Lamentations 4:19 kjv
Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
Lamentations 4:19 nkjv
Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heavens. They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
Lamentations 4:19 niv
Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the desert.
Lamentations 4:19 esv
Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles in the heavens; they chased us on the mountains; they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
Lamentations 4:19 nlt
Our enemies were swifter than eagles in flight.
If we fled to the mountains, they found us.
If we hid in the wilderness,
they were waiting for us there.
Lamentations 4 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lamentations 4:19 | Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they pursued us on foot across the country. | Habakkuk 1:8 (Similar imagery of swiftness) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | The breath of our pursuers blew out our lamps. | Psalm 31:10 (Physical and spiritual affliction) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | But we could not escape. | Judges 1:4 (Fleeing from oppression) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | Even in exile, remembrance of Jerusalem fuels a deep connection to God's presence. | Psalm 137:1 (Exile and longing for Zion) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | Those who lived in former glory now face ruin, underscoring the suddenness of their fall. | Isaiah 3:26 (Daughter of Zion brought low) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | The vulnerability and terror are intensified by the relentlessness of the enemy. | 2 Samuel 10:7 (Facing overwhelming armies) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | The helplessness described evokes deep empathy from God. | Psalm 72:12-13 (Deliverance of the needy) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | The nation's pursuit mirrors divine judgment for disobedience. | Deuteronomy 28:49 (Curses for disobedience) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | The "breath of our pursuers" symbolizes their overwhelming power and threat. | Job 41:19-20 (Breath of God or Leviathan) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | This helplessness is a stark contrast to past divine protection. | Psalm 91:3-4 (God as protector) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | The nation's inability to escape signifies the totality of their defeat. | Jeremiah 44:13 (God's judgment falling) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | Despite the dire circumstances, the lament shifts to a desperate plea to God. | Psalm 22:1-2 (Cry of distress) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | The mention of pursuit by "eagles" is consistent with ancient military tactics. | Nahum 3:15-17 (Babylonian army's speed) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | The "pursuers" are those who brought destruction upon Jerusalem. | 2 Kings 25:1-7 (Fall of Jerusalem) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | The loss of light signifies the darkness and despair engulfing the nation. | John 1:5 (Light in darkness) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | This verse portrays a people utterly overwhelmed by their enemies. | 1 Samuel 4:3 (Defeat in battle) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | The lack of escape highlights the severity of the divine chastisement. | Isaiah 51:19 (Two have fallen, none to comfort) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | Even the hope of finding safety within the city walls has failed. | Lamentations 2:11 (Elders weep outside the city) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | The verse expresses a sentiment echoed by David facing pursuit by Saul. | 1 Samuel 24:14 (David's lament about being pursued) |
| Lamentations 4:19 | The lament acknowledges God's sovereign hand in their downfall. | Jeremiah 8:16 (Fears from the north) |
Lamentations 4 verses
Lamentations 4 19 Meaning
This verse expresses profound sorrow and a desperate longing for divine intervention amidst severe suffering and desolation. It speaks to a situation where hope has almost vanished, and the people turn their eyes to God as their only refuge and source of help, even when their present circumstances seem to defy any natural explanation for salvation.
Lamentations 4 19 Context
Lamentations chapter 4 vividly describes the aftermath of Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians. The nation is in ruins, the people are suffering from famine, disease, and captivity. This particular verse focuses on the brutal efficiency and relentless pursuit of the conquering armies that led to Jerusalem's fall and the subjugation of its people. The chapter paints a bleak picture of a once glorious city and kingdom now brought to utter devastation. The context is one of divine judgment, but also a poignant cry from a people experiencing immense suffering and seeking a return to God's favor.
Lamentations 4 19 Word analysis
- Our (Nû): Possessive pronoun, indicating collective suffering and experience.
- pursuers (Rōdĕphîm): From root (rā·ḏap̄), meaning to chase, hunt, persecute. This implies active and relentless pursuit by an enemy.
- were (hā·yû): Verb, indicating a past state or condition.
- swifter (qĕ·lîm): Adjective, from root (qā·lō·wō·ḇ), meaning swift, light, quick. Compares their speed to the fastest creatures.
- than (mē·‘a·layim): Comparative particle.
- eagles (‘en•å•hê·å•khå): Plural of ‘ayin, meaning eagle, or possibly vulture, representing speed and predatory power.
- in the sky (bîš-ma·yim): Locative preposition and noun, signifying their dominance over the heavens, unmatched in speed.
- They (hēm): Plural pronoun.
- pursued (r Lieberman·ū): Verb, from the same root (rā·ḏap̄), reinforcing the relentless nature of the chase.
- us (nū): Direct object pronoun.
- on foot (bê·rag·lîm): Noun in the plural, lit. "in feet." This is paradoxical given the swiftness of eagles. It emphasizes that even without swift mounts, their land pursuit was equally effective.
- in the country (bî·ā·reṣ): Locative preposition and noun, referring to the land, their own territory where they should have been safe.
- The (hã•): Definite article.
- breath (rû•aḥ): From root (rû•aḥ), meaning wind, spirit, breath. Symbolically, the "breath" of pursuers refers to their overwhelming, life-extinguishing force or presence.
- of our pursuers (mî·rō·ḏep̄): Genitive construction, possessive.
- blew (hiṗ·ħū): Verb, from root (pûaḥ), meaning to blow, breathe. The action of extinguishing something vital.
- out ( ‘ô•thô•) : Object pronoun, referring to lamps.
- our (nû): Possessive pronoun.
- lamps (nêr): Noun, singular in construct state with pronoun. Lit. "our lamps." Symbolizes life, hope, sustenance, or divine favor. The enemy's very presence or action extinguishes these.
- but (wə·‘ak): Conjunction indicating contrast.
- we (’å•nō•khî•): Pronoun.
- could not (lô·‘ê•klā): Negative particle and verb form (yə·ḵô•lû) implying inability, powerlessness.
- escape (bû•r•aḥ•û•nû•): Verb, meaning to flee, escape. Emphasizes the impossibility of evasion.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky": This vivid simile captures the overwhelming speed and relentless nature of the invading army. The eagles represent the pinnacle of aerial swiftness and power, a force against which humans have little defense. This paints a picture of a chase from which there is no earthly escape.
- "they pursued us on foot across the country": This phrase emphasizes the completeness of the conquest. Even on foot, the enemy was efficient enough to catch them on their own land, indicating complete vulnerability and the loss of any advantage due to familiarity with the terrain.
- "The breath of our pursuers blew out our lamps": This powerful metaphor describes the suffocating and extinguishing effect of the enemy's presence and actions. "Lamps" are symbols of life, light, hope, and possibly even the divine presence or favor that sustained them. Their "breath" is depicted as a deadly force that extinguishes life and hope.
- "but we could not escape": This conclusive phrase encapsulates the utter hopelessness and finality of their situation as described by the enemy's power. All attempts or possibilities of escape were futile.
Lamentations 4 19 Bonus section
The mention of "eagles" can be connected to imperial symbols in ancient Near Eastern cultures, often representing powerful kingdoms or armies. The destruction of "lamps" resonates with symbolic meanings of life and vitality found throughout Scripture, such as the lamp of David (1 Kings 15:4) or the seven lamps of the menorah, representing the Spirit and divine witness. The impossibility of escape can be seen as a consequence of breaking covenant with God, a theme that runs through Deuteronomy and the Prophets. The intensity of the lament also echoes Christ's own cry from the cross in its profound expression of suffering and abandonment, though the context of national judgment is distinct.
Lamentations 4 19 Commentary
This verse conveys the utter despair and overwhelming power of the oppressors against Jerusalem. The imagery of eagles highlights their swiftness, implying a force that came quickly and unexpectedly. The pursuit on foot within their own land signifies the loss of sovereignty and the impossibility of finding safety even in familiar territory. The powerful metaphor of the pursuers' "breath" extinguishing their "lamps" suggests that their very existence and hope were being systematically destroyed. It is a scene of total subjugation where natural means of defense or escape are rendered completely useless. The people are not only physically defeated but also spiritually and existentially threatened, their light of life and hope snuffed out.