Lamentations 4:9 kjv
They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
Lamentations 4:9 nkjv
Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For these pine away, Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field.
Lamentations 4:9 niv
Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine; racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field.
Lamentations 4:9 esv
Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field.
Lamentations 4:9 nlt
Those killed by the sword are better off
than those who die of hunger.
Starving, they waste away
for lack of food from the fields.
Lamentations 4 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lamentations 4:9 | Those pierced by the sword fare better than those pierced by hunger, for hunger’s victims perish from lack of produce, cut down without restraint. | Core comparison of death causes |
| Isaiah 49:26 | I will feed your oppressors with their own flesh; they will drink their own blood as with wine. Then all flesh shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. | Divine judgment, suffering |
| Jeremiah 14:15 | This is what the Lord says: 'Do not listen to the prophets who are prophesying to you. They are misleading you. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. | False prophecy and its consequences |
| Deuteronomy 28:48 | Therefore, you will serve the enemies whom the Lord will send against you. You will serve them with hunger, thirst, nakedness, and a lack of everything. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he destroys you. | Covenant curse of famine |
| Ezekiel 5:12 | A third of your people will die of plague or be consumed by famine in your city, a third will fall by the sword outside your walls, and a third I will scatter to the winds. I will draw out my sword against them. | Division of destructive forces |
| Jeremiah 15:2 | If they say to you, “Where shall we go?” then tell them, “This is what the Lord says: Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for hunger, to hunger; those for captivity, to captivity.” | Destined fates in judgment |
| Psalm 63:1 | O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. | Intense spiritual or physical need |
| Isaiah 10:4 | They will fall among the slain, and their bodies will drop on the streets like refuse. Despite all this, his anger has not turned away; his hand is still outstretched. | Devastation by divine wrath |
| Matthew 24:7 | For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in various places. | Signs of the end times, suffering |
| Luke 21:11 | There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues. There will also be terrors and great signs from heaven. | Similar signs, earthly and heavenly |
| Revelation 18:8 | Therefore her plagues will come in a single day—death and mourning and famine. She will be burned up completely by fire, for the Lord God who judges her is mighty. | Divine judgment on corrupt nations |
| Amos 8:11 | “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” | Spiritual famine as judgment |
| John 6:35 | Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” | Jesus as spiritual sustenance |
| 1 Corinthians 6:13 | Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. | Distinction of physical and spiritual |
| Proverbs 6:30-31 | People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger, but if he is caught, he will pay it back sevenfold, even if it means giving up all the substance of his house. | Context of extreme need |
| 2 Corinthians 11:27 | I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. | Paul’s suffering for the Gospel |
| Romans 12:20 | "No, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing so you will heap burning coals on his head." | Kindness to enemies |
| Lamentations 4:4 | She does not consider her ways; therefore her ruin will come swift and severe. | Consequences of not heeding |
| Hosea 2:9 | "Then I will take back my grain at harvest and my new wine at its season, and I will steal my wool and my flax, which were to cover her nakedness." | Divine withholding of sustenance |
| Zechariah 11:17 | “Woe to the worthless shepherd who deserts the flock! A sword will strike his arm and his right eye! His arm will wither completely, and his right eye will be blinded.” | Judgment on negligent leaders |
Lamentations 4 verses
Lamentations 4 9 Meaning
Those pierced by the sword fare better than those pierced by hunger, for hunger’s victims perish from lack of produce, cut down without restraint.
Lamentations 4 9 Context
This verse is found in the midst of the Book of Lamentations, which deeply mourns the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians. Chapter 4 specifically details the extreme suffering, famine, and violence that befell the inhabitants. The verse highlights the devastating impact of starvation, presenting it as a more pitiable and drawn-out form of death compared to being killed swiftly by the sword. It reflects the utter desolation and breakdown of societal order. The context emphasizes the dire consequences of sin and judgment, as described throughout the Old Testament's covenantal framework.
Lamentations 4 9 Word Analysis
- ”מוֹת – môt (Moth): "death". A fundamental concept throughout scripture, signifying the end of physical life, but also used metaphorically for spiritual separation from God or severe ruin.
- ”טובים – ṭôḇîm (Tobim): "better". A comparative adjective, indicating a state of greater favorability or lesser severity in this context.
- ”מִגֹּלְאֵי – migolə’ē (Migola’ei): "from those slain" or "from the slain". This is a part of the root גָּלָה (galah), which means to uncover, reveal, or be exiled. In this form, it likely refers to those killed, particularly as in being "unearthed" by death or perhaps relating to those "exposed" to death by the sword. However, common interpretation links it directly to being killed, often by violent means like war.
- ”חֶרֶב – ḥereḇ (Herev): "sword". Symbolizes warfare, execution, and violent death. The sword is a frequent instrument of judgment in the Old Testament.
- ”כִּי – kî (Ki): "for", "because". Introduces a reason or explanation for the preceding statement.
- ”חֶסְרֵי – ḥesərê (Heserei): "lacking", "wanting", "deficient". Derived from חָסַר (chaser), meaning "to lack", "to be missing". It points to an absence of essential provision.
- ”מִקֶּשַׁח – miqqesháḥ (Miqqeshach): "from the produce" or "from the crop". The word קֶשַׁח (qeshach) is rare and debated, possibly relating to fields, produce, or fruits. Its exact meaning here might suggest that even the sustenance expected from the land is absent.
- ”בְּגִילּוּחֵי – begillûḥê (Begilluhei): "from the wounds", "from the piercings". This word might relate to the act of plucking or pulling away, suggesting death that is drawn out and causes deep anguish or a tearing away of life. It implies a painful, possibly prolonged death, as if "plucked" from life. Another perspective relates it to being shaven or scraped, implying a harsh treatment or stripping away of life.
- ”צְמִיחַ – ṣəmîḥ (Tsemich): "sprout", "produce", "growth". Relates to germination and natural produce, emphasizing what the earth should yield for life.
- ”נִצְמָתִים – nitṣmāṯîm (Nitsmothim): "cut off", "destroyed". A passive participle from the root צָמַת (tsamat), meaning to cut off, extinguish, or put an end to. It signifies a final, decisive end.
- ”אָן –’ān (’An): "where". Not directly present as a separate word in some translations of this verse, but the meaning of absence or lacking can imply a rhetorical "where" did it all go. In other renderings, it could be linked to a place of perishing or the despair of their situation. However, it is not a prominent feature of the original Hebrew phrasing.
- ”אִפֶּה – ’ippêh (’Ippeh): This appears to be a misunderstanding or typo. The Hebrew verse typically conveys the sense of being "cut off" or "pierced" in the context of the famine's victims. The idea is of them being consumed by want.
Word Group Analysis:
- "Those pierced by the sword fare better": This establishes a clear comparison where a violent death is considered preferable to starvation. The "sword" signifies immediate execution, while the suffering from hunger is prolonged and agonizing.
- "hunger’s victims perish from lack of produce": This links starvation directly to the failure of the land to yield its crops, which was a fundamental source of life and sustenance in an agrarian society. It implies a judgment where even nature’s bounty is withheld.
- "cut down without restraint": This phrase underscores the thoroughness and brutality of the famine’s destruction. It suggests that the hunger consumes relentlessly, leaving no one untouched and bringing about a complete cessation of life and growth, like plants that are harvested or destroyed before their time.
Lamentations 4 9 Bonus Section
The idea that famine is a worse death aligns with ancient Near Eastern views of death and sustenance. In that culture, grain and produce were not just food but symbols of life, prosperity, and God’s favor. The withholding of these was a potent sign of divine displeasure and devastating judgment. This verse echoes themes found throughout biblical history where famine serves as a consequence for disobedience (Deut. 28:48), and in the New Testament, a "famine of hearing the words of the Lord" is also presented as a serious judgment (Amos 8:11), highlighting that spiritual hunger can be as devastating as physical hunger. Jesus himself identifies as the true Bread of Life, contrasting Himself with earthly provisions and offering eternal sustenance (John 6:35).
Lamentations 4 9 Commentary
The verse presents a stark, grim comparison: death by the sword is a swifter, perhaps more "honorable" or less agonizing end than the slow, agonizing depletion caused by famine. The victims of hunger don’t just die; they "perish from lack of produce," signifying the utter failure of the land, which God had promised to bless. This implies divine judgment where the very means of sustenance are withheld. The phrase "cut down without restraint" further emphasizes the pervasive and inescapable nature of the starvation, stripping away life mercilessly, much like a harvest reaped by force or a field entirely ravaged. This underscores the profound depth of Jerusalem's suffering during its siege and destruction.