Lamentations 4:12 kjv
The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.
Lamentations 4:12 nkjv
The kings of the earth, And all inhabitants of the world, Would not have believed That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem?
Lamentations 4:12 niv
The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the peoples of the world, that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
Lamentations 4:12 esv
The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
Lamentations 4:12 nlt
Not a king in all the earth ?
no one in all the world ?
would have believed that an enemy
could march through the gates of Jerusalem.
Lamentations 4 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lam 4:12 | The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed that an adversary or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem. | |
| Isa 5:11 | Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may pursue strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as the wine inflames them! | Warning against complacency |
| Jer 6:3 | Shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall pasture, every one in his place. | Prophecy of siege |
| Jer 14:2 | Judah mourns, and her gates languish; her people cry to heaven; the streams of water are dried up. | Depiction of devastation |
| Jer 52:7 | Then the wall of the city was broken through, and all the soldiers fled and went out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, by the king's garden, and the Chaldeans were all around against the city; and they went out by the Arabah. | Account of the fall of Jerusalem |
| Ps 49:11-12 | Their inward thought is that their houses will continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they have called their lands after their own names. Nevertheless man being in honour abides not: he is like the beasts that perish. | Transience of worldly security |
| Isa 28:15 | Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we come to an agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: | False security |
| Eze 38:11 | And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, | Description of false security |
| Eze 39:26 | After they have borne their shame, and all their treacheries, whereby they have trespassed against me, when they shall dwell safely in their land, and none shall make them afraid; | Restoration after judgment |
| Mic 3:11 | The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. | Corrupt leadership and false security |
| Zep 1:12 | And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and will punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. | Divine judgment on complacency |
| Jer 7:4 | But ye will not trust in these words, but trust in lying words, that cannot profit. | Rejection of true prophecy |
| Jer 21:13 | Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the LORD; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations? | Overconfidence of Jerusalem's defenders |
| Isa 36:18 | Hearken not to Hezekiah, when he thus saith, The LORD will deliver us. Did any of the gods of the nations deliver their lands from the hand of the king of Assyria? | Assyrian taunt about God's inability to save |
| 1 Cor 1:27 | But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty; | God's power through weakness |
| 1 Thes 5:3 | For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. | Sudden destruction on the unprepared |
| Rev 18:10 | Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. | Disbelief at the fall of a powerful entity |
| Acts 12:14-15 | And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all that the people of the Jews were expecting. And when he understood he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark. | Astonishment at divine deliverance |
| Job 2:10 | But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and not receive evil also? | Acceptance of God's sovereignty in suffering |
| Acts 4:24 | And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God which hast made heaven and earth, and all things therein. | Recognition of God's creative power |
| Hab 1:10 | And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a sport unto them; they shall laugh at every stronghold; for they shall heap up dust, and take it. | God raising up nations for judgment |
Lamentations 4 verses
Lamentations 4 12 Meaning
The kings of the earth and all inhabitants of the world would not have believed that an adversary or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem. The verse emphasizes the utter shock and disbelief that such a thing could happen, highlighting the perceived invincibility and security of the city prior to its fall.
Lamentations 4 12 Context
This verse is part of the poetic lamentations of the prophet Jeremiah over the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Chapter 4 specifically details the extreme suffering and devastation experienced by the inhabitants during and after the siege. The preceding verses describe the ravages of famine, the suffering of the innocent, and the contempt shown to the former nobility. This verse serves to highlight the unparalleled and shocking nature of Jerusalem's downfall, as the city was considered impregnable by many, including its own people and rulers. The security of Jerusalem was a matter of both physical fortifications and, more significantly, a misplaced reliance on its divine protection without heeding God’s warnings.
Lamentations 4 12 Word analysis
- Lĕme (לֹא): "Not" – A primary negative particle.
- yĕ’mînû (יְמִינּוּ): "Believe" or "trust" – Derived from the root mânah, signifying to count, appoint, or believe. The NIV translates "believe," capturing the sense of holding something as true or real. This points to a failure in spiritual discernment or faith.
- malḵê (מַלְכֵי): "Kings" – The plural of meleḵ (מֶלֶךְ), referring to earthly rulers and authorities.
- ’ereṣ (אֶרֶץ): "Earth" – Refers to the land or world. Here it signifies the nations of the world.
- wĕḵāl (וְכֹל): "And all" – Connects the kings to the subsequent enumeration of inhabitants.
- yôšbê (יוֹשְׁבֵי): "Inhabitants" – Plural of yôšēḇ, one who sits or dwells.
- têḇêl (תֵּבֵל): "World" or "inhabitants of the world" – Refers to the whole earth or its inhabitants.
- lĕšikkôn (לְשִׁכּוֹן): "Would inhabit" or "dwell" – Connects with the previous term to mean "all the inhabitants of the world."
- ’îm (אִם): "If" – Introducing a conditional clause, often used with the negative.
- ’ôyēḇ (אֹיֵב): "Enemy" or "adversary" – A powerful term denoting opposition and hostility.
- yāḇô’ (יָבוֹא): "Would come in" or "enter" – From the root bô’, meaning to come.
- šĕ‘ārê (שַׁעֲרֵי): "Gates" – Plural of ša‘ar, an entrance or opening in a wall.
- Yĕrûšālayim (יְרוּשָׁלָיִם): "Jerusalem" – The holy city, the capital of Judah.
Grouped word analysis:
- lĕme yĕ’mînû malḵê ’ereṣ: "the kings of the earth would not believe" – Highlights the widespread disbelief among global leaders regarding the possibility of Jerusalem's fall.
- wĕḵāl yôšbê têḇêl: "and all the inhabitants of the world" – Emphasizes the universality of this disbelief across all peoples.
- ’îm ’ôyēḇ yāḇô’ šĕ‘ārê Yĕrûšālayim: "if an adversary or enemy would come in the gates of Jerusalem" – Defines the specific event that was deemed unbelievable, the breaching of the city's defenses.
Lamentations 4 12 Bonus section
The sentiment expressed in Lamentations 4:12 echoes the arrogance of certain empires throughout history that believed themselves to be invincible. This verse is a powerful reminder that human arrogance and misplaced trust in earthly strength are ultimately futile against God's sovereign will and judgment. The disbelief points to a general ignorance of God's power to discipline and even destroy those whom He has chosen when they persistently disobey. This also highlights the unique theological understanding that Israel, unlike other nations, was expected to have concerning God's judgment. While other nations might fall, Israel’s fall was seen as a profound theological paradox due to their covenant relationship with Yahweh.
Lamentations 4 12 Commentary
This verse underscores a profound national and international incredulity towards the potential demise of Jerusalem. For the inhabitants and rulers, the city’s physical defenses, coupled with a mistaken theological assurance of divine favor, rendered its fall inconceivable. This was not just a military assessment but a spiritual blindness, a refusal to accept the warnings conveyed through the prophets. The prophets themselves faced disbelief and rejection when they spoke of God's judgment. The destruction of Jerusalem was an event that shook the known world's understanding of divine justice and power. It revealed that even a city chosen and blessed by God could face utter ruin if its people turned away from Him. This also serves as a profound lesson on the nature of true security, which is found not in fortifications or political alliances, but in obedience and faithfulness to God. The downfall of a city like Jerusalem, which held such significance, served as a stark warning that no earthly power or prestige can ultimately defy divine judgment when sin and apostasy prevail.