Lamentations 4:18 kjv
They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
Lamentations 4:18 nkjv
They tracked our steps So that we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near; Our days were over, For our end had come.
Lamentations 4:18 niv
People stalked us at every step, so we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near, our days were numbered, for our end had come.
Lamentations 4:18 esv
They dogged our steps so that we could not walk in our streets; our end drew near; our days were numbered, for our end had come.
Lamentations 4:18 nlt
We couldn't go into the streets
without danger to our lives.
Our end was near; our days were numbered.
We were doomed!
Lamentations 4 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lam 4:18 | They hunt our steps, that we cannot walk in our streets... | Judgment of Jerusalem |
| Isa 59:7 | Their feet run swiftly to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; devastation and destruction are in their paths. | Wickedness leads to ruin |
| Jer 8:12 | Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay, they were not at all ashamed; neither did they consider the shame… | Unrepentant sin |
| Prov 29:1 | He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. | Rejection of correction |
| Luke 21:34 | And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. | Watchfulness |
| Matt 6:34 | Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. | Trusting in God |
| Ps 106:25 | Thus saith the LORD, stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls… | Seeking God's ways |
| Jer 2:19 | Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that there is no fear of me, saith the Lord GOD of hosts. | Consequences of disobedience |
| Ps 37:31 | The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. | Righteousness ensures stability |
| Jer 5:31 | The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? | Deception and false leadership |
| Ps 91:3 | Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. | Divine protection |
| Hab 2:6 | Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay! | Acquiring wealth illegitimately |
| Deut 28:32 | Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand. | Exile and loss of family |
| Ezek 20:43 | And there shall ye remember your ways and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evils which ye have committed. | Remembering sin |
| Luke 13:35 | Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. | Rejection of Messiah |
| Ps 36:12 | There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise. | Wickedness brings downfall |
| Isa 8:12-13 | Say ye not, A confederacy, to all those of this people, of whom they shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. | Fearing man over God |
| Rom 9:32-33 | Wherefore? Because that they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone… | Seeking righteousness apart from faith |
| Jer 15:13 | Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and for all thy sins, throughout all thy borders. | Consequences of national sin |
| Hosea 2:6 | Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and wall her up, that she shall not find her paths. | God restricting rebellious paths |
Lamentations 4 verses
Lamentations 4 18 Meaning
The verse describes how the pursuit of worldly security and stability ultimately leads to ruin because it disregards God's divine protection and judgment. Those who trusted in their own strength and resources found themselves exposed and vulnerable when disaster struck.
Lamentations 4 18 Context
Lamentations chapter 4 vividly depicts the aftermath of the destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of its people during the Babylonian exile. This particular verse highlights the consequence of their misplaced trust and reliance on their own fortifications and political alliances rather than on God. The citizens of Jerusalem had sought security in their physical defenses and perceived strength, believing they were unassailable. However, their reliance on these worldly means proved futile as their enemies systematically hunted them down. The verse speaks to the inescapable nature of divine judgment when a nation turns away from its covenantal obligations to God. The sentiment echoes a recurring theme in the Old Testament: the folly of trusting in human power over divine faithfulness.
Lamentations 4 18 Word Analysis
We (וַנַּחְנוּ - vanachnu): Pronoun, "and we". This is a collective, first-person plural, emphasizing the shared experience of the nation under judgment. It signifies "we ourselves," indicating a communal lament.
did wait (קִוִּינוּ - qivvim): Verb, "to look for," "to hope for," "to wait for," "to expect." This word implies a strong reliance and anticipation for something or someone. Here, it signifies their trust and expectation for deliverance and safety.
for a nation (לְגוֹי - legoy): Preposition "to" or "for," followed by the noun "nation" or "people." This indicates that their hope for rescue was placed in a foreign nation, likely an alliance they sought with Egypt, contrasting with reliance on God.
that could not save (מוֹשִׁיעַ - moshia ): Participle, "saving," "deliverer." This describes the inability of the hoped-for nation to provide any real salvation. It highlights the ineffectiveness of their human-centered strategy.
us (אוֹתָנוּ - otanu): Pronoun, "us." Direct object, reinforcing that the inability to save pertains to "us."
Group Analysis: The phrase "did wait for a nation that could not save us" encapsulates the core theme of misplaced trust. The plural "we" and "us" underscores a collective failure and communal suffering, a national downfall rooted in seeking security from a human source that ultimately proved to be powerless.
Lamentations 4 18 Bonus Section
The concept of seeking alliances with foreign nations instead of trusting in the Lord is a recurring motif throughout the Old Testament, often condemned by prophets. This practice represented a lack of faith and a turning away from God’s covenant, inviting divine judgment. Scholars note that the specific nation alluded to here, "that could not save," most likely refers to Egypt, given historical context and Jeremiah's similar condemnations of Egyptian alliances. The helplessness of the sought-after savior starkly contrasts with God's omnipotence. The ultimate "waiting" that truly brings salvation is found in waiting on the Lord, as Psalm 27:14 states, "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."
Lamentations 4 18 Commentary
This verse laments the fruitless reliance on foreign alliances for national security. Jerusalem had historically looked to Egypt for support, a nation that ultimately failed to protect them from Babylonian aggression. Their hope was placed in the strength of other kingdoms rather than in the power of God. This human-centric approach led to their downfall, as they found themselves hunted and without refuge when the siege tightened. The lesson is profound: true security and deliverance come from faith and obedience to God, not from geopolitical strategies or material might. Trusting in anything or anyone else will ultimately lead to disappointment and destruction.