Lamentations 4 16

Lamentations 4:16 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.

Lamentations 4:16 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.

Lamentations 4:16 niv

The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.

Lamentations 4:16 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.

Lamentations 4:16 nlt

The LORD himself has scattered them,
and he no longer helps them.
People show no respect for the priests
and no longer honor the leaders.

Lamentations 4 verses

Lamentations 4 16 meaning

Lamentations 4:16 states a profound divine judgment, declaring that God Himself, through His direct and active presence, scattered the corrupt priests and prophets of Jerusalem. Furthermore, the verse sternly asserts that the Lord will no longer regard them, signifying a complete withdrawal of divine favor, attention, and intervention upon those who led His people astray and defiled the holy city.

Lamentations 4 16 Context

Chapter 4 of Lamentations graphically portrays the dire suffering that befell Jerusalem during its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC. It vividly contrasts the city's former glory with its present desolation, lamenting the unimaginable hardships, including widespread starvation and even cannibalism (vv. 1-12). This particular chapter also specifically delves into the reasons for such calamitous judgment. Verses 13-15 directly lay the blame at the feet of the priests and prophets—those spiritual leaders whose explicit role was to uphold God's law and guide the people in righteousness. Their sin of shedding innocent blood, profaning holy things, and leading the people astray led to their ritual impurity and ostracism within the very streets they once ministered. Verse 16 continues this thread, sealing their fate by declaring God's personal and final judgment upon these specific leaders, distinguishing their particular spiritual rebellion as a core reason for Judah's fall. The historical context is post-destruction Jerusalem, a period of profound national and spiritual trauma, where the people struggled to reconcile God's covenant promises with their current suffering.

Lamentations 4 16 Word analysis

• פְּנֵי (Pnei): This Hebrew term, meaning "face of" or "presence of," signifies an intimate and active manifestation. While sometimes implying divine favor (Num 6:25, Psa 4:6), here, in the context of judgment, it powerfully connotes active divine wrath and direct intervention. It confirms that the calamity is not an abstract force but God's personal and deliberate act. The anthropomorphism underscores God's deep engagement and the severity of the rejection.
• יְהוָה (Yahweh): The sacred covenant name of God, indicating the sovereign and faithful God who revealed Himself to Israel. Its use here emphasizes that the scattering and withdrawal of regard emanate from the very God with whom Israel had a special, binding relationship, intensifying the tragedy of their spiritual rebellion and His subsequent judgment.
• חִלְּקָם (chillekam): This is the Piel stem of the verb חָלַק (chalaq), meaning "to divide" or "to apportion." In the Piel, it carries an intensive, causative sense: "He actively and decisively scattered them." The suffix "-ם" (them) refers specifically to the priests and prophets mentioned in the preceding verses (Lam 4:13-15). This scattering is not accidental but a precise divine act of dispersion, symbolizing their utter disempowerment and the breaking of their influence and function.
• פְּנֵי יְהוָה חִלְּקָם (Pnei Yahweh chillekam - The presence of the Lord scattered them): This powerful phrase establishes God as the direct agent of their judgment. The "face" or "presence" of God, which should offer protection, now actively expels and disperses these leaders. This signifies a complete reversal of divine protection and care, shattering their status and spiritual authority within the community and beyond.
• לֹא יוֹסִף (Lo yosif): Literally, "He will not add" or "He will not continue." This expression denotes finality and irrevocability. It signifies an end to a particular state or ongoing action, emphasizing the decisive cessation of God's prior interaction or favor towards these individuals. It underscores the ultimate nature of the divine verdict.
• לְהַבִּיט (lehabbit): From the verb נָבַט (nabat), "to look" or "to regard." This is a significant term in Hebrew, often implying more than just a visual act; it involves an act of consideration, favor, active care, or compassionate intervention (Psa 33:18). God "looking upon" someone frequently signifies His blessing or intervening on their behalf (Ex 4:31).
• עֲלֵיהֶם (aleihem): Meaning "upon them" or "at them," referring once again to the corrupt priests and prophets, thereby specifying the target of God's severe abandonment.
• לֹא יוֹסִף לְהַבִּיט עֲלֵיהֶם (Lo yosif lehabbit aleihem - He will no longer look on them): This phrase encapsulates a dire theological consequence: divine abandonment. It goes beyond mere physical scattering, indicating a profound spiritual separation where God withdraws His benevolent gaze, attention, and perhaps, His active intercession or responsiveness to their plight. For a people whose identity and well-being were tied to God's watchful eye, this constitutes the ultimate covenantal curse—a complete rejection from their Lord, leaving them exposed to their fate without divine favor. It's not a denial of God's omniscience, but a refusal to actively regard or bless.

Lamentations 4 16 Bonus section

The active involvement conveyed by "the face of the Lord" (Pnei Yahweh) is crucial, contrasting starkly with its use for God's blessing (Psa 67:1, Num 6:25). Here, it denotes active displeasure and decisive intervention, making God the immediate source of their suffering. This powerfully emphasizes the gravity of the defilement committed by the spiritual leaders. The phrase "He will no longer look on them" refers not to God's inability to see (He is omniscient), but a deliberate refusal to engage in a relationship of favor, protection, or responsiveness to their pleas. It is a profound covenantal withdrawal, akin to a spiritual disinheritance, emphasizing that while God remains sovereign, He will not extend specific care to those who have deeply betrayed their spiritual trust. This specific targeting of religious leaders highlights that abusing spiritual authority carries immense, perhaps the most severe, accountability before God.

Lamentations 4 16 Commentary

Lamentations 4:16 represents a peak of divine judgment against Judah's corrupt spiritual leadership. It is not a general lament but a specific condemnation of the prophets and priests whose responsibility it was to uphold God's law and faithfully guide His people. The "face of the Lord" actively scattering them underscores God's personal, deliberate, and intense displeasure. This dispersion was not just physical exile but a divine stripping away of their authority and role. The declaration "He will no longer look on them" seals their spiritual abandonment. This implies a complete and irreversible withdrawal of God's favor, care, and covenantal attention that once characterized His relationship with His people. For the spiritual leaders, this meant not only a loss of status but the ultimate judgment of being utterly forsaken by the very God they claimed to represent. This severe consequence highlights the gravity of abusing spiritual office and emphasizes that divine judgment justly begins with those entrusted with the greatest responsibility (1 Pet 4:17). The verse does not imply a universal rejection of Israel, but a specific, deserved judgment upon those individuals who had directly led the nation astray, demonstrating God's unyielding justice.