Lamentations 5:4 kjv
We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.
Lamentations 5:4 nkjv
We pay for the water we drink, And our wood comes at a price.
Lamentations 5:4 niv
We must buy the water we drink; our wood can be had only at a price.
Lamentations 5:4 esv
We must pay for the water we drink; the wood we get must be bought.
Lamentations 5:4 nlt
We have to pay for water to drink,
and even firewood is expensive.
Lamentations 5 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lamentations 5:2 | Our inheritance has turned to strangers, our houses also to aliens. | Lamentations 5:2 |
| Isaiah 5:8 | Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field… | Isaiah 5:8 |
| Micah 2:2 | They covet fields, and seize them, and houses: and take them away. | Micah 2:2 |
| Deuteronomy 28:30 | Thou shalt betroth a wife, but another man shall lie with her… | Deuteronomy 28:30 |
| Deuteronomy 28:32 | Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people… | Deuteronomy 28:32 |
| Jeremiah 22:5-7 | For if ye refuse to hear the words… surely I will bring the destruction. | Jeremiah 22:5-7 |
| Ezekiel 45:1-4 | Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance… | Ezekiel 45:1-4 |
| Nehemiah 5:1-5 | And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives… | Nehemiah 5:1-5 |
| Psalm 107:34 | He turneth a fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of them… | Psalm 107:34 |
| Amos 5:11 | Forasmuch therefore ye tread upon the poor, and take of him burdens of wheat. | Amos 5:11 |
| Job 24:2 | Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks on pasture. | Job 24:2 |
| Leviticus 25:23-28 | The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine. | Leviticus 25:23-28 |
| Galatians 4:30 | But what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son. | Galatians 4:30 |
| Matthew 6:19-20 | Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth… | Matthew 6:19-20 |
| 1 Timothy 6:17-19 | Charge them that are rich in this world… | 1 Timothy 6:17-19 |
| Hebrews 11:13-16 | These all died in faith, not having received the promises… | Hebrews 11:13-16 |
| Proverbs 1:19 | So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the… | Proverbs 1:19 |
| Jeremiah 17:11 | As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not… | Jeremiah 17:11 |
| Hosea 1:6 | For she shall conceive again, and bear a son… | Hosea 1:6 |
| Hosea 2:9 | Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof… | Hosea 2:9 |
Lamentations 5 verses
Lamentations 5 4 Meaning
Silver is essential for life, allowing people to purchase sustenance and pay taxes or tributes. The verse laments the loss of Israel's ancestral property, including their inheritance of fertile lands. This forfeiture prevents them from being able to live and thrive, highlighting the severity of their current destitute state.
Lamentations 5 4 Context
Lamentations 5 is a powerful prayer of confession and a plea for restoration, uttered after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile. The prophet, on behalf of the people, describes their profound suffering and dispossession. This specific verse articulates the loss of essential resources and property, emphasizing their inability to sustain themselves due to the ruin of their land and livelihood.
Lamentations 5 4 Word Analysis
- "Our inheritance" : Hebrew: nachalah (נַחֲלָה). This refers to ancestral land and property, a fundamental concept in Israel's covenant with God, tied to identity and God's promise of a homeland.
- "has become" : Hebrew: hayah (הָיָה). Indicates a transformation or change of state, emphasizing the devastating reversal of their fortunes.
- "money" : Hebrew: kesep (כֶּסֶף). Literally means "silver," often used metonymically for wealth, money, or the price of something.
- "for money" : Hebrew: banesep (בַּכָּסֶף). The "ba" prefix means "in" or "with." It implies that their inheritance has been transmuted into mere currency, losing its intrinsic value and connection to their God-given land.
- "Our owners" : Hebrew: ba’alei nabu (בַּעֲלֵי נָבוּ). "Ba'alei" (בַּעֲלֵי) means "masters" or "owners." This points to their foreign oppressors who now hold possession. "nabu" implies they are now forced to purchase or rent what was rightfully theirs, a humiliating state.
- "do not enter in" : Hebrew: lo‘ bawî’ (לֹא בָא)'. Indicates that they no longer have access or dominion over their own resources.
Lamentations 5 4 Bonus Section
The inability to access their inheritance also speaks to a loss of identity. In ancient Israel, land was not just a commodity but a sign of God's covenant faithfulness and the people's unique relationship with Him. To lose this was to lose a vital part of who they were. The phrase "our owners do not enter in" can also be interpreted as the oppressor refusing any legitimate claim, solidifying the sense of complete severance from their ancestral patrimony. This state directly mirrors the curses of disobedience outlined in Deuteronomy 28, reinforcing the theological understanding of their plight as a consequence of covenant violation.
Lamentations 5 4 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the people's utter dispossession and economic paralysis following their defeat and exile. Their God-given inheritance, once the source of life and sustenance, has been plundered and is now inaccessible even for basic survival needs. The use of "money" or "silver" starkly contrasts the sacredness of their inheritance with the profane commerce and greed of their conquerors. It highlights how their material wealth, and by extension their ability to sustain life, is now controlled by foreign powers, reflecting a deep spiritual and national humiliation. The inability to freely access their resources underscores the extent of their bondage.