamentations 4:1 kjv
How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
Lamentations 4:1 nkjv
How the gold has become dim! How changed the fine gold! The stones of the sanctuary are scattered At the head of every street.
Lamentations 4:1 niv
How the gold has lost its luster, the fine gold become dull! The sacred gems are scattered at every street corner.
Lamentations 4:1 esv
How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed! The holy stones lie scattered at the head of every street.
Lamentations 4:1 nlt
How the gold has lost its luster!
Even the finest gold has become dull.
The sacred gemstones
lie scattered in the streets!
Lamentations 4 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lamentations 4:1 | How the gold has lost its brightness! The finest gold has changed. | Lamentations 4:1 |
| Isaiah 1:22 | Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. | Isaiah 1:22 |
| Jeremiah 17:18 | Let them be broken in pieces; double destruction to them! | Jeremiah 17:18 |
| Ezekiel 22:18 | “Son of man, the house of Israel has become like dross to me... | Ezekiel 22:18 |
| Psalm 78:57 | They have turned aside like a deceitful bow. | Psalm 78:57 |
| Jeremiah 8:12 | Have they no shame? No, they have no shame at all; they cannot even blush. | Jeremiah 8:12 |
| Isaiah 3:24 | Instead of fragrance, decay; instead of a sash, a rope... | Isaiah 3:24 |
| Jeremiah 14:1-6 | Drought and famine consequences. | Jeremiah 14:1-6 |
| Psalm 46:4 | A river brings joy to the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. | Psalm 46:4 |
| Isaiah 5:30 | Their roar is like the roaring of the sea... | Isaiah 5:30 |
| Jeremiah 9:1,10 | Lament for destruction and judgment. | Jeremiah 9:1,10 |
| Ezekiel 28:12-17 | Lament over the king of Tyre, fallen pride. | Ezekiel 28:12-17 |
| Proverbs 25:4 | Take away the dross from the silver, and there will be a clean cup. | Proverbs 25:4 |
| Revelation 3:18 | Counsel to the Laodicean church. | Revelation 3:18 |
| Romans 8:18 | Suffering of the present time contrasted with future glory. | Romans 8:18 |
| 1 Corinthians 3:12 | Building with gold, silver, precious stones or with wood, hay, straw. | 1 Corinthians 3:12 |
| Jeremiah 52:17-23 | Spoils taken from the temple. | Jeremiah 52:17-23 |
| Lamentations 1:6 | All that was her splendor has departed from the daughter of Zion. | Lamentations 1:6 |
| Lamentations 2:2 | The Lord has completely demolished Israel and forsaken his altar. | Lamentations 2:2 |
| Isaiah 5:1-7 | Parable of the vineyard and its failure. | Isaiah 5:1-7 |
| 2 Kings 24:13 | Nebuchadnezzar took all the treasures of the house of the Lord. | 2 Kings 24:13 |
| Jeremiah 4:7,11 | God’s judgment through the Babylonians. | Jeremiah 4:7,11 |
| Psalm 89:38-45 | God’s anger upon His anointed and His covenant. | Psalm 89:38-45 |
Lamentations 4 verses
Lamentations 4 1 Meaning
How the gold has lost its brightness! The finest gold has changed. The sacred gems are scattered on the streets.
Lamentations 4 1 Context
This verse opens Lamentations chapter 4, which details the devastation and suffering following the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. The prophet laments the former glory of Zion, which has been utterly ruined. This chapter contrasts the past prosperity and beauty of Jerusalem with its present state of abject misery, emphasizing the severe judgment of God. The lament focuses on the people's suffering, the desecration of holy sites, and the humiliation of its leaders and people. The entire book of Lamentations is a collection of poetic laments attributed to Jeremiah, mourning the fall of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem.
Lamentations 4 1 Word Analysis
- How (How): Expresses lamentation and astonishment.
- the (hā): Definite article.
- gold (pāz): Refers to fine gold, a symbol of preciousness, purity, and high value. It represents the former glorious state of Jerusalem and its people.
- has lost (hō šath'): Denotes dimness, dullness, or fading of color and luster.
- its (bô): Possessive pronoun.
- brightness (yəqār): Literally "weight" or "value." It signifies honor, glory, splendor, and preciousness. In this context, it refers to the radiant beauty and esteemed status that has been diminished.
- The (hā): Definite article.
- finest (sāgîy): Meaning "pure," "refined," or "best." It intensifies the description of the gold, indicating the highest quality.
- gold (pāz): Again, referring to fine gold.
- has changed (miyyōt 'ēṯ): Implies being altered, transformed into something lesser or different, specifically, a degradation of quality.
Words-group analysis:
- "How the gold has lost its brightness! The finest gold has changed.": This is a powerful metaphor. Gold, a symbol of ultimate value and radiance, is presented as having become dull and transformed. This transformation signifies the complete ruin and disgrace that has befallen Jerusalem. What was once precious and glorious is now worthless and despised due to divine judgment. The contrast highlights the depth of their fall.
Lamentations 4 1 Bonus Section
The simile of tarnished gold is potent in ancient Near Eastern cultures, where the luster and purity of gold were highly prized as indicators of quality and worth. For the people of Judah, accustomed to seeing Jerusalem as a symbol of God's presence and blessing, this imagery would have conveyed an almost unthinkable level of degradation. This verse also echoes sentiments found in prophecies concerning the unfaithfulness of God's people, where their relationship with God is described as being defiled, akin to precious metal being mixed with impurities (Isaiah 1:22). The "finest gold" could refer not only to the material wealth of Jerusalem, including the temple treasures, but more importantly to the spiritual and covenantal quality of God's chosen city and people, which has been marred.
Lamentations 4 1 Commentary
The verse vividly portrays the tragic downfall of Jerusalem, once a city of splendor and divine favor. The imagery of tarnished gold signifies the loss of its purity, preciousness, and esteemed position. This wasn't a natural decay but a result of God's judgment. The finest gold, representing the peak of Zion's glory—its people, its temple, its kings—has been corrupted and rendered worthless by sin and subsequent divine punishment. It speaks to a complete reversal of fortune, where what was highly valued is now seen as debased. This state serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and His ways.