Lamentations 5:9 kjv
We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword of the wilderness.
Lamentations 5:9 nkjv
We get our bread at the risk of our lives, Because of the sword in the wilderness.
Lamentations 5:9 niv
We get our bread at the risk of our lives because of the sword in the desert.
Lamentations 5:9 esv
We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.
Lamentations 5:9 nlt
We hunt for food at the risk of our lives,
for violence rules the countryside.
Lamentations 5 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lam 5:9 | Our face is blackened with the smoke of our enemies. | direct statement |
| Ps 119:83 | For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I do not forget Your statutes. | figurative comparison of suffering |
| Job 30:30 | My skin grows black and peels; my bones burn with fever. | physical suffering and discoloration |
| Isa 62:6 | I have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. | anticipation of divine intervention |
| Jer 9:1 | Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of my people! | extreme sorrow and mourning |
| Ps 31:11 | I am become a reproach among all my enemies, yea, my neighbours even, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me. | public shame and contempt |
| Lam 4:1 | How the gold has become dim! How the pure gold has changed! How the stones of the sanctuary are scattered at the head of every street! | contrast between past glory and present ruin |
| Lam 4:8 | Their visage is blacker than darkness; they are not recognized in the streets; their skin clings to their bones; it has withered away; it has become like a tree. | graphic description of devastation |
| Lam 5:10 | Our skin is black as an oven because of the burning of famine. | comparison to famine's effects |
| Lam 2:3 | He has broken the horn of Israel in His anger; He has brought Him back from the presence of the enemy. | divine judgment and enemy’s triumph |
| 2 Sam 1:21 | O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, nor rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there was the shield of the mighty vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. | expression of deep sorrow over defeat |
| Lam 3:46 | All our enemies have opened their mouths wide against us. | verbal aggression from enemies |
| Jer 52:23 | And the decapitated heads of their priests were placed in great pots, and their common people were carried captive to Babylon. | evidence of brutal conquest |
| Hab 3:13 | You went out for the salvation of Your people, for the salvation of Your Anointed. You crushed the head of the wicked, laying bare from thigh to neck. | God's intervention and victory |
| Rev 6:12 | I looked, and behold, a pale horse, and its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. They were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. | imagery of destruction and death |
| Lam 4:14 | They wandered blindly in the streets; they were defiled with blood so that no one could touch their garments. | further description of physical degradation |
| Isa 51:23 | but I will put it into the hands of your tormentors, those who have said to you, 'Bow down that we may pass over,' and you bowed down your back to the ground, and as you passed over, they trampled on you. | humiliation and oppression by oppressors |
| 2 Cor 11:30 | If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. | boasting in weakness for Christ's sake |
| Prov 25:26 | Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. | compromised righteousness |
| Jer 16:4 | They shall die of deaths that are not to be lamented. They shall not be mourned, nor shall they be buried. They shall be dung on the surface of the ground. | utter desolation and lack of proper burial |
Lamentations 5 verses
Lamentations 5 9 Meaning
Our face is exceedingly blackened with the smoke of our enemies.
Lamentations 5 9 Context
Lamentations chapter 5 is a final, desperate prayer of the remnant of Judah following the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile. The people are confessing their sins and acknowledging the reasons for their suffering, which are clearly stated to be God's judgment for their iniquities. The verse in question depicts the severe physical and spiritual degradation caused by the calamities. It emphasizes how their adversaries have brought them to a state of utter ruin and ignominy. This prayer is uttered by those who have survived the devastation and are enduring extreme hardship.
Lamentations 5 9 Word analysis
Our (עָנִיִנוּ - aninu)
- Literally means "we are afflicted," "we are brought low," or "we are made poor."
- Highlights a state of deep suffering and subjugation.
face (פָּנִים - panim)
- Refers to the countenance, the outward appearance, the visage.
- In Hebrew thought, the face represents one's identity, dignity, and reputation.
- To have one's face darkened implies shame, disgrace, and loss of honor.
is become black (שָׁחֳרַ֫וּ - shaharu)
- Root word שָׁחַר (shahar) means to be or become black, dark, or dusky.
- Can refer to the color of skin darkened by sun exposure (Song 1:5) or by soot and smoke.
- In this context, it strongly suggests being discolored by smoke and the intense suffering and degradation resulting from the destruction and fires.
with (מִן - min)
- A preposition indicating source or origin, signifying "from" or "because of."
- Points to the cause of the blackened face.
smoke (עָשָׁן - ashan)
- Literally means smoke.
- Directly links the blackening to the residue and impact of fire, destruction, and burning, characteristic of warfare and sieges.
- It evokes the sensory experience of the ruined city and the burning of homes and the Temple.
of the enemies (אוֹיְבִים - oyvim)
- The plural of enemy (אֹיֵב - oyev).
- Refers to those who oppose, attack, and are hostile towards Israel.
- Attributes the cause of this dire state directly to the actions of the conquerors.
Group analysis: "Our face is become black with the smoke of the enemies"
- This phrase paints a vivid picture of extreme suffering.
- The "blackened face" is not just a literal consequence of smoke inhalation but a powerful metaphor for the deep shame, despair, and humiliation experienced by the survivors.
- The "smoke of the enemies" points to the immediate aftermath of destruction by invading forces, likely referring to the burning of Jerusalem and its surrounding areas.
- It reflects a complete reversal of fortune and a profound loss of national identity and divine favor as perceived through their suffering.
Lamentations 5 9 Bonus section
The imagery of smoke affecting one's appearance is also found in other prophetic books describing judgment. For instance, Isaiah 34:10 speaks of the land of Edom burning with smoke. Job 30:30 describes Job's skin being black and his bones burning. The phrase can be understood as a literal physical manifestation of the trauma and devastation, where the survivors, returning from hiding or surveying the wreckage, literally had their faces stained by the omnipresent smoke from the fires that consumed their city and homes. It's a sensory detail that heightens the reader's empathy for the suffering. The reference to enemies directly links their plight to the actions of Babylon.
Lamentations 5 9 Commentary
This verse is a poignant expression of the utter desolation and ignominy faced by the people of Judah after their nation's collapse. The "blackened face" is not merely a physical condition from the smoke of destruction, but a profound symbol of their shame, sorrow, and loss of dignity under the yoke of their enemies. It speaks to a complete spiritual and physical degradation brought about by their national calamity. The stark imagery serves to underscore the severity of God's judgment in response to their sin, making tangible the devastating consequences of their disobedience and the overwhelming power of their oppressors. The survivors, marked by the smoke of destruction, are a testament to the ruin they have endured.